Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-03
TWO SIDES TO THE CURTAIN.
An Astonishing Revelation at a CIR
Gus in an Arizona Town.
From the .veso York sur.

From the Neao York sun.
! HoLDoN, 4. T., Nov. 16.-An iudigna-
tion meeting was held here last night, and
another will be held tonight. A circus
came to town day before yesterday, and
after putting mp many bills prepared Tor
an exhibition. which was to be given last
evening. The people travelling with the
show where few in number, and there did
nor appear TO be much property with the
caravan; but as trontiersmen are ac-
customed TO shows that do not look very
we'll on the outside, no attention was paid
TO the fact that Only one wagon sufhced
TO bring all the property to town. The
Mayor said, when asked for his opinion on
the subject. that the best show that he
ever saw Was one that came in on one
wagon, and others expressed similar
views. The managers OF the circus
t0iled vigorously all the afternoon In get
ting their tent ready, and to the inquiries
OF a tew bystanders who wanted to know
how many performers there were, thew
replied good naturally that there were
plenty OF them, and that they would be on
hand fast enough when the time came.
A great many people were IN town, and
at dark they all moved toward the tent.
which was pitched just outside OF the
camp. Two doors had been provided, and
| persons wishing to enter could take their
choice. A man stood at each and ao.
| cepted the money, no tickets being re-
| quired. On entering the pavilion the
| spectators saw in front Of them a big
| piece of canvas reaching from the top to
| the ground, and 1t was supposed that
| this was the curtain. The Mayor eX-
! planned that in all the new circuses at the
East curtains were used exclusively, and
| all hands accepted the device as fresh
! proof Of the increasing metropolitan char
! acterstics of Holden. The crowd was
| noisy, and for time il amused itself by
telling stories and ndulglng IN o her play
| fulness suited to its tastes. At length,
| as there seemed 10 be some delay about
! beginning the performance, the Mayor
| stood up on box, and, after clearing
his throat, said he would speak a few
words for the edifcation of the strangers
who were in Holden for the first time.
! lie then brancbed out into long disser,a-
| ton on the advantages enjoyed by the
! town, and was about TO Invite ali creation
10 come here and SETTLE, when 4 tremen-
! douS noise was heard ON the other side of
! the curtain. Thinking the show was
about to open, the Mayor broke off short,
saying that he would finish his remarks
at some other time. Taxing his seat, lie
and all who were around him became
quiet, aud then was heard the Voice OF
come here IN much the same LANGUAGE
that the Mayor had been using. For a
| minute the people were dumbiounded and
d ID not know what TO make of the thing.
| Had the Squire been imbibng
| again, and, contrary to the peace and
| dignity Of the town, had he invaded the
| dressing room OF the show tor the pur-
pose of making one OF his long -Winded
spec ches? The perspiration stood out on
the Mayors brow. The SqIire's voice
rang out loud and clear, ana at the close
! OteYery sentence prolonged cheers greet
ed him. 1t was plain that be was enter
| tanning the performers, and il not shut
off the show might never begin.
Feeling chat u heavy responsibility
rested upon him, the Mayor r, Sc and
! SAID: II fear that the Squire is TAX ny up
too much OF the performers time. He
| means well, fellow citizens. but lie for
gets that we have assembled here for
another purpose tonight. Is 1t toe wish
OF the audience that should prevail upon
| him to bring his remarks TO a close, SO
that the performers may go on with their
entertainments
1t was. as prolonged howl sIgnihed.
The Mayor accordingly put on his hal,
and, with his cane in hand, he made for
the curtain. He bad some difficulty in
| gaming an entrance, because be wished
| Gus dressing room with proper dignity.
! Failing to remove the curtain as easily as
he had thought it might be done, he turn
! ed TO the crowd aud said that be did not
exactly understand Its arrangement. II
some Of the boys would give him lift so
as to permit him TO enter in a perpendi-
cuiar position, ne would be much Obliged.
Twenty or thirty of the boys spraug to
his assistance, and a minute later the
curtain was down, and grOan that
might have been heard in Death Valley
| rose and fell on the evening air,
There facing each other were all the
| citizens Of Holden and the residents OF
! the surrounding camps. The Squire was
still speaking when the curtain came
down, and it was not until he had looked
around him and seen the people in front
| and behind that he was able to take in
! the situation. For a lew seconds nobody
| spoke, but it was only for a few. Then
| came rush for the air and an angry de-
mand tor the showmen. Not a circus
! man was to be found. Their wagon was
standing outside. but their horses were
| gone. and glance at the tent, which had
nothing in it but the citizens OF Holden,
who had been divided into TWO equal parts
by the DRIP curtain, showed that
it was destitute OF dressing room
and of everything else. II was a
| clear case OF sWlndle, and, the night be-
! ing darE and the circus men having a
big start, II was decided that pursuit was
useless. Later on all hands met at the
! hotel and held q demonstration. The
! Mayor and the Squire both spoke at
! lengtn, and both declared without re-
serve that OF all the skin games that they
had ever bad played on them this was
the worst. Several other speakers mani
| tested disposition to criticise the Mayor
! tor his assertion that Eastern cIrcuses
! always divided the tent with a curtain,
| but he parted the suggestion that he
! might have been standing in with the
! sharpers by threatening to resign, thing
| not to be thought OF, because he is the
richest man In town. After deciding To
! hold a meeting to night for the purpose OF
| raising money To bring the swludlers
to Justice, the crowd adjourned.
1t nov turns out that the circus men
were the owners of a show which had
gone to pieces on the border, and, having
nothing left but their tent and a couple OF
horses. they decided TO sell their canvas
as we'll as they could. 1t is estimated
that they got away with $3.50, aud the
town is sorer than il was when Alligator
Charley cleaned it out at poker.
Silver Left in Mexico.
From tic TDo Re0U5lics.
Charles Lyell, the eminent geologist,
aava thaf the interior of Mexico ia the