New-York tribune., 1895-07-28
THE CIRCUS OF OLD DAYS
HOW A MANAGER HAS TRIED TO REPRO
DUCE 1T.

coNrRIvEp TO MEET THE WISHES OF THE OLD
BoYs-THE FAILURES AND THE sUc-
cEssEs or THE SHOW.
There are persons who say that Barnums Great.
est Show Earth is not such good fun as some or
the lesser shows OF the earth With which they we're
familiar in their childhood. 1t will probably never
be possible to say with certainty whether this Is
a just Judgment means only that Barnums
circus does not please certain men to-day so much
as the country circus pleased certain boys twenty,
thirty or forty years ago. The chief arguments
against the modern show are that 1t Is too oS.
too sophisticated and too simultaneous; all OF
which are, perhaps. entitled TO consideration. On
the other hand however. 1t should be noticed that
few II any complaints about Barnum's have ever
been heard from boys. They appear to like 1t as
we'll as any boys liked any show.
Yet those who are wearied with the work and
bored with the frvolities Of the present VIII DO
slow to believe that there were not joys in the
rudeness and simplicity OF the old tent show that
Barnum's end-of-the-century exhibition cannot
give. The big tent. the flags, the smell -
shavings the gilded chariots, the horses. the
riders in tights and spangles' the beautiful
young ladies' with their oobwebby green and
pink frills upon frills the ringmaster with
his long waxed mustache and his even longer WHIP
LASH the clown-oh the clown. the hoops covered
through. the pink lemonade. the peanuts the
footing and banging band. the sideshow with
the fat woman and the learned pig-did not these
fill the day with enchalt for the boy who was
not coyed with wonders, like the New-York boy OK
to-day? Can he hope to find such enchant-
ment again? No. no, old boy. Go to the Madison
Square Garden II you like. That tower and that
facade are a credit to the city; the amphitheatre
holds thousands: there are good views from the
private boxes; years OF time and millions Of money
.Aot, ,kau thn afaQf
on EARTH and the greatest II is the world is hunted
for the menagerie and the performers are the
most marvellous that can be hired. Yet there
shall be enchantment for you. You shall view
all with a sober eye. Where is the fault? Is 1t
in the show? Can it possibly be in you?
AN OLD-FASHIONED MANAGER.
Whether the opinion OF the Old boys that this
fault is all in the show is correct or not one man.
ager has become convinced that 1t Is so deep as
to it's root and widespread as to its branches
that there money in IT, He has therefore started
what he calls an "old-fa ashioned country circus"
He has put together the kind OF show that the old
boys loved years as well and truly as II was
given him to understand and TO do It, tie is go
ing to make a tour OF the country towns ana ne
has wisely begun with New-York; there are more
country people in NewYork than In any other VII
lare in America As was TO be expected. he has
succeeded in part. and in part he has failed. IL
the failures are considered first they will then be
ont OF the way and the merits Of the show may be
dwelt upon with a OF freedom and comfort
First. then the manager has allowed certain end
ofthe-century features Of his circus TO crowd upon
the truly classical ones more than the discriminate
ing and conscientious old boy can possibly approve
Although he has a real tent. he has one side OF II
furnished with chairs and with private boxes. IL
is hard 10 see how the manager can even attempt
10 reconcile these with his pretence that he is try
ing to renew the youth OF the old boys. There arc
- nApiA
tain OF Youth itself would at once put the water
in sphons and advertise II with an electric sign.
The manager might argue that the chairs ana
boxes we're more comfortable and convenient IMAM
the old shioned tiers Of board seats. and II would
be not unlike the old boy himself 10 pay Tor ITEM
for that very reason after all his loud talk about
the sweetness OF paying for the board seats win
hts boarded PENNIES Then. too the genuine board
seats are used in other parts Of the tent ana per-
haps to sit in a private box and look at other peo-
Die on the boards is just what the hypocriticai od
boy would like.
Again. the ten, is lighted with arc lights lHe
managers own conscience should tell him no"
wrong this is Kerosene is good enough for any
country circus and a man OF real ingenuity would
probably use whale oil What Z the lamps nlu
smoke and smell BAD ~. yads wns square Garden
in the first place The tent is rather TOO pig ana
Il has "a ls used s to be sure but It looks like weak
concession TO the pampered taste Tor ,ne three
maSe ~ omitting the concert TO follow the circus
at ten cents extra for each person "ho caiss ~
Another grevous error is that almost all that Is
promised in the bill is actually periormed' nnodS ms rs
likely 10 work much wrong 10 tAe pupic Nooou!
goes to a circus expecting TO see more than Two, TWO,
thirds OF what is advertised. Finally. the %ors.
pink tan' lemonade are sold 4 circus without these
Is like buckwheat cakes without syrup ine onc
is so simple that IL should be appied at o''0e'
SOME OLD FAvORITES.
suht
bu, superficially that some OF these are rather
good faults To all who wish to be so lenient 1t is
OF course permitted. and there are positive merits
I'm the show as well. First OF ALL there Is 'he TINS
master with his long, waxed mustache ana MS s""
longer whplash. both as they should pe' ne 'oeS
not crack his whip enough. he never ni's tne co""
with IT, and the programme has the bad taste 20
call him an assistant equestrian director Dlt
ne Is a ring g-master just the same. type OF J's
nifty ana 6ps = not surprise to see the
lions quail before him when he goes INTO 1ner ces
The oS Gpwn awsys nf n tSe mdst Of all the work that
is done. never doing ANYTHING a"ans a the boards
scresm With delight and tie old boys in the boxes
think OF the gone indsrv %, ana his broad
fun He does not talk enough.,na' ,ha ring
he cracks no jokes at ssr ths tlomn Who is more
nass,ral than the country circus itself He has
hobby and he gives ToS bv one Of the
beautiful young ladies' ne neasS sSd n ~ SICK.
.S no,s.sS rytbine be finer? 4 clown with bladder
and hobby horse takes the imasna'tom Ion ysnth
Strairht back 10 the Middle Ages. to ROBIN Hood
and the morris dance.
THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES
As the show goes on the band clashes ana too's
away and II plays appropriate music sometimes.
such as THE Rogue's March" when clown ana
a donkey walk around the ring Ihere may oe
room for a question here 1t may be argued that
1., h,,d In order 20 be classical and correct.
should show no sign OF brains Whatever, rs 10
be feared that the band Is niue 700 sooh ,.d.r
..a., as Ton plavere. counting the leauer.