The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1893-12-02
FUN WITH A CIRCUS.
PLAYFUL RETALIATION OF AN IN
JUREo cOUNTRYMAN.

Visitor Objected Firearms Were Called
Into Use-Great sport for Some.
Have ! seen you fellows since was in
Maricopay" asked Mccormick ~ he lighted
cigar Mccormick sells firearms In Arr
Tona. New Mexico and Colorado.
Il got to ella City. and heard there was
circus nj Maricopa, and thought I'd take
II in. for / wanted TO sell bill at Stanwix,
and might do something in Maricopa too
/ don't know ~ you fellows ever saw
circus in the southwest You wouldn't
know IT, Every man in the shows a walk
Ing arsenal-has to be in that country.
And the man in the ticket wagon has guns
on all sides Of him. It's merely a matter
OF preponderance OF shooting weapons
which survives after circus time-the show
or the pOpulace. This show had been in
Maricopa ten days, and there hadn't been
any trouble to speak Of. One man from the
hills had been killed at the ticket wagon In
dispute over the right change, but he'd
been warned il he asked for that flyer again
he'd get plugged lie did ask. with his
gun, but he missed somehow. and he was
plugged. Then they carried the corpse
around the ring on the back Of the elephant
in the grand procession, rs a solemn warn
ing to other disputatious hayseeds.
''The fact was they had a CRATER in their
wagon. Maybe you never saw CRATER
work."
Never did" said James
HOW THE "GRAFTER" WORKS.
"Well, you see there's always a mob
around the ticket wagon. and holding up
their hands, furnishing bills and gold
pieces, and bowling for tickets-greasers
lnjuns, cowboys, miners. ranchers, gam
blers, every kind you can think of. The
ticket seller-the grafter-has few one
dollar bills wound around his middle fin
ger, so that the ends come together, and it
looks as though he had twice as many bills
as he has. a granger comes up for a ticket
hands over a five dollar bill, the CRATER
slaps down the ticket. thumbs over the
ends Of four bills. in plain sight Of the
farmer, whips them out from under his
finger. rolls them and hands them down.
Nine times ont o. ten the hayseed grabs the
money, stuffs it in his pocket, and elbows
out Of the crowd before trying to count the
change. Then he finds out that he has
only two one dollar bills. when he thought
he saw the ticket seller count him out
four. Well, he goes back with fire in his
eye, but it doesn't do him any good. Any
how. it didn't seem to the day was up to
Maricopa. ! was just getting near the
ticket wagon myself. when one o. these
rustics that'd had the fimham game
played on him came rushing up and
squeezed through the gang. You tarnal
thief, he says to the CRATER, 'gi'me my
money. will your
The ticket man just looked at him out
o the corner Of his eye and went on sell
ing until the sucker began to yell rob
bers! and things, when he shouted: Get
out O. herel You can't play that game
with this succus.'
But. blast your carcass, gave you
tenner, and here's only four dollars back.
Cuss me If I'll pay more'n dollar for any
succus.
You're crazy, old man; move along
now out o. the crowd, or you'll get hurt
THE FARMER woRsTED
THAT seemed TO annoy the farmer, for
quicker'n scat he put three bullets through
the wagon window to ease his mind, and
the CRATER began to pepper back, rather
regardless of the promiscuous crowd. |
skipped off to the gold chariot at one side.
got behind big wooden angel on one
corner of it, and staid there where | could
look out with little danger of getting a
pellet. But they stopped shooting pretty
soon. You see, the CRATER had two men in
the wagon who grabbed their guns the
minute the fuss began, and bazed away at
the old man, while the CRATER had settled
down TO selling tickets again The rustic
saw the odds were against him and he lit
out. swearing vengeance. He had only "A
scratch on the shoulder. but stout copper
colored old lady from over the border mad
vertently got between him and one of the
slugs from the ticket wagon, and didn't
/ liya n . a.. 81.
disposed to find fault. but the CRATER apolo-
gized and passed him in free, so he made
up his mind 10 let bygones be bygones
Il think it was just after the big bare
back act that everybody in the tent sud
denly heard guns popping outside. But
the clown was just coming into the ring.
and we didn't pay much attention to The
matter until casual bullets began TO inter.
tere with the comfort of the audience; and
when the clown himself was bowed over
and had To he carried ont on a banner. a
good many people became so interested in
the proceedings outside that they paid
little attention to the performance. Then
all AT once there was commotion near the
dressing tent entrance and a pack Of thirty
mounted cowboys galloped into the ring.
The old hayseed was at the head of them.
and every man had his fireworks out and
ready for business
GETTING EVEN WITH THE TICKET SELLER
As you fellows ssow I've Travelled for a
firearms house for twenty years and have
handled weapons by the thousands. but
when II comes To a front view of shooting
machines in the paws Of crowd of earnest
citizens, I'm disposed to retire from bnsi.
hess
Il was afraid the visitors meant mis-
chief. and | was about to drop down be-
tween the seats and crawl out under the
edge OF the tent, when they began crack.
ing away at the trapeze ropes. and in five
minutes they were all down. This reas-
sured me. They were evidently in a plav.
fui mood and wouldn't Kill any one in the
audience without serious provocation
After this preliminary sport they forced
every performer TO come in and entertain
them with special act. To wind up they
brought IN the CRATER. He was bound
hand and foot and was looking dismal. for
somebody had shot hole through his ear
and Il hurt. They unbound him and n,nde
him rig mp in the toys Of the dead clown
after which they requested him To shin mn
the center pole. lie rather objected 70
this. but the rustic and one or two mora
fellows full OF fun began TO shoot into the
sawdust around his feet. and he started 10