St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-05
Many Girls and Women Earn
an Honest and Respect
able Living
By Laboring in the SawduSt
Ring or in the Ordinary
Ballet.
Manufactured Romance and
Fiction Regarding the
Spangled Riders.

remained faithful to the ancient tradi-
ton that makes the world OF the ballet
and the circus the only one from which
to summon the wicked, bold, unscrupu-
lous, cigarette smoking, eXtravagantly
dressed, and rapacious sirens who
inevitably lure the newly married
lover and the elderly bachelor uncle
from the paths of economy and recti-
tude. On the other hand, we find, as of
old, the melodramatist making capital
of the wrestlers, acrobats, and Bel
phegors who, when not hopelessly adj
dicted to strong drink. are the embodi-
ment of manly virtue, self-denial, senti-
mental devotion, and heroic disinterest-
edness. Since Dickens wrote lizard
Times" matters have somewhat
changed. and the hoary fictiOns of the
past are not altogether to be re-
lied upon. IL is true that many con-
scientiOus people are still cOnscien-
tlOusly skeptical anent the virtue of the
liSSOme. shOrt-skirted equestrians, per-
haps because they dare not venture
within the precincts of the tan-cOvered
arena or expose themselves to the smart
rebuffs that more frequently than not
are administered to the adventurous
young masher who lounges, stick in
hand and eyeglaSs raised. at the doors
of the circus stables, to watch the hippic
star makes her entrance TO the ring.
Unfortunately every woman who eX-
hibitS herself in public is to certain
degree exposed to a curiosity which is
not always refined or chivalrOuS, but
the girl who flies round on broad sad
die III silk tights and Spangled, trans
parent, gauZy costume IS, as rule, per.
fectly competent to take care of herself
and ward off impertinent or familiar
admiration. The women ciTcus-riders
are divided into two quite distinct
classes, and a cynical observer might
almost be justified in saying that their
reputation is in the inverse ratio to the
length of their skirts. The haute ecOle
rider is generally young woman anX-
iOus TO exhibit in public good figure,
slim waist, and possibly pretty face;
she does not expect to make TO make a
livelihood by her talent. On the con-
trary, she knows that she will be re-
quired to prOvide-either alone or
through the assistance of some wealthy
protector mot only her well-ftting
habits, but to bring with her three per-
fectly trained hOrSeS-tWO for fancy
riding and one for high jumping. The
circus managers do not profess to keep
horses fit to work under a woman. The
admirably trained animals who go
through their PAGES with the regularity
of clOckwork are mostly prOcurable in
Germany, where the circus propTietOrS
make it branch of their bushes to have
them in readiness, realizing large,
profits on the sale. The current
price of these ancient stagerS ranges
from 9400 to 5000; even more if they
are possessed of flowing names and
tails. An indifferent equestrian can be
taught to ride these horses fairly well in
about a month, but the intelligent Steed,
being also fully aware that the amazon
IS inadequate, quietly drops into the
way of performing only One-third of
what his former master taught him.
This is not so fatal as it might
appear, because the majority of
the spectators are themselves so pro-
fOundly ignorant of the art OF equtatiOn
and satisfied with the remaining thirds.
OF course there have been brilliant eX-
ceptiOns, suoh as Mesdames Fills.
Guerra, Walberg, Emile LOiSset, the
latter losing her life in the recklesSness
and audacity of her riding, but it is a
fact that the community of the circus
refuses the title of artist to the wO-
men in habits. and that they are looked
down upon by the verieSt tyro Oh the
broad saddle.
She is the one born to the profession
and a glory to it; her father, her
mother, her remOter ancestors belong
ing to it; they, like her, have jumped
through paper hoops; she has inherited
the supple dislOcatiOn OF the limbs;
gymnastics were her primer; she was
lifted on to a saddle at the aye of six.
and ever since she has had several
hours daily practice; she has. besides,
been obliged to study pantOmimic art,
jugglery, dancing on the tight rope; she
has passed through the same classes as
a ballet girl and acquired thereby the
perfect pose of feet, knees, arms, and
shoulders necessary to graceful equilib-
rum. Dancing is so essential factor
that examples are quoted of adult
dancers" who in one year have learned
to ride standing, while the short-skirted
equestrian is so Thoroughly acquainted
with all the niceties of hOrsemanship
that she could take to the ''haute ecole"
at a moments notice without additional
instruction.
More than one cause protects the
virtue of artists of the ring against the
attacks of their impetuouS and too
often inscriptions admirers. Firstly
they have no need to receive from a
stranger the wherewlth to satisfy their
whimS and cOStlier fancieS, as they are
extremely well paid. The least
famous of those who fly through
hoops or over banners receives a
salary of about $40 a month, the stars
being paid double. Some time ago the
Russian papers spoke of a young girl
performing i'll circus in the south of
the empire possessed of such marvellous
talents that she had declared that she
would not accept less than e400 month
to forSake her fathers management and
take an engagement in Paris.
But it is not only financial reasons
that contribute to maintain the honesty
of the girls: it is the strong sense of
family ties. the respect for paternal
associations. AcrobatS, or at least
those who come under that generic and
somewhat misapplied name, are
for the greater part people with
out a nationality; | might almost say
without fatherland. In their veins
flows the mingled blood of Italian, En-
glish, French and Spanish races; con-
demned to wandering life, they have
kept the nomadic instincts of the old
tent-dwellers, and with them much of
their traditional virtue. Their art
owes all to their predecessors: the
father has from time immemorial
taught the child. and will always remain
his monitor. The human pyramids
formed by acrobats In their athletic eX-
ercises are, as it were, the visible SYM
Dol of their relations. The father is al
ways at the base; he supports on his
firm shoulders. arms and head the
whole group of his children; boys and
girls, infants and adults, feel them
| selves secure on this strong foundation
he is the watchful, prudent protector, as
Jealous of the honor of those who trust
themselves to his muscles as he is mind
full of their safety.
In spite, therefore. Of the farce
writer's, in spite even Of the super
cilious moralist, and of the fatuous con-
ceit of the masher, the girl who careers
around the ring and dashes with hel
/ scanty pink skirt and fiesh-colored
tights through gilded hoops may safely
| be looked upon as being quite a: