Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-01-09

were at last locked up firmly and sent
below.
Here and there had been giving them
a few finishing touches, and as | turned
to wash my inky hands at the hydrant,
the big press in the basement began to
rumble and clack, while the chatter and
scutfie and the shouts of the carriers,
who were waiting down there to receive
their papers hot from the press. rose
higher aud higher, until it seemed that
instead of one "devil" we must have a
horde of them, and that they had con-
yerted the basement into AIN inferno.
1t had been a hard day. lreturncd to
the little office in front and sank YEARLY
into my chair. Since eight O'Clock. in
as few clothes as decency permitted, [
bad been staggering through slipshod
copy, obscure telegraph, and villainous
proof.
The intolerant heat had demoralized
everything. The compositors lad worked
at their cases half clad and more than
half asleep. The city man had come ia
with meagrc half-column. and Dropped
into a chair, wholly exhausted. 'rhe
messenger boys had dragged back and
forth with the dispatches. and Il was
evident from the latter that the menat the
wires were getting through their work
in the same manner. Yes, it had been
very hard Gay, harder than ustGtI.
By-and by boys clesr voice IN front
shouted, "Erenjpg 7ri6 nel Eseany
Tribu-u-u-nL"
The paper was out at last. The hard
day was enc ed.
The burning sun had slipped down be
hind the big hotel opposite, and the PEG
pie were beginning to stir about on the
red-hot pavement that for over two hours
had been nearly deserted. Later.
crowded street cars began to pass, ant
.oou the sidewalks were 1ull OF humanit,
coming from the same direction The
afternoon performance of The Great
Eastern Combined Mensgerie and Circus
whose tents were pitched in the out
skirts Of the city, was over.
l was putting on my hat to leave
the office, when rather tine-looking.
although somewhat emphaticaIly dressed
man. wearing a very large diamond stud,
stepped briskly III and approached me
with extended hand This meant a
complme ntary mention of something or
somebody, but took it silently.
Editor of the Tribune, believe"
assented with a nod.
FORBES is my name-Mauager of the
Great Eastern Combined Shows. Out
afternoon performance is Just over. Your
advertising for us was very satisfactory.
We should he pleased to have you wit
ness our entertainment this evening
Show bigger and better than ever. Loci
me up. Be glad to show you through
Then, as he hurried away, he pressed two
narrow strips of pasteboard into my
hand, which l accepted with sigh,
knowing that this called for three dol
lar notice in to morrow issue. Our city
circulator came in just then, weary ana
miserable, so l gave him one of the
passes; and after supper, when the air
was trifle cooler, walked out to where
( The Great Eastern covered some half a
dozen acres Of ground.
1t was the same old story. The eager
and motley crowd the fare of the kero
sene torches; the hoarse voices of the
takers; the red wagon where the man
sells tickets so rapidly that he doesn t
always give quito enough change; the
smaller tents of the side shows, with
their flaming representations of the fat
woman, the boa constructor, aud the two
| headed demon of the South Sea and, in
the centre OF all, the big double canvas,
with its circle of cages and its group OF
elephants and camels in one part, and its
immense tiers of seats and its three
/ rings and race-course in the other
while here aud there about you stand
! the silent men whose daily lot it is to
put up and take down aud pack and
/ move this wonderful affair, and to at
1 tend to the thousand and one mental
duties connected thcrewith-the "whitc
slaves gathered from the gutter, from
the farm, from the prisons, from every
where, whose every aim in life has been
merged into the one instinct of sullen
obedience. Some among them, attracted
as boys from the quiet walks of life by
the tawdry tinsel, awakening to find il
sham ard mockcry, ashamed to re-
turn to their homes, have fingered on
until they arc no longer capable of Le-
ginning another life.
AS loitcred along the cages INSIDE,
wondering whether the tiger, the zebra,
tho mountain-goat, and all the rest wer,
not thinking of their native jungle and
ploirs and mountains, and despising this
gaping crowd and these Aariug lights,
felt touch on my arm. 1t was Mr.
Forbes, the manager.
"Ah! glad to see you. Great show,
haven't wcl"
eyes, it is certainly very extensive.
'tTake your time; plenty of time. Per
Torrance doesn't begin for twenty min
utes yet Rhinoccros; only living on,
in Amcrica. Cost three fortunes and a
many lives to get him. Lioncss and
cubs Look playful, don't they! Priu
cess Louise: finest lioness in the world
Eiephants-!orty of Them more than al
other shows combined. Scipio, larges