The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-01-10
! oait rand 9umor.
A Circus Agent who Encountered his Match
ina Frontier Newspaper Office.

IN fOntl6l Newspaper OlnCe'
Yesterday afternoon dapper little MAJ
with astwo-ounce cane anu a-half pounl
cluster diamond, came into the ofiicl
asked If the amusement reporter was in
When the man he sought was pointed out
the stranger grasped him warmly by th,
hand, remarking ~" Delighted to NEE
you, sir-really, | am. I've heard Of 70,
at every place I've stopped on my way
from New York had such curiosity
to see you that | got eE at Reno and tool
asran up But really | had expected Il
fDd,.a much older man, considering th'
magnificent reputation your dramatic ant
circus criticisms have given you. All o
our boys told me to be sure and see you, i
I didn't get aboard Of anything else in The
town. NJ W&
"Ah," said the reporter blushing in foul
colors, aim glad to see you. Might
inquire your name
is'Wsll, here's my card, said the littlC
man handing out piece Of pasteboarC
about ave inches square. "You nigh
nave neaiu VI my Deioie-SAaIe ~
Lacy Slocum, agent Of the Sebastian Var
Buena Vista Circus aud Menagerie. Ihii
is BY far the largest combination of gigan
NC elrcuses ever put on the read, We start
ed out about FIVE years ago in small way
with but 40 900 feet OF eanvass-only nine
tents-and scarcely 1910 animals but VIZ
grnduaily absorbed all the smail-iry shows
They go into bankruptcy along the route
and we would buy their outfits. Sebas-
tan, our owner, IS the most sympathetic
man on earth. He'd buy their little shows
and pay double price, Just to help the poor
devils along Money Is OF no account &c
him He's travelling simply for pleasure
aad 70 see the great west.
ia Ike to know him, remarked the
reporter
ION, be knows you-that is, by reputa'
ton lie has your picture IN frame
that cost him slO0. he was saying to
me one night that whenever business was
duh be just took look at that phiz OF
yours, aud il always made him feel as
happy as II be was obliged to turn five
hundred people away at the door.
"How came him to get hold of my pic
ture
"Oh, he begged It OF De Murska OF
Modjeska, or Clara Morris; forget which
She hated like thunder to part with II
but you seq that he had loaned the great
actress sio,OOO once 10 Paris to buy
wardrobe aud some jewelry for a new
piece, and as the debt was never cancelled
she couldn't very well refuse, But jusi
came IN to give you little information
about our show, | always like to give q
man all the points when | know he pos
sesses the talent to handle them in the
right style. Some fellows down at RenC
and Carson tried to pump me, but didn'I
propose to LEI description of my show b.
mangled up by scrub writers. Besides
Sebastian telegraphed me from New forI
last night not to let anybody but you &c
aboard OF the first grand description
just mention four niles Of cages contain
ing Wild beasts, with twelve new varieties
oteiephants, add arecently-discoyered mon
ster from Africa called the Jabber 'wock
which weighs asooo pounds
indeed!
fes, SIR aud man like you, with
description ability and inexhaustcd com
lnand Of language, which has made yoI
famous on two continents
rhow many columns, do you want y
z On, as many as you please, was the
reply.
HWhen do you think the show viii b
here Y
Perhaps not for two months; it take
such long time to move the animals tina
orr progress across the country is slow.
"Just so. Well, our figures for b;
eircuses like yours are $3.50 column easl
down, and thirty par cent Of the gross re
ceipts if the show is a success .
The circus agent seemed greatly af
feeted "lsn't that rather sleep2P he
said.
IA would be, perhaps, for small pro.
sineial journal like the New York Sun,
or even the London Times, but we eircu.
late such mammoth edition that the
price is comparatively trifing. -Four.
paper for our edition, which is worked of
on i've big Walter presses, lightning
geared Our expense for steam alone,
Is &Z,uUU O day, We have more car