The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-06-20
Pleasant Intelligence.

The announcement by the multifarious me-
diums employed, by Mr.. John B. Doris of the
coming of his Great Inter- Ocean, largest and
best show on earth, on Friday June 22d, will
be received with the greatest pleasure by old
and young. The older of us can well remem-
Der when a few horses wagons and animals
together with a man who could stand on a
horse without falling off, and another who
could stand on his head or throw somersault,
would constitute a complete show, and even
children OF the present generation have their
ideal shows; but it is a progressive age and
what would satisfy us then will do so no longer.
In no form OF amusements have there been
such radical changes as in the tenting shows,
usually called for short, a circus, though in
reality they are perfect worlds lair. The
theater remains pretty much the same, and old
plays are constantly being reproduced. With
some shows 1t is also much the same. Their
managers commenced years ago and estab-
lished regulations by showing woolly horses,
etc, with occasionally genuine thing. Their
idea of progress and improvement seems to be
only in extent but not in change of methods
or of advertising The people wherever the
Great Inter Ocean Show has exhibited in the
five years of its existence have learned to re-
gard it as the embodiment of all that is new,
fresh and desirable in popular form of public
entertainment, and a distinct departure from
the old-fashoned concerns The stereotyped
features always possessed by every other show
have been almost entirely discarded, and those
retained are only the very best. MIR. Doris is
young man comparatively, but he has some
twenty years experience in the business and he
is a master of every detail, possessing complete
knowledge OF all that the experience of other
and older managers had evolved, and in addi-
ton to that, he Is full of young blood and fresh
ideas, and best of all, is a gentleman, born ana
bred. Perhaps it would be better to write that
he was born very poor, and had no other edu-
cation than that to be had in coming contact
with the public; but the unfortunate fact re-
mains that he Is not only gentleman by edu-
cation and culture but that he inherited this
character. One marked difference between
him and other managers, who boastfully pa
rade their humble origin, is to be found In
their respective establishments, especially re-
gardng efforts made for the pleasure and COM
fort of their patrons While with other shows
which have visited this place. the only purpose
OF the managers seem TO be to once get their
patrons under their canvass and then let them
take care of themselves, MIR. Doris rightly
thinks that a persons comfort at circus Is
Just as much consideration AS 1t Is at a theater.
or other places of amusement; and he holds
pollteness as cheap as air, and he insists that
everyone OF his several hundred employees
shall show it, Peddling peanuts and candy,
and selling lemonade around where people are
seated and wanting to see the performance
they pay their money for, have always been a
nuisance and has kept many people away from
shows. Mr. Doris was the first manager to re-
cognize that fact, and he had the good sense
and nerve to stop it, although older managers
shook their heads and said he was foolish to
thus sacrifice certainty of income, but the
wisdom OF the action is proven to his satlsiac-
tion, and people can attend the Great Inter
Ocean Show without being trampled upon BY
peanut pedders These things together with
the knowledge that Mr. Doris is careful to ad-
vertise nothing which he will not exhibit, to-
gether with the general excellence ana satls"
factory exhibitions he gives, show that his ef
forts to give his patrons more than the worth
OF their money, are sincere and successful, and
it is pleasure to announce the coming of an
establishment such as the Great Inter Ocean
Show and to recommend it to our readers UNI
qualitedly