Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-23
SOCIETY'S SAWDUST FAD.
Rehearsing for an Amateur Circus.

From the New York Times
The 400, fresh from the successes Of the
Academy of Design costume ball and preparing
for the Washington centennial, are still finding
time to do great deal of gossiping in regerd to
the amateur circus modelled after the Due de
Morny's somewhat notorious attempt few
years ago, when that progressive young man
was regarded with affection by Partisan society.
Several well-known young men take daily pill
grimages to Baychester, where they are re-
garded with ill-concealed interest by the minor
who is ticket agent and baggage smasher of
that not populous hamlet. They charter a
terrible machine, which has in some way gained
the local reputation of being wagon and are
driven to Mr.. James Waterbury's beautiful
home, within earshOt of the Sound. Lots of
these young gentlemen and nearly as many
young ladies went up there yesterday.
Within fifty yards of Mr.. Waterbury's home
stands his stable. an imposing looking edifice.
No sooner had the party arrived on the grounds
in stages and drags than they were turned in
there picking their way between all sorts of
vehicles. and at last arriving within an extern
sion of the stable which Mr.. Waterbury built
many of the most renowned players of that
game have played. This apartment which.
though now used as practice hail. is to be
the scene of the great amateur circus in May. is
ticularly handsome. Mr.. Waterbury has had a
thoroughly professional 42-foot ring built in
the center of the floor, and i'll this there lots
of nice clean sawdust, which prevents bruises
to the venturesome performer. The top of the
railing of the Enclosure is padded and covered
with white canvas, and in the center stands
queer machine, looking like the result of an
arbitration between a crane and a gallows,
from the extreme end of which hangs a series
of straps, which, with the framework, is known
a mechanic.
Yesterday all this was furnished I'D so that it
glistened as the movable beam swung, and the
pretty girls and their escorts grouped them
selves III very effective order at the right. The
venerable Jack Carroll, who for forty years has
taught the young circus idea its proper marks
manship, took up his long-lashed whip and
snapped it with the grace of an Apollo over his
sun horses, and then there was silence. OF
course this was the fourth time this same
thing had been done, for every Saturday in the
last thirty days these same ladies and gentle
men have gone to Baychester to see some of
their set in practicing harness, but all were in
tent nevertheless. Finally three young gentle
men, whose names were sacred as the tomb
of Confucius, came into the ring in lawn tennis
suits and began a series of tumbing the like of
which Is never seen in this city. save where the
heated traveller on an iron steamboat witnesses
the play of some Staten Island porpoises
There somersaults and handsprngs and
sprained wrists, but as Jack Carroll expressed
it, Nothing like practice, gentlemen" and in
consequence the ladies applauded. Every one
granted that fannels were not the things in
which to do tumblings because the stitching at
the seams is notoriously insecure. But the
gentlemen were there to do hard work and
the ladies were compelled to accept the inevi-
table.
There were several quite difficult things done
by venturesome young gentleman who paid
much more attention to the admring chances
of the ladies than to CAROLS instructions. but
the most remarkable thing he accomplished
was to tumble from his perch and land on the
sawdust without breaking his neck. Then
came the star performance of the day. Another
young gentleman in a still prettier suit of fan
nels was escorted into the ring by white
horse, which evidently animal of expe-
rience. for he went around the ring like what
Jack Carroll called IAN old un." 1t was, in
fact, famous circus horse which Mr. Water
bury has acquired. The young gentleman
stood on the animals launches. and then the
straps of the mechanic" were fastened around
his chest beneath his armpits and the old horse
was told to go. He went, and his rider did his
level best to keep up with that horse. but the
experienced animal got from beneath his feet
at last and the ambitious amateur was left dang
ling i'll the air like CULVER in the paws of
the Brobdingnagian monkey. But there were
performers who did much better than this, one
gentleman in particular actually riding around
the ring several times standing on the white
horses back and making effective hops over a
narrow banner which Mr. Waterbury held for
him. There was deafening applause over this,
| and the performer shrugged his shoulders and
blushed deprecatingly over the popular esti-
mate of his ability. Luncheon was served in
MIR. Waterways house and his guests returned
to the city by the evening trains.
The performance will occur the first fort
night in May, the date not yet having been
selected. As has been said, the riding will be
done i'll the reftted tennis court, and the
audience will be confined to Mr.. Waterbury 3
| friends. guarantee that the occasion will be
| one of great social interest.
The ,would-be performers have already been
at work for quite month under Jack Carroll's
| supervision, but it is not yet decided which
ones will be chosen for the performance. All
that is still in the hands of the circus commit
tee, composed of Oliver Hartman Il. o. Beach
and Howard n. Potter, and these gentlemen
have not yet considered the momentous ques-
ton of program. This they won't do until
May l. There is going to be a trick donkey in
the performance, however, and despite all re-
ports to the contrary no ladies intend to
participate