The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-15
TENT FILLED TWICE.
Children Go i'm Thousands to
See Dogs and Ponies.
A HAPPY. LAUGHING THRoNG.
They shake the Tent With Glee AT the
Antics OF the Clever Perform
ing Animals.

terday afternoon, for just as the HAPPY
children danced after the Pied Piper or
Hamel-n." in olden times. so al the NV
tation ot the Post-Intell.gencer they pour
ed n thousands TO North Seattle, drawn
by the irresistible attraction Of Prof Cen
try's irimi;able collection OF dogs and Po-
MES.
Fully 400 OF them went there and at
least 2.010 grown people went along 10
take care Of them, and 10 see the show for
themselves. The show was advertised 10
begin at 215 O'Clock and the children be-
gan 70 gather by noon. Only few at
first. then they began 10 come in groups.
and long before the hour there was a
crowd OF happy. bright-faced expectant
children around the entrance ropes. Now
the little ones were coming IN hundreds
the street cars delivered load after load
Of Young America" and ten times as
many walked out as rode.
Every preparation had been made TO
take care of large crowd and the gate
was opened early TO let in the surg,ng
laughing mass of childhood. They came
running through the passageway as fas.
as the men could take their tickets, scat
tering around the big tent trying 10 find
the best seats. Half an hour went by
and there seemed to be no diminution in
the waiting crowd outside. The free seats
were all filed and the reserved seat sec
ton could hold but few more. And still
the little ones kept coming, all getting
more anxious 10 get in as the minutes
went by. The crowd outside seemed 10
be getting larger every minute, and il
was seen that something would have to be
done 10 take care OF IL. II was estimated
that the tent would hold 1880 children, and
II was by this time packed TO the ropes
The children had been counting on see
ing the dogs and ponies for days and ii
would not do 10 disappoint them now. The
Il a bod Ill
that they could see the performance and
that IL would not cost them a cent, and
II was going TO keep it's promise if il was
within the limits of the possible. And so
an arrangement was quickly made with
Prof. Gentry 10 give two performances at
which the Post-Intell.gencer tickets would
Do honored The first one began at .
o'clock and II was announced to the ones
waiting outside that the second perform
ance would begin at 3 o'clock. OF course
there was a little disappointment that
all could not get in when they expected
but an hour would soon go by, and the
children were kept interested by the cries
or merr'ment. the cracks of the trainers
whip. and the barking OF the dogs with
in They knew that they could feast their
eyes on the quick-w!tted dogs and pretty
ponies when once they did get in. and they
were willing TO wait for the treat
Tent Full of Merriment.
so, when the tent was so full Of hu-
mainly that there was no room left except
Tor the ring wherein the ponies and dogs
did their tricks, the entrance was closed
and the first performance began. The
trainer cracked his whip the attendants
let down the canvas that confined the
dogs. and the whole barking crew came
running in TO obey their master A row
or chairs was arranged along one side of
the ring for them and up they all jump
cd each one in his place. Dogs of high
degree and low, little ones and big ones
woody boys" and smoo th-haired hounds
Another signal came from the trainer. the
children ceased their shouting and laugh
ter at the clown dog, which had already
begun his funny tricks, down went the
canvas again and out on the run came the
beautiful ponies, and one general cry of:
On, Amt he sweet, just look at that
cute one came from ali over the tent
And the ponies seemed 10 know that
they had an audience to entertain that
loved them. and as they went through the
evolut.ons of the military drill their heads
were high in the ar and they seemed to
almost laugh themselves as the children
CAPPED their hands and cried with glee
Then the Russian poodles, one dressed as
a man, another as woman, and another
IN oaoys clothes, came out and nearly
drove the little ones frantic with their
antics Then the long. sleek hounds came
running around the ring and leaped high
in air 10 show their proves: higher and
higher they jumped first over a table
then with a chair on top OF the table
then another chair and another one, I'M
til II looked as though the nerve-strained
animals would go through the top of the
tent.
For something over an hour the acts fol-
lowed swiftly one upon another, and the
children were kept in a perfect wh!rlwind
Of delight until the last big pyramid Of
ponies and dogs was formed with the lit
tie monkey on top.
The Second Tentful Enters.
Then came the task Of getting the crowd
out OF the big tent as quickly as possible
so that the patient, waiting people outside
could have their opportunity 10 see the
performance, which they had counted on
for 50 long. But Prof Gentry's men know
their business. and il was but a few min
utes until the tent was perfectly empty
and ready 10 receive another crowd The
people were huddied tight up against the
ropes again outside and were more anx-
ious to get in than ever for fear that the
tent would be filled again and there
would still be some left outside. There
were more grown people in this second
crowd than in the first. The children had
the first call and the larger pro-
portion Of them got in the first
time. but the grown people were just
as anxious as the little ones. and il kept
two sturdy policemen and four or five
other men busy 10 keep them in line, so
that the Quick-f1gered ticket taker could
grab the hundreds Of tickets that were
held W for him. But finally. for the first
time since noon. the crowd began To thin
out, and the end could he seen. Faster
and faster the crowd surged In until the
persr.ration was rolling from the gate
mans face. and Ea was hoarse with tell
ing the people - keep IN line ana show