Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-07-23
BEHIND THE CURTAINS.
THE SECRETS OF THE CANVAS
GREEN ROOM.
Sketches Behind the Circus Scenes Nheh
the show Is on the ROad-Giris
Who Are Marvels Of
Strength and Agility.

Women are to-day giving men
lively competition in the circus ousi-
ness. as in every thing else. and the
circus girl OF the present Is an inter-
esting object writes correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Press.
I'm the great shows whole regiment
of females are employed. and the ma
iority of them are pretty girls.
have never exactly fancied that l
would like to Join the circus. but
have frequently wondered what 1t
would seem like to be a circus girl
and make elaborate toilets twice day
with no other dressing room than a
windy tent.
As YOU sit in the main tent at the
big circus you will notice at the end
farthest from the entrance a heavy
green curtain, from behind which the
performers emerge and retire. Inc
curtain separates the ''round-top,
wherein the dressing rooms are To-
Gated, from the main tent. There are
no dragons nor fierce ogres to prevent
one from entering, and yet few per-
sons other than the performers ever
pass that curtain.
When the curtain dropped behind
me found myself in a little passage
leading to forty-foot, 'round-top'
tent, disconnected with the main or
exhibition tent This 'roundtop' is
cut into three pie-shaped sections by
canvass walls about ten feet in height.
This section. which you enter from
the passage-w way just described, is tho
..green room of the circus. The
other two sections are respectively the
mems and the women's dressing rooms.
The "green room" is most appropri-
ately named its carpets consisting,
throughout most of the season, OF
natural grass.
1t was slightly embarrassing to run
the gauntlet of stares which were di-
rected upon me by the lightly clad
performers, male and female. who
were waiting in this open portion OF
the ''round-top" for summons to ap-
pear in the ring; but l managed to get
through and found myself brought
plumply up against the extreme ends
of one OF the canvas walls. Beyond
this point the affable agent could not
accompany me. There are no locks.
bars, chains or bolts, but gentle, yet
firm, motherly little woman is in com
mand here. and to gain admittance
one must have her consent l had
already made the acquaintance of Mrs.
White, who has charge of the ladies'
dressing rooms: therefore there was
no difficulty about my admittance.
How can l describe the sight that
met my eyes within this mystical
chamber of the circus nymphs? A
! blaze of bright colors, tinkling tinse
ornaments. flesh tints and ripping
= feminine laughter. Then, when my
eyes We're, accustomed to the brilliant
colorngs, | noticed rows OF trunk:
arranged in aisles up and down the
i length and along the sides of tn,
room.
About dozen young and very pref
" women were at different stages o
their toilet. with looking glasse
framed in the open covers of thei
trunks. \ bright blonde with ont
lainty foot resting upon the edge O
her trunk. was fastening the bows o
scarlet slipper She is one OF tn
!. skirt dancers and almost every tim
a she gives that remarkable exhibition
which always calls forth great ao
% olause, she dislocates her knee in som
e way. The dislocation Of joints az
IS pears to be common to circus life, an
% G not much minded.
A pretty little girl, with eyes ths
a are too beautiful to be hidden by sue
ne long lashes, stood fastening a yello'
ie sash about her waist. She tied tn
: ribbon with soft, white little hands. an
"a gave it a gentle little pat when ia
st tened, with true feminine delicacy
touch. and yet this same little woma
Id has the strength of q Hercules, an
he performs on q trapeze in a way tn
nd makes one shiver. Her feet are s1u;!
y, and shapely, but they are stror
us enough to support the whole weight
ho her plump little body, as she ham,
0 head downward from two rings in II
trapeze.
Are you afraid of falling?" ask,
a girl to whom Mrs. White introduce
lat me.
"Oh, dear, no." she said, with
o. smile that showed several kissat
1imples about her mouth. Il ha
M every confidence in my teeth" 1t W
almost impossible to believe, as sto
IL talking to this pretty girl, that she W
the same person whom had seen
led ing down lofty wire incline, 81
ported only by the grip of her tee
ne A slender girl dressed in black la
sat on a trunk near by. She was ,
IN champion club swinger." l felt /
arms and found the flesh as soft a
'"n yielding as that of most girls.
course there was decided protub
ance OF muscle between the elbow q
the shoulder, but the skin was VIII
1,,. and smooth.
~. But it was Miss Cleo who chiefly
,ars terested me. because, while there v
nothing in the development of
and figure to indicate great strength,
.ent have seen her repeatedly 90 up +,
hand over hand" as my brot