Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-02-08
JACK AM. RlLI-cArcH. liz.
Thoy Try, to Break On Circus and Be-
come Wiser and Better Men.

5Ircy 20 lbTeasS ID u ,OirtstS akuaeF DC
come Wiser and Better Men.
Lafayette. is a struggling little town
of about SOC. Inhabitants, situated
twentymilcs from tie nearest railroad.
1t lis important to the country around
because circus stops here every year.
These circuses are not Of the Barnum
kind, but small affairs, travelling
through stlcrbacll. districts on wagons,
and keeping. away from tue railroads.
Nevertheless the arrival of one of them
is q great event ut Lafayette, and sew
eral thousand people always collect to
see the sights some of them walking
thirty miles.
Bill and Jack johnson have long
beenrtlie terrors Of this region. Every
lbackwoods district in the southwest
has its bully. and the Johnson boys
for years possessed that undisputeddis:
function width i region embraced by
radius. often miles Bill, the. ldcrsof
.se.sbrotlIeTs, was,ta 9 land heslYy :lcls
5,ss lalI sandS Eblut Fill dam
scsoals ass tlis beot
& sss
&c l ass
5ifls
|seac IL wee Elic IRE uentl ~ sE:1fis
speded tliesslnall towns, riding through
tie streets at full speed and firing
right aud left
a few weeks ago q circus, tempted
by tic warm weather, came up from
the south, and made Il trip through
the southern part of this state, and
Lafayette was one OF the towns visited.
The novelty of circus i'll winter was
all the more acceptable to the people
and tile crowd i'll attendance at the
performances was unusually large.
During the afternoon the show was
in full blast, when Bill and Jack
johnson arrived. They galloped into
town. and there was j scattering Of
women and children, and Of men, too.
After rubbing their pistols across the
noses of half dozen men they went
to the circus. After looking at the
animals and gymnastic performances
they wandered into tho side show
For while they contented themselves
with gazing at the Circassian girl, the
fat woman, the sword swallower anG
.thc arnless man who fired 4 repeating
rifle with his toes, but they soon grew
tired of such tame sport. Bill and
Jack wanted a fight. None of ths
spectators would fight with them. All
idea occurred to Jack. They would
clean out the side show.
Lets break up the darned thing. "
lie said to Bill, land have some fun
You take the fellow who swallows the
knife. and I'll sail into the one who
Shoots the gun with his toes.
Bill at once agreed IN !.ie proposi
ton, aud leaping over the rop.s which
separated the spectators from the per
formers, they rushed upon their vic,
tins. Tie crowd raised tie cry Of
fight and rushed for the door, but the
circus performers were perfectly COM
posed. The sword swallower tossed
his sword to one side, picked up one
OF the heavy pins TO which the tent
ropes are fastened and saluted Bill
with blow that nearly broke his
skull. The man with the repeating
rifle, who was supposed to have no
limbs but the-lower ones. pulled two
arms from beneath his vest. reversed
his gun and dubbed Jack over the
head. ---..-----....
The fat woman kicked Bill in the side,
while the sword swallower pummeled
him about the head. The Circassian
girl tore out Whole landfuls Of Jack
hair, while the armless man rapidly
beat his countcnance out of shape. In
five minutes all WAS quiet in the tent.
The people tinlidly vcnturcd back.
The circus performers were smoothing
their disortcred attire. Bill and Jack
were lying scnseless OH the ground.
They were taken out and it was found
that Bills leg YVES broken. So was his
nose. Both eyes were closed. and his
head and body were covered with
gashes. Jack lad both arms broken,
and his bruises were not less numerous
than Bills.
That night the attendance of both
circuses was the largest ever known.
The applause was tremendous. No at.
tempt was made to arrest anybody.
Last Sunday Jack, whose broken arms
healed rapidly, joined the Baptist
church. Bill will do likewise as soon
as his fractured leg is lnended. Both
are SCARED for life, and announced
their determination 10 live as good cit
liens and Christians. Lafayette (Ky.)
Dispatch i'll New York Sun.