The record-union., 1891-09-04
ADJUSTMENTS.

Sells Bros circus, menagerie and hip-
podrome gave two performances here
yesterday. At the matinee the immense
quadrupie tent was two-thirds filled, and
at night over 1000 people We're present.
In the morning very attractive street
parade was made, indeed quite too lib
eral in its showing of curiOsitieS, we
should deem it, for the good of the treas
ury at the tents. The wild animals
shown by the management are numer-
Gus, and several varieties were seen that
were not in the collection last year. A
notable feature that attracts especially
the attention of the young is fine large
lionesS with her three cubs, one after
another Of which she carries by the neck
a good portion of the time. The hippo
potami formed a chief center of interest
and the dwarf COWS came next in the line
Of curiosities that had the largest crowds
about them. The animals all appear to
be in as good condition as they are ever
found to be in captivity, and were suffi-
GENTLY active as rule. In the great tent
were two rings and a central stage, and
performances of a varied character went
on in all these places, and sometimes as
many as five simultaneously. Of course
this trebling and more of acts is economic
of time, but it Is trying upon the specta-
tor who attempts to follow them all. Yet
| if one confines his attention to what goes
on in single ring, he is treated to as
much entertainment as the old time cir
| cuseS afforded. The Sells Brothers have
| a large number of bareback and trick
riders, and while they are not, per-
| hapS, so daring as some of the great
specialists, they are good hOrsemen,
and their acts are satisfactory.
In driving the company has performers
without superiors; for instance, in the
four-hOrse chariot race Arthur WeitZel
and Lizzie Mcintyre gave as finean exhi-
| bltlon OF driving as one could wish to
| see; the driving Of thirty-five horses by
w ethel and the tandem driving by Miss
Lee also were remarkably fine exhibi-
tiOns. The tumblers were fewer than
usual but better than the Sells have
brought here in former years; and the
variety performers were all superior.
For daring and skill the Japanese boy
! who assembled the taut wire, gripping it
with his toes, and who slid from hight
backward upon his feet to the ground
really did a wonderful act one seldom
| equaled. The six distinct trapeze acts
were all excellent, indeed few if any
aerial performances have been more neatly
! done, though some may have been ac-
companies with more of boasting. The
| bicycle riding family; the woman, Miss
| Belmont, who juggled with knives and
| spheres on horseback; the hurdle races;
! the two exceedingly good contortionistS !;
| the three or four japanese performers in
ladder and other feats; the dancing by
! Cyrene; the trick horses put through
! their PAGES by Miss Lee and Mrs. Dutton :.
the horizontal bar work at great hight
| by McNey, Ryan and Zorella the classic
| posing by the Giliords: the troupe of
| trained dogs; the gymnastic featS of the
| Schrode brothers and the Leslies; the
| jockey riding by Showles: the trick
mules and trick elephant; the bareback
4 lf,,rr /. + 4I,, h,1,,
little mite" of q Japanese, and other
! features of merit made the entertainment
! one of remarkable variety and novelty
Among the most novel acts was one by a
! band of Arabs, who gave some fine exam
| pies sofhand-springing, of somersault throw
ing and rapid manipulation of the
! long Arabian rifle, the sword and
the dagger. The same troupe did
some good work in pyramid building
and fencing. Hadj lie Mahofode Cheriti,,
one of these performers, juggles with
! lightning-iEe rapidity with a thirty-tive-
! pound gun. He is so rapid in movement
| that the eye cannot follow the flash of his
arms. This performer is fairly covered
with medals accorded HIM for his per-
! formances. lie is an intelligent man,
speaks seventeen languages, and is popu-
lar with all who come TO know him. His
brother, Hadi Taha Ben Mahomed of
Morocco, accompanies the Arab group
win the circus, out IS not performer.
He Is Morocco Commissioner to the
Chicago Worlds Far, and occupies his
time in informing himself concerning
the country to which he is accredited.
At the Metropolitan Theater, Monday
and Tuesday evenings next, Kate Castle
ton, supported by Cosgrove & Grants
comedians, will appear in musical
farce, "The Dazzler." Joseph OFT and
Lena Merville are announced as leaders
in the support, which numbers twenty