Democratic messenger., 1888-03-31
CIRCUS RIDERS SCHOOL.
WINTER REHEARsALs FOR Eoues.
TRiANS AND THEIR HORSES.

,r,,. rn-..,.,...,.., u.u
"ee"an'ea' contr'vance TO save Her
from Faiiipg--why Riders Prefer White
Horses for the Ring.
There Is tho usual circus ring In the center
OF the barn like building. On two or thrcc
rides OF the ring arc rows OF narrow box
staiis' IN which the trained horses have their
homcs. score or more Of hostlers ani
helpers are about the room, making and
keeping Things clean and neat. With the
cold blast TINT comes In at tho open door
comes also uhii, rather sim, hgure, wrapped
IN CLOAK of iur, and with such hat and
such gloves, ana such an Quilt generally as
one might expect TO see on any lady taking
her morning walk ON broadway. She Is do
cideuiy pretty as shc trips IN, closes the door,
grccts every one with CHEEKY good morn
ing anu then trips up Hight OF stairs to
ncr dressing rooni' But before she disappears
from siSht shc says: fiease get BOD ready"
bod u Drought out. hc Is big horse,
more white than gray, ana Is taken from ono
OF the stalls which have number very like
MN in color IN them. Ihat prompts an IN.
qnisitivc visitor 10 ask ono OF the titled
people standing round II white horses arc the
ohiy ones that Will tram well ior circus pur-
poses
MOI bit' my poy; DAYS or blacks or
chesthuts wouid 40 equhiiy wen, Dut the
riders ike the white ones best. Whyi Oh,
because they IKE To Keep up the Illusion ot
tue ring. Scc, thcres the reason why white
horses are used 80 generally"
As hc spoke TINS proiessorCpt morse cduca-
tion pointcu 10 young man VINO was rub
DinS bobs lack win q LOT OF hnc powder.
IL was powdered resih' ana was applied lib
craiiy 70 th. BACK Oh BOD anu carefully
srrc'id over All thc broaAi pack on which the
larry VINO lew moments ago entered would
soon bc dancing
lhhts tue reason why the whitc horses
are CHOSEN ny ridcis LOT their uses. Now, u
the morse was black or Day IN color the pow
'ier wouih iic III great pad ike block that
would bc plainly visible TO every one.
kidcrs, male or female, dislike 10 have any
one KNOW that they use resin To help them
Keep their ieet on the aninais back. SO
they use white horses To help out the dcccp-
uon."
While this explanation OF the petty dcccp-
ton was being induiSei IN the horse profess
sors assistants had got the mechanic into
trim. That mechanic looked more like a
gallows than anything else. From the center
Of the ring rose strong pole, or mast, which
lost ITSELF IN the beams above which served
TO support tho dressing room hoor. Three
quarters OF tho wny up from tho bottom OF
the pole there stretched out an arm, which
gave to rue p"ie the saiiows ike appearance.
rope which hung from the end Of this arm,
with halter band Of leather, added 10 tho
rcpuiSive appearance. The arm moved
no's'l'ssiy anu easily about the supporting
past is thc young inhy % M hung on that
saiiows: was the iacctio'is inquiry addressed
To inc man oi norse lore ami circus mystery.
Yes, she'll hang there Tor half hour.
Here sle comes; now see now shc does IL.
Inc erstwhiie larry came tripping down
stars u a iairy can trip when shod IN a sort
of sahot, much like those worn like the peas
ants of Holland, but with triic less wood
IN them. Great Scott. What transforma-
ton! The sabo's brought down stairs some
thinS utterly nniik'thc graceful woman who,
a few moments before, had gone tn the mys-
terions regions OF the dressing room. 1t was
being clothed IN a cross between bloomer
costume anu bathing dress.
The rinsmaster fastened stout bit OF cord
10 the horses bridic bit, the other end OF
hold the whip. An attendant fastened the
halter about the waist OF "thc peerless equcs-
tricnne," and the gallows was ready. But
before her lesson IS begun Mile. Throushthe-
hoops goes up to Hob, pats him kindly on tho
heal AMI neck, and gives him n lump OF
sugar. Friendly relations are thus established
between horse and rider, and she says: "All
right; let him 60" There's a snap Of the
rinSmastcrs whip, n Enthusiastically wo-
manly Get up in shrill, high key, and
the handsome gray begins his gallop about
the little circus ring. He makes half dozen
circuits of the ring, anu then Mile. Through
thehoops makes q 'rnntic rush at him. catches
him by the mane with one hand, and with
the other seizcs the grip fastened To the saddle
eirth ani leaps to his back. At tho Same in
slant the rope arrangement Of the gallows
frame OF the mechanic is hauled taut. 1t was
well II was hauled taut, too, for the new
horse. startled by tho sudden descent on his
WASH ior tliat iicch',h'. anu us snliows IKE
S,."l = I ~. mcchanic % and ;,s arm % % snd horra"s