San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-01-26
CIRCUS TRAVEL.
A Talk With An Old Circus Man on
this Subject. Which is Very
Interesting

this subject, Which Is very
Interesting.
A LIGHT reporter has made the &C.
quaintance, with a good deal Of pleas
IRE, OF an old circus manager, who, how
ever, lie too modest to permit his name
to be mentioned. In q conversation with
him few days ago. ne was asked II cir
Gus people travel much and widely. He
gasped:
"Do circus people travel much? Well,
I should tumble to leap," III 1 had my
time to live over again, l should follow
the same calling. for In no other line of
business can man travel such dis
tanoes, see such sights and improve his
mind, as he can In the circus business.
A recognized performer can, for in
stance, walk into Paravicini & Corbyn's
office, in London, England, and az once
ments at the Paris Hippodrome or the
Folies Bergere-the Cirque Jesus,
at Amsterdam, the Wslhalls, at
Berlin. the Cirque Sslamonski, at
Vienna, the Cirque Fernandez, at
Madrid or the Cirque Cinisella at st.
Petersburg. He can tour England with
the Sanger Bros; Ireland with Swal-
low; Scotland with -Pinder & Cooke.
He can visit Italy with Quaglieni; Spain
with Fernando & Price; smoke ciga-
rettes In the City Of Mexico with the
Orrin Bos.; In Havana with Leon De-
Leon; Wilt Venezuels with Dockrill, 20
to South America with Frank Gardner;
visit the West Indies with popcorn
George" be chilled to death with Texas
northers with Billy Monroe. He can
visit China and Japan with Chiarini and
tour India from Umballa to Calcutta
with John Wilson and thus acquire
knowledge OF the world which would
cost the wealthy many thousands Of dol
lars. OF course, they meet with many
friends and change their soquaintanoes.
For instance. the "principal' (lady RIDER
might officlate as wardrobe woman aud
mend your tights at Melbourne In 1872,
and the curly -headed ring groom who
looked after your STOCK" In Russia
may be doing q star act and rawing an
immense salary . few years later 10
Gibraltar. l know an American lady
who. 20 years ago, was the first slack
wire walker OF her time. Growing too
stout for that work she commenced riding
a pad act" From that she descended
to wardrobe woman, and for the past
two years has been eking out living as
"fat" woman In . dime museum. In
1867, there was jolly company OF us at
the Cirque Heany, now the Cirque Gin
iseila on the Neva at st. Petersburg. We
had appeared before the car and had
been feted and dined to our hearts con-
tent. 1t was our custom after the per.
Torrance to HRS droskys and 60 to Q
winter garden and make merry. On the
last night Of the season we all shook
hands and promised to correspond with
each other, promise which | need
scarcely say was never kept.
Strange to say, from that time till
1888, sixteen years, no four OF us had
trapeze man, while performing al the
Royal ALEXANDRA Palace, London, had
met Milo, the statue artist, and Valvo,
while astonishing the Inhabitants OF
Vera Cruz, had ran across Venoa, the
equillbrist, but these were simply ex-
captions. 10 1888, however, Barnum's
big show opened on the lake front, In
Chicago, and there in the reserved seats
no less than eight OF the Russian CON-
pany met. They were Miss Elise
Kenebel, better known In this country
as the stately Madam Dockrill, Fran.
co.'s Kenebel, her brother. the great
clown, Milo, the statue artist, (nOw a
door. tender with Barnum,) Sam Stick
ney, of the Stickney family, now with
Monroe & French, and one or two
others, less known to fame, including
myself. After shaking hands all round,
1t was remarked that the company was
complete, with the exception Of lad
whom we used to call Charlie. and who
used to run errands for us In st. Peters
burg. Scarcely was the remark made,
when the gong sounded, and the
grand entry made its appearance and
10, riding at Its head, In all the glory OF
buokskins..and boots, was the errsnd boy,
little Charlie, nor better known as Herr
Charles Nyegaerd, the horse trainer,
and Bsrnum's equestrian director. That
Is only one Of many such meetings.
Some other time 1 may tell you some
thing about the private life Of the circus
actor. Au revoir," with which our en-
PERTAINING friend shook hands and de-
parted.