Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-09-02
VISIT TO WONDERLAND.

To the Editor of the Daily Eagle:
Since my letter Of last week, must say
that until yesterday things in this locality
ran rather smoothly, not the least thing
worthy of mention having taken place, and
actually think that the dwellers in and
about Parsons would have died from sheer
inactivity were it not for the fact that they
were buoyed up by expectancy and antici-
patton awaiting the advent Of the biggest
and best of all big shows, Sells Bros Mon
ster 50-Cage Menagerie and Great Four
Ring Circus. For weeks the town has been
clad in regal holiday attire, gaudy colored
Autographs lining the shop windows and the
walls, and fences, etc, everywhere one
looked. Of course the Sells show is as well
known here as the town hall, and is con-
sidered as much an institution of the place;
but if our citizens were to awaken to-
morrow morning and find the town hall
changed into splendid marble palace, and
all its old mustv hooks retouched with artis-
tic figures until its present appearance had
given place to one of exceeding grandeur
and unequaled beauty, they could not be
more surprised than they were in the change
which one short season has wrought in the
Sells Bros Monster 50-Cage Menagerie and
Great Four-Ring Circus. Last year Sells
Bros circus was considered big enough and
grand enough for all intents and purposes,
but this year it beats everything.
Everybody went to the show yesterday
and last night, and everybody went home
pleased. was informed by one of the man
ayers that the date of the shows appearance
in Wichita has been definitely settled, and it
will now appear in Wichita, Thursday, the
| 18th os September, SO that hasten to tell
| YOU what | saw.
In the first place, on entering. was almost
carried by the crowd through the first Of the
menagerie tents, containing just twenty
seven cages of living wild animals, and then
the second tent containing twenty-six cages
(their menagerie is so large that it requires a
double tent; they advertise fifty cages, but
show in reality fifty-three-three more than
advertised; | suppose that they chose fifty,
because it is an even number.) 1t was, in
deed a splendid sight, and many animals
were to be seen which i am certain are not
to be seen anywhere else, and which will
probably never be seen again.
| Splendid specimens of the giraffe family,
the only ones, am sure. now on exhibitions;
a monster three-horned rhinoceros, the only
coal-blacS sacred elephant, and the largest of
giant elephants, were to be seen as some Of
the special features of the big show. The
greatest and most wonderful sight, however,
and one which completely eclipses every
thing ever exhibited is the huge pair of
blood-sweating Experimentation any
manner of doubt the only pair of their kind
which was particularly pleasing was the
fact that there was more to be seen than
was Notwithstanding very unusual
with circus. Had they advertised an all
including menageric they would have hit
the mark. The ring, or, rather, to be more
explicit, the Touring performance, was
excellence it never was nor never will be
beaten. Such riding. Jim Robson
You've seen Jim-everybody has. Well,
Jim, the worlds champion, led the riding,
followed by Madame Cordona, Don Jere,
Bell, Frank H. Gardner, Miss Polite Lee,
and, in fact, twenty other champions, each a
star. There is not a single pad act, nor
anything like bad act in the whole show.
The riding is, of course, but one line of the
performance, which includes everything
under the sun in the circus line. There
is altogether 200 all-star artists, giving six
acts at one time-in the air, on horseback
and in the rings-a most wonderful perfor-
nance will name a few of the perform
ers; their names need but be mentioned.
There is the Stirk family, Europe's greatest
bicyclists, whose equals cannot be found
there are the Leslie Brothers, head bal
ancers; the Romalis, the Martinos, the
Purvis Sisters, Miss Maggia Clayie, etc. In
short, fully 200. Every act is a show in its
self. l find that my limited space will not
permit me to give detailed ac count, and Sc
must close by saying that it is, all in all, the
best have ever witnessed. RAMBLER.