, 1884-04-01
CIRCUS PRIVILEGES,
And the Language in Which They
Are Talked About.
Oddities OF the Peculiar JarGon OF
the Sawdust Arena--The Money
Value OF side show" and
Other Privileges.


New York SUM-
In some inexplicable way the men of the
sawdust arena have ma ie unto themselves n
language peculiar and to a very great degree
unintelligibls 10 the uninitiated. Much OF it
undoubtedly comes from gypsy sources, was
talked generations ago among the horse
riders of England, and was imported TO this
country by the Cooks and other old circus
families. Hero fertile imaginations have en-
larged and enriched it with newly-coined
words, idomntic phrases, and slang until it is
almost as copious and queer as tho "thieves'
patter" Of London, with which, by the way,
it has much in common. Thosa by whom it
is most commonly used nre the canvasmen,
hostlers, grooms, ring s-upernumeraries, and
other members of what may be classed as the
humber divisions in the circus army. Those
who habitually use this speech not in
frequently find a serious value in the power
it gives them Of exchanging ideas, purposes,
and warnings in presence OF "outsiders' who
may be hostile to them, without being under
stood by others than their comrades. In
fact, it answers for them most of the uses of
a foreign tongue, and they employ it at
times without a thought of its comic incon-
gruity in the gravest situations.
QUEER SOUNDING.
Several years ago a circus company left be-
hind in Chicago a sick canvasman. Tho poor
fellow Wis not likely to recover, and the best
they could do for him was to put him in q
room Of the Mattison house and make liberal
provision for his caro- until tho end should
come. Another canvasman, ono Of his oldest
and dearest friends, remained behind to at
tend him. After n few days OF pain, nature
began to give way. Beside tho bed sat his
friend, Il big. rough, but warm-hearted fell
low. over whose brOnZed cheeks tears of grief
were flowing fast, who looked up at the min
lister who had been called in and said in a
choking voice: "Stag his goggles, he's a
goin'." tSee his eyes, he is going.l
1t is related that one time n circus showing
in q little Ohio town suddenly lost one of its
canyasmen. After the canvas was up and
before time for striking it he wandered Off
about tho town. A revival meeting in q
little church attracted him. He listened to n
thrilling ex%hortation, felt himself n great
sinner, seated himself among the
mourners, and 'got religion" before the
evening ended. Tho show vent on and
left him, but tho treasurer sent
back to him the wages due on his account.
He settled down in the town. became a mem
Der of the church, found plenty of profitable
employment as a carpenter, and lived an ir-
reproachable life, but never could get rid of
his old habits OF speech, except the swearing,
which he left OH entirely. Three or four
years went by during which 40 circus visited
the town. Then one came, and in its train
of employees was II cnnvHsman who had
formerly bcou tho converts closest "pardn
Tie unrcgenerata new conner CHANGED to
meet his old friend AMI salutci him with n
p~ruflle explosion Of eSuberant JOY, to which
the other, while warmly Erasping his hand,
replied, pointing up to heaven: silence,
Gully; stow your cacklc. His Nibs hears
you" Mover was an ]aimonitiou against
prOfuuity mara purnngtlV p1Anpt hut tl,
mode Of its expression might, in tho ears of
the hyDercirtiCal, have seemed TO mar its
sOlemnity. He meant simply; Silence,
cOurIde; restrain your words. God hears
you"
THE ~"FIxER."
But this Is n depression suggested by that
word hustler" which, an old circus man
says, means "a good, lively, industrious
worker" nothing more, The "genoral hxer'sn
business is the getting OF licenses for showing
In towns and cities, and obtaining permits for
street parades. An experienced, capable
man, agreeable and smart. can save n good
many dollars to u show in the course OF a
season in doing that work, by making tickets
as good us money to petty officials; and
occasionally, in some rodgh western local
tiles, the tact and good nature of a "dxern
have been of almost inostiimlble value in
making friends ahead OF the show. "Fixer'
is a shorter word than nesotiator, and,
for all practical circus purposes, is as
good. That reference to the handling
of privileges touches u wider and more
important ground. The word "priyI-
le ges," when used in circus associations, is
meant to include all tho various devices
for capturing money in and about a
circus other than the "big show" itself. -Four
of these are legitimate, and acknowledged
side show. concert, candy and tickets. 1t is
affirmed, and apparently on good circus
authority, that one show, not many seasons
ago, leased out the privilege OF passing coun-
terfeit money to the "~yokels,p or countrymen,
along its route, and that another leased the
CLOTHES limo privilege" or right to petty
sneak thieving Of all sorts on its line OF
march. Strictly speaking, there was not in
either case n formal leasing OF either privi-
lege, but that which amounted to the same
thing was that the counterfeitcrs and thieves
were personally known TO the managers Of
the two shows, and had to pay them literally
for permission TO "work" tho crowds at
tracted by tho ~circuses and the country
round about.
II PRIVILEGES.
The "side-show privilege covers the right
to exhibit, in II tent adjoining that Of the
big show, auy and all sorts of alleged at
fractions and imposed moustrosities. with
go AA-sl HAA a1At Jeh "a AhsAA
OF paintings outside, to amaze and fascluate
rural boholders. The license granted to a
circus ordinarily covers all its belongings,
including the side show; and the running OK
peuses Of the latter ara very small, by COM
parison with the big slow, so that the profits
upon this privilege, in proportion to invest
ment, are often much greater than those OF
the circus itself. In some cases it has boon
known that whero tho circus lost money
during a season the side show rIade hand
some profits.
The concert privilege" covers the variety
show given in the main tent after the ring
performance ends. Though this show has no
license on advcr Using expenses-beyond such
advertisement as is given by believing fell
lows Offering tickets for sale during the
heavy IN its list Of salaries for speciality per-
formers, who ara often high-pricel. 1t
therefore is much less profitable proportion
ntsly than the side show, but still is quite
a handsome source Of revenue with any good
and successful circus. The candy privilege
sovers tho sale OF confectionery, nuts, fruit,
lemonade, etc. in the main tent The
ticket privilege" involves the right TO sell
daily, in advance OF the opening OF the ticket
wagon, at n slight increase OF price, n Ger
tain stipulated number OF tickets to the main
Ihow. Thousands OF people would rather
pay an extra dime on each ticket than
struggle in the crowd at tho ticket wagon.
A @side-show privilege" has been known to
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