The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1888-10-04
A Circus MANS 'Start.

ger, whose death recently occurred in
Cincinnati:
In the winter of 1916, the gypsy
caravan, for the Buckley q Wicks cir
Gus was but little more, brought up at
Boston, seeking shelter from the bitter
blasts Of fierce New England winter,
in rather comfortable if not commo-
dious barn, just at the outskirts of the
city, John, now some fifteen years oil
age, was employed as a night watch
man at a salary of $40 per month,
with grave doubts OF ever seeing the
half of it. 1t was n most fortunate
engagement for him, however, as the
sequel will show. His ambition, as
we have said, was prodig, ,ous, and hav-
ing discovered that the star Of any
circus organization must necessarily
be rider, he determined to become a
master of the pad saddle before the
winter closed. Horses, OF course, he
had not, especially those trained for
the purpose, as these were usually the
individual property of the riders, and
kept away from the common circus
sheds. A boy OF John Robinson's
wonderful force of character was not
to be deferred from purpose by a
difficulty such as this, however, and
the resolve of becoming an equestrian
having been made, he began looking
about for the means of its accomplish
ment.
There were the baggage horses
why not try them? They had never
run the ring" it was true, but they
could be broke, and that they should
be was at once determined upon. At
last the long coveted opportunity came.
One dark night, when every one had
left the barn or shed, John slipped
from his bed of straw, lighted a few
tallow dips about the practice ring
and brought out the lead horse OF the
baggage team. Round and round the
twain kept moving until nearly morn,
when both rider and steed were so
thoroughly exhausted that to move
further was matter almost imposs.
bic. The next night, or rather morn
ing, the young Hercules was at
it again and rested not until
broad daylight. When the first
horse had been thoroughly broken a
second one was brought out, and then
third, and finally fourth, John be-
striding them all at once, and hand
ling them in such a manner as event
ually to win the greatest renown.
Thus, under the cover OF darkness, un.
assisted, discouraged frequently by the
fear of discovery and instant discharge,
did he labor on, until in the end he
was the greatest four horse rider in the
world. Not until the show was ready
to take the road in the spring, how
ever, did the audacious stripping pre-
sent himself to Buckley & Wicks to
make known his desire to appear be-
fore the public aS an equestrian.
However, when he had mustered
courage for the task, he proposed that
he be given a position as a performer,
and when asked what he could do,
told them Of his achievements. When
laughed at for his seeming audacious
assertions, he brought out the four
horses anG surprised the entire circus
caravan by the boldness of his riding.
From this on he was star OF the
Buckley Il Wicks arena, and frequent.
ly related with pride the startling pos.
ter gotten out by the managers an
nouncing his daring act. 1t was a
sheet Of common paper, about 28x42
inches in extent, printed in plain
black with rough wood cuts represent.
ing four horses in string, with the
rider on the hrck of the "wheel horse
"Thpy looked more like rats than
horses" Uncle John used to say The
startling announcement appeared un
derneath that "the world famous eques
trian. John Robinson, Jr would ac
tually ride three times around the ring
while standing on one foot, and he
would frequently add 81 kept pretty
tight grip on the foot while l was do
ing it," This, as he frequently de
clared, and his statement is borne ou
by the testimony of others, was tht
first piece of pictorial show printing
ever gotten out in America, and som'
thirty years afterwards as manager o
his show, he used to carry bundle O
two OF almost the same paper in |
saddlebags going ahead to bill tn,
coming of the circus. Uncle John
salary at the time OF his connection
with Buckley & Wicks was $5 a montl
and board, with IS extra allowed 70
carrying the center pole up hill an,
high grades and building and levelin
the ring.-CincinnGti Commercial Ga
:ette
q I.uXury and Necessity