Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-06
SEEING THE. CIRCUS.
a GLIMPSE OF LIFE UNDER AND BACK
OF THE GREAT CANVAS.
A Dispatch Man Ventures ncb,nd tho
scenes OF Rob'nsons Show and Secs
tho People Minus Costumes,

IN TINS and other times have breathed the
AR on the arena there are probably few
VINO have not felt u secret but strong de.
SIRE to penetrate, if even for an instant
that portion OF the ynwning tent where
'ne SHOW people put on the costume of tho
ring.
ms love for tho circus and this desire
70 look within the veil that shades circus
me are traits that are common to all man
hlhd' that are as strongly marked in the
commonplace nan of middle ace az they
are IN the most imprcseionable urchin.
hHd tnat bear evidence to the fact that all
men have more or less ideality in their
composition, however practical they may
seem to be-
DISPATCH reporter. who had not for
g9tten the delights of childhood and who
had long cherished an unsatisficd longing
10 see something of the inner life of a
circus, was permitted yesterday TO do -
John KObinson's circus sans ceremonie.
MADE An EABLY START.
When the sun crawled slcepily above the
eastern horizon 1t behold the happy
bohemian rolling rapidly up Franklin
street III carriage with Mr.. Samuel H.
Joseph, the manager of the circus but
though the sun might have noticed the re
porter, the reporter assurcdly did not
notice the sun. for he was thinking of
nothing but the circus.
Up franklin street, under the mellow
morning sunlight. the carriage went. past
thronss OF people of all ages. sexes. colors.
ana conditions. who were also directing
their steps clrcusward, towards the open
heids near the Lee monument, where the
snow mad pitched its tents, and when the
newspaper-man and the circus-man lett
the carriage they jumped mo the very
bosom OF tine clrcus-so to speak.
III was now at the hour Of .. and on the
ground preparations were being made tor
The street-parade. Everybody was busy
ana everything-except the tents-was
pclng moved about yet such WAS the sys-
TEN there was neither hustle nor cOnfu-
SION. The only thing that seemed at all
agitated was Il big pot OF soup. which was
boiling nOisily over an open fire.
DOING THE SHOW"
The reporter was shown through the i'm
mcnsc tent-sOme $50 by 20 feet in which
the performances are given, and after
stumbling through the sawdust of the
three riug5 WAS taken straight into the
drcssing-tent, where some thirty or forty
young ladies' were exchange ny their every
day frOcks FOR red velvet riding habits.
The young laiies looked askance at the
stranger with an ar that seemed to say,
que rOp'ez rOuS m'st1Ty ?" and the stranger
felt quite embarrassed thereat. Oue of
the girls tshe was very, very pretty eX-
planned to the reporter that they were of
the corps dp bdld. and were now getting
ready tor the parade She also took the
visitor through the wardrooc-tent and
showed HIM trunk on trunk OF the various
kinds Of feminine attire used IN the Solo
mon spectacle and the usual exercises of
the ring.
From the drcssiug-tent the reporter went
on 70 the stable tents eight III number
where the four hundred and cid horses
and ponies fine cOngenlal hGb,-
tgt between the performances. From
. the stable-tents the scribe was con-
Quoted to the blacksmith, saddlcry,
arinor aad cooking tents, and finally
- the cating-tents, where some be-
lated employees Were hroaAfasting. When
tins last appendagc of the show was
reached Mr. Joseph suggested That food
WAS good Tor the inner man-and the re-
porter coucurred IN the suggestion. There.
upon tue sable chef was summoned and
was instructed to prepare the best break
fast he knew how, and this worthy there
upon yelled out: " Iii dar, Jeh. hustle
'roun' and brung me my skillet. Use gwine
tx one OF them bre1uses you read bout. y
A BREAKFAST AL FRISCO.
At llF1Hit-i WIS IAtNl, Nut TIAlt' uBA
lis host dispatched 1t. and If the cook was
not thanked, he ought to have been-ior
the meal was admirable.
The reporter was next brought In con-
tact with John +. Robinson, son of old
John Robinson and Owner of the circus,
who was sitting III the shade of the big
tent enjoying iive-mlnUte rest.
In conversation win the newspaper-lnaD
Mr. Robinson referred to the time long
Ia. Il rob Ia
tents on CouncIl-Chamber Hill and when
the nam canvas was no bigger than the
stable one - now.
~ OEJECI LESSON II BREAD.
Then the reporter rambled about through
the group OF blg and little tents. seeing
many things be had never seen before and
hcarin. many things that surprised him.
He made tho acquaintance OF Mary. the
old elephant who has been part of the
EobineOn SHOW Tor Ilty years, and who
PLAYED with the present owner Of tho cir
ems when he was baby. wInKcd famlllarly
at the hon. and waved his hand at the
BENGAL tiger. Then he received an
OBJECT lesson Of novel kind. for on
asking the head Of the commissary
departmcnt how much bread was con
shown q pllo of 1000 lOaves with the re-
mark; THAT is for dinner and supper"
The fact WAS brought out that the G35 pco-
ole Of the circus eat l.ilO lOaycs OF bread,
: coo pounds OF meat part OF which - fed
10 the ammals), and bushels of potatoes
without number. To furnish sleeping ac-
commodations for these people Is an eX-
pen.ive business. and while most 81 them
1--we IN sleepers attached 10 the clrcus tram
over "a hundred OF them have TO go to
hotels.
WIFE IN GOOD TIME
While the D1spArcH man was still busily
doing the various departments q great
crowd Of people surrng towards the
entrance Of the main tent told him that
tba performance was about to begin, and
like a sensible slght.soer he followed the
WITH the audacity Of the Bohemian.
boweyer he sncaked toward the dressing
room aud saw the people OF the arena pre-
pare tor conquest. one Of the young ladies'
told him that he was decidedly out OF
place. but he replied that he was there
nurely for business. and was thereupon
permitted 10 remain. A conversation with
Miss DeMott, Hiss Kirby, and other eques-
trim and trapezo artists gave HIM further
food for reflection 10 his intense aston
isbnent. he learned that these pretty girls.
who wear such pretty tights ana such
lovely gauze skirts, sometimes get urea
How false first impressions are. Iothihh
flat one should ever tire OF wearing me
clothes and riding fine horses
TWO FINE PERFORMANCES.
There were two performances yesterday
winch were witnessed by about twenty
thnusand people. They were as fine exhi-
hItions as were ever witnessed III this CITY,
The spectacle King Solomon. or thc
oucen of Sheba." was an imposing DIS,
r,lav. The cos;uming was very pretty ana
HE ballet dancing Was extremely gOod.
some of the riding was far beyond any
thing that Robert Sticknev did III his
ralmy DAYS. and the acrobatlc and trapeZe
n~rtormances were equally admirable.
one point about kobinson's circus Is the
evident refinement of the. people az con-
listed with those who have been here
with other clrcuSes. 80,
Take IT all IN all. Robinsons is one OF the
hest shows that has ever been to Richmond
The circus goes from Richmond to Peters
bnrg where 1t exhibits to-day. Ii Will be
IN Weldon on the 18th. in Suffolk the sth'
IN Portsmouth the 9th. and IN NorfoiK the
10th. "
...ou OpnyCS CENT ON