Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-05-23
CIRCUS APPRENTICES.
How Eminent stars Have Learned
the business.

the Business.
There are no circus apprentices nova
days." said W. D. Hutchinson, OF Bar
NUNS show, recently; "clrcus proprietors
get their talent readymade, and only
want the best. The ola way of training
for the ring was by an apprenticeship
of seldom less than six years. One of
the best old time trainers was Levi 5.
North, who was in his prime about 1870
At that time circus people were not
brought up to do any particular act. A
good man was supposed to be able TO do
everything, to be as good an acrobat as
juggler, or as clever a clown as bare
back rider. The boy apprentice would
usually commence by learning to ride
a pair Of ponies. The method of teach
ing boys to be bareback riders was al
most the same in those days as at the
present time. They were first put to
work on a mechanic which consists
OF pole set in the middle of save dust
ring, with high arm, over which ran a
rope. The end of the rope was fastened
TO the boys belt as he stood on the horse
and the instructor held the other As
the horse galloped around the ring the
pole and arm revolved. If the pupil
Slipped from the horses back he was
saved fall Rs5sveT| i0r a,.f este. cd ~ his
belt. They made to practice
three or four hours day. Levi North's
circus performers were made up prin-
cipaIly of apprentices, and North him
self was performer in the ring. For
practicing on the road where no me
chanic' could be erected, a short rope
was tied to the pupils belt and fastened
to ring in the saddle. This prevented
him from falling to the ground. The
oil gymnasts always had the youngsters
with them learning, but in these times
gymnasts come from the city gymras-
idms or learned their business in the
barn-loft of the old homestead Some
times a performer finds smart boy,
teaches him during the winter, and the
next season brings him out in brother
or combination act. There arc two large
schools for circus riders and gymnasts
in the East. One is kept near Paterson
y. j., by s. Eaton Stone, one of the best
known of the old riders, and the other
by James Cook, an Englishman, who
came to this country with l.. b. Lent
They were FIST established fof the usC
of members of the profess ion who wished
to add new features to their acts or t.
keep themselves in training during the
winter" did the women riders serve
apprenticeship" We'll, no-that is
not in this country, for most of our rider,
are foreigners. Yet some of the hes,
and most daring hsrse-women we have
ever had in the ring were American
girls. Alice Lake. who captivated tn,
whole country about 1850 by her ridin.
was the daughter of 'Bill' and Agne:
Lake, of Robinson and Lakes circus
She was taught to ride from infancy, ant
what she did not know about a circu,
Vas not worth knowing, as her fathel
was a closn and her mother a slack
wire performer. In the height of he
successes her death startled the profes
sional world. Crossing Lake Ponchar
train on a steamboat with her husband
: and crowd OF friends one day, she
leaned over the rail watching the water
when large diamond cross, valued a
thousands OF dollars, became detached
from about her throat and fell over
board. She clutched for it, lost her bal
ance, fell and was never again seer
Rose and Sally Stiokney were great wo
men riders twenty years ago; they served
sort of apprenticeship to Sam Stickne!
the rider and general performer. Ros,
Madison, another good rider of that tim,
was also pupil of her father. One o
the pet stories of the old-time circu
men is that told about the famous bare
back rider, ella Zoyara, who appeared