New-York tribune., 1883-06-03
AN OLD-TTME HORSEUAN.
LEVI NORTH AND LOUIS PHILIPPE-A ROYAL CIR
Gus EXPERIENCE


LEVI NORTH AND LOUIS pHIIIPPE-A ROYAL CIR
Gus EXPERIENCE
Just off Fulton in Jay-st., Brooklyn, Thomas
Dent keeps an English chop house which he calls the
Phoenix Inn for the he explains that the orig
inal establishment burned in the great fire Of
lS47" Brooklyn It had great fire once, New
York and Boston and Portland and such modern
town Chicago have had theirs. This locally famous
chop house and several predecessors in various loca
ties appear to have risen, metaphorcaly speaking from
the ashes OF the 1s47 establishment Mr. Dent and q
large collection OF pictures Of racing and sporting
characters and portraits of actors less noted at
one time. and most II net oil forgotten, appear to
have been the only survivors and relics Of the original
house.
Among the recent additions TO his collection and
one which the old host of the Phoenix appears to take
much pride ill., is small and somewhat faded picture OF
young and dmnutive man dressed in tights posing in
the most light and airy style broad pad upon the
back OF partcoored horse which is cavorting at the
breakpeck speed still to be in the circus ring The
figure is graceful well small and the face is smooth
and almost grsh. The legend below carefully written
by master Of penmsnshp, gives the craving its
chief interest Is follows: Mr. Levi North he
appeared before Louis Philippe the King OF the French
and the Royal Family, Paris June 81 1s45. Presented
by Mr. Rivers, stage manager"
An old actor of renown and an old reporter OF THE
TRIBUNE coming the picture few days ago while
slipping their ale and commenting the subject Of
It. Both bad seen Levi North whtn they were mere
boys and when he the height Of his popularity
the great and daring bareback rider ETC., etc" Cal
culang dates they discovered that they have
him before the date OF 1si5 the picture While
they thus commenting the door Of the PhGnx Inn
opened and a small figure, that OF old man, but
whose gray hair the only evidence OF his age,
walked iu and passed by them to table the OPP
p0ste side OF the His entrance did not disturb
their cal N OF
the that the subject OF tie picture, alive, must
be quite old man.
What ever became of him asked the reporter OF
Mr. Dent.
lie Is alive and wel.7 said Mr.. Dent, smiling "and
that he just behind you he added pointing 10 the lit
tie old man who had just entered IntroductOns fol-
lowed leading nor nal talk about North and the
picture. and about crcuses morally OF the last genera
ton the present day North Is now nearly seventy
years old but does not look fifty and with the
elasticity OF forty. He lives quietly In Brooklyn where
he was born and daily visits his friend Dent He has
been retired from the circus business for years
but was actively engaged In 1t As boy and man. and
tumber clown. rider and manager for forty years.
The engraving naturally led him into his first remnis
was performing with Rivers's American Cir
cusin Par" he said. and had some reputation which
reached the Kings earsas graceful rider That style
was the rage then; posers in those days;
regular Oscar Wdes on horseback The King wished
the He didn't come 10 the circus however,
but had the circus TO him. There large rid
ing school at Neuilly where the King had his summer
resdence destroyed three years after was there
In the Revolution OF ls4s. The school located in
the park. which most extensive and beautiful run
ming miles along he bank of the Seine and including
some Of the islands In the stream. OH IL was lovely
place. lie had the circus give exhibitions before him In
this riding school tell you they did things mp style
there | had tent for dressing room which was as
big as the dressing of the entire company.
rfthI
and there aunes in livery to wait and hand
me ices and wine between the acts. My tent was some
distance from the riding school across the beautiful
smooth grassy lawn and the pathway between the
tent school laid with carpet for me to walk on.
They treated royalty, tell you. fell during the
performance my shying at the music as l did NJ
backward somerset-and the Queen sent her own
surgeon 20 attend me-"
"You did such acts In those days the somerse
on horseback " asked the reporter
the first who accomplished IT," was the re-
ply "oh we had daring fcats In those days well
merely graceful posngs There very few OF the dar
ing OF to-day which not done fortyayel sixty
years ago. have more daring or success
fu bareback rider than old man Hunter was away back
In the twenties when was a small boy and whom
l remember seeing before joined the profession lie
did all the really difficult acts which the best OF them do
now. We hear great deal said OF the double summer
sault nowadays; 1t used be done years ago, and
vauers killed themselves long before the war trying TO
do three summersaults in single leap Idont think IL
will be accomplished. IL is impossible for man TO
calculate when to double up and then TO straghten n-
self order land with safety such long flying
leap.
"I Joined the circus" he continues, in answer to
leading question, "when was twelve years old that
I'm 1926 II was I'm Brooklyn here-or rather it was
little distance OF Brooklyn, at the Military Garden,
which situated where the Court House now Is,
and occupied about all the space now bounded by
anIE md
too; though there were no streets there then TWAS
considered long walk then from Brooklyn out TO the
Military Garden. The circus was Howe Quick Meads,
and some of the hands tumbling about outside
the show and called Howes attention to me- My mother
apprenticed me to m unde" my threat 70 run away II
she didn't and In fifteen months arterward was rider
at thirteen years OF age IL was hard fe put nde
tough-as yon see. .
NO; crcnses and menageries were not big affairs In
horses and herds of ephants nor three rings and three
tents. Some OF 'em didn't have even one tent w., we
travelling in the South IL CUSTOMARY to show IN the
nageries in those days consisted of elephant lion or
tiger and two three monkeys, but only the monkeys
was a big elephant In those days named Columbus
He so big that it took stock company to own nm
Menageries and circuses distinct organizations In
those days The sorth was great held for both before
Ss IN naSs played 81 e snSa %iin as
Vile. Ga, good for week or ten days and any
try people black and white for scores Of miles around
used to come to "A circus in those lays -,..,. q,
" It Is the magnitude OF barnuihs snow wuich - ITO
biggest attraction There Is nothing particularly new;
only variations old Ii Is the duplication trpca-
ton and all that which brings out the Immense crowds
People will go to SEQ a circus With four rings when they
wouldn't go a show with one; and single elephant
Jumbo though t be- wouldn't OF himself attract people
who will 20 10 see whole herd OF them OF all ages and
sizes Riding six horses isn't any more difficult tnan
riding tw o. hut it sounds bigger have doubt that
Barnims expenses are 800 day. but doubt If they
are $4,000 showinen must be allowed consideraDie
leeway for lying. It's no doubt big show - ~,
"Tbere never was circus which succeeded which did
not have equestrian performances and never WILL tsm
belief lt the charm of the sawdust ring; and when
you haven't got performing horses and riders you haa
better call your show museum and play mermaids ana
North had previously explained that he had just come
from the Big Indian Wlgwam," mongrel entertain
ment of educated monkeys, trained dogs, swarthy
braves other brutes and the reporter fanced this
ast opinion was an expression OF ns contempt or any