The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-12
SOCIETY," AT CIRCUS.
THE MUCH TALKED OF EVENT
OPENS QUITE SUCCESSFULLY.
ins-0pereftn of BEAUTIFUL Music
.,se The Funny Clowns.
A Society Circus,


From the days of old Dan Rice and his
flea-bitten elephant. up to the period
where cavalcades and pageants vie with
the wonderful menageries the best
features of circus-orwards and up
wards has the great institution gone till
it has reached It's pinnacle, ''in society"
Centuries ago. long before the era of pea
nuts and pink lemonade, the very swell
people Of Rome went out to the Circus
Maximus and the fond father was there
for the laudable and conscience atisfy-
ing purpose of showing his small boy
the wild animals. History records such re-
marks as these by the toga-clad father:
my child, dsapprove of the ballet and
tights but / cannot have you forego the
pleasure of an object lesson in natural
history. i will take you to see that noble
animal from the jungle, the tiger, chew
ND a Christian" This was the original
joke about the small boy and his papa
and the paragraphers have run the joke
into an edition of twelve millions since
then. But now. alas. that old joke, like
the famous She, withers and crumbles
into dust in moment, for with the COM
ing of the Society Circus it is eminent
ly proper and eminently good form TO
go to the circus without a small
boy along as an apology. And such a
good things which we should as the vaude-
vile Snowman says, Push it along
Last night the old Cyclorama Building,
lighted by electric arcs, was brilliantly
metamorphosed with tent and trappings,
prancing steeds and the gaudiness OF an
old-fashioned circus. Even the music had
the old-time swing, the rhythm that adds
to the fascinating excitement or ring
performance, and from the real sawdust
and tanbark came a familiar aroma. Up
from the ring rose a circle of seats in
amphitheater form, under, the tiers OF
which natural gas burned, keeping or
the chill that prevailed on the outside
of the building Many were the features
provided to offset that mysterious guam
tity known in circus parlance as money
criminate and speak of the best The
clowns had Jokes and songs OF recent
vintage ana thereby the more enjoyable:
celestial beauty which the small boy as
socates with circus ladies' and Professor
a 'I hilarious sNI night furnished much fun
with his groggy withal good natured, eie-
plant. The operetta introduction was
surprise, SO far was 1t ABOVE the aver
age amateur performance.
All the boxes were taken, many society
people turning out to help al9ns enaa55y
eat the specially imported goober nuts
which Mrs. John c. Dean, Mrs. Arthur Gro
retailed at the ridiculously low price of 8
cents a sackful. The pink lemonade was
not on the o because the pink PINK was d,d n
mind the absence of the pink lemonade as
long as 1t had goober nuts, vulgarly called
A few minutes after s there was COM
Portable sprinkling Of people perched on the
ish for the appearance of the gypsies with
their operetta, that leads up to the circus
proper. A troop Of pretty, graceful girls,
tambourines a-tinkling, rushed into the cen
ter Of the ring, which was appointed for the
while as a camp. Stalwart young fellows
THE GYPSY OPERETTA.
The scene opened with the betrothal of
Lena Rivers Miss Demia Townley) and
Chief Dick Merry (Mr. NJ. B. Griffith, a
pretty choral bit, with solos, giving the
audience information to this effect. Miss
TownIey made charming, girlsh gypsy,
and gave her dark-eyed companions a grace
full dance. AS the story goes. Willoughby
Melrose had a daughter stolen by gypsies in
the long ago. and to better his chances of
finding her he makes a speciality of inviting
gypsies to camp on his estate. That's how
the band happens to be there. Bob Mel
rose a nephew of the rich man, thinks he
has found the missing daughter in Lena
Rivers and wants TO break her engagement
himself. However, a fortune teller thwarts
his plans and reveals to Mr.. Willoughby
the, fact. that not Lena Rivers; but Lucy
gentleman's heart with joy that he con-
cludes to crafty the wish of Dick Merry,
the gypsy, and buy him circus. And
that's how the circus happens to be there.
Miss Rowena New, Lucy Nadine; Miss
Messing, as Adele Grover. Miss f. Mess
ing Nancy Fortune, and Mrs. Charles
Foster Janet Combs, had the leading
singing roles among the ladies. and Mr. NJ.
Mr.. A. r. Grover those among. the gentle
men. Miss New surprised her friends with
the strength and sweetness of her voice
and her dramatic action, while the Misses
Messing were at their best, acting and sing
ing their parts in @ manner TO win gener-
Gus applause. Mrs. Foster infused much
and tuneful. DR.. Hunt. as Weary Wat
kins character. was inimitable, and left
voice or his artistic manner OF rushing the
old tin can that dangled from his belt. Mr..
Griffith has a voice of much promise, and
sang exceedingly well. while Mr.. Van Vie
sustained the reputation which he has
gained.
After the long-lost daughter had been
placed safely in the arms of her father the
Jolly Dick Merry graciously consented 70
rehearse his new circus. The trumpet sound
ed. and out from the folds of two big Amer
lean flags came the procession of sprucely
dressed equestrians and fitting ladies, the
martial strains of a Sousa coming from the
band stand. 1t was grand entree of
knights and ladies of the nineteenth CEN
tury. .Rajah," the trick elephant under
command Of Professor Bromo-Seltzer ed
OF the horses, with the remainder of the
troupe bringing up the rear, Robert Me-
Cuat, the ciown having in tow some
strengthening Darwinian type, aScross be-
tween 10 10 and a. Hottentot statesman.
This thing champed it's jaws, munched
peanuts that were thrown it, and made
love in dreadful fashion to the society
ladies in the boxes. Mr.. McOuat was very
funny, and Gordon Narney helped him
along in the frolic. They tumbled about
horizontal bars in a professional way, APP
parently skinned their faces innumerable
times, and accomplished contortions that
were hugely appreciated. BERTHE Teibleman,
Madame De Kack-i-ack, was as Win
some as any lady that ever bleached her
hair after a siege of half hundred sum
mers, He sang a parody on Sweet Ma
rie,' with local hits. One verse, for in
stance:
When We all go up to heaven,
Sweet Marie:
Where they never close at eleven
Sweet Marie:
Where it is eternal day
What win Mr.. Powell say?
Will he want to come away
Sweet Marie?
FUNNY THINGS TO SEE.
There are so many things to be seen at
the Society Circus that an ordinary press
notice fails to do them justice. Some think
il is worth so cents to see the trick elephant
deliberately sit down Prof. Rromo- Seltz-
er's red nose, and others think it is fully
worth at least quarter TO see the indie
scribable thing in back-evidently at one
time "A nan-Which friehtenS easily nc n