The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-08
sonaRe in public, and in this potter day
will not be tolerated. But he WAS teller of

sonage in public, and in this potter day
will not be tolerated. But he was a teller of
SEINE good jokes, subtracting the particular
quality mentioned. which were worthy Of
laugh. He was always punster and
player upon words. The ringmaster repre-
sented authority, with gentlemanly dull
ness: while the clown was as witty and OBJ
sequious as the "King's Fool.'
joyed at the first circus attended. many of
the ante deluvian jokes of this last person.
age. The following now very aged chest
nut opened my minds eye then to the
queerness of the language, and may be given
as one sample. The ringmaster said to the ne
know it," said the clown, "but it will be
very long before get another" Across
one narrow ring all the badinage of these
two characters could be easily heard, but
now, as the circus of to-day is arranged,
conversation of any kind is not either pos
sible or desirable.
What struck me most while abroad with
reference to the public shows that prevail
in England and on the continent, was the
fact that they are for the most part small
repetitions and reproductions of those we
| have left behind, in America, long ago.
There is one show in England which. per-
haps, merits a better description than this:
but the remark applies very we'll to nearly
| all the shows and circuses in Europe. Then,
| too. they are not as a general thing patron
lied so much by the weather. and higher
| classes as the best circuses are here. The
price of admission in England ranges from
six pence to three shillings and four shil-
in slight demand. l think the CIRCUS
and show in Germany and France are
generally rather more refined than those in
England. 1t il said, though, that in some
countries, especially in France, there are a
pair of clowns who are husband and wife,
which gives room for situations that are,
perhaps, more in accordance with French
and continental taste than with our man.
ners. ~
But mono of the performers in circuses
abroad command the high prices which are
given by my Greatest Show on Earth. The
best get only from so to $50 per week
while we give many times those prices. Fol
this reason whenever We hear of a rare per
former in Europe, We can secure him or hel
| against all competition there. When one
Of my agents is on the search for circus act
ors, or for curiosities, the showmen there
beg us not to take everything.
On one occasion when l wanted to pro-
! cure a number of highly trained black
I ponies, the owner of them, who was a
French Snowman. said to the agent: ''You
can't break up my show, for my wife, two
| sons and daughter are among my perform
! ers, and you can't hire them. Nor can you
buy the black ponies, for they are mine
! too" "But," said the agent. ''you will sell
mo, l won't. either
) :'Why, yes you will, at some price,"
"Of course, at some price. You can hav,
them," he said triumphantly, "for $780,
!; co.,
..TIl take them" said the agent.
20, you don't mean it! You will break VI
Q my show"
z But the bargain was made. and there wa
no help for it. But it is partly the wealth
9 in this country and the good patronage o
| Americans that enables us to do So mucl
; better here with the show as business
b | There is performing skill enough abroad
9 and in fact all over the world, and We hav
i to go all over the world after it.
t 1t may interest the reader to know that
b wonderful lady rider, called the best in tn
Q world, and who jumps from the groun
y with her feet alone. landing on her feet O.
n the back of the hers at full speed. is fror
Q Buenos Ayres, South America. Her salar,
9 if were to name it, would be found eQua
@ in one week to that of high-class clerks in
Q large mercantile firm for one year.
j. You have asked me to tell YOU how per
formers are made. Well. like journalism
o | which is its own school, the circus is main
/. ~ its own school. You have got to do tn
D. thing to know how. OF course. some gym
d nasium practice is apt to precede the publ
et | attempt. But some performers who hav
taught themselves wholly in an amateu
b way begin at first with the smaller circu
u feats, and go on by years of practice to sue
V cess. Not every one who tries however
1t can be a successful gymnast or acrobat
ID Nature, IN this, as In every other thing, ha
10 to do its part.
=. Amarked difference between English cir