The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-04-11
LENoRE SHERWOOD
Tells Of a Spring 0pening in New
York ~ A Circus Graphically
Described.
srEctAL connEsroNpENcE 30 rnE 1--WE.

parade under the glare OF SWelterlng July
sun, through foot of dust and discomfort, but
a gorgeous pageant by night, under the stars
and the white gleam of the electric light
OF course, the omnipresent small boy Is
there and the traditional crowds lining the
streets, but there is a glamour and glitter, an
enthusiasm about It that one does not find as
the season advances.
There are no bedraggled riding habits, no
wilted collars, no tarnshed brass, no faded
cloth and stringy plumes, no tired out horses
and over-worked performers, no lazy camels
with dingy trappings, no show bills paving
the streets-nothing to remind you of the ira
ditional circus.
The cages are all newly painted, the cos.
tunes new, the horses spirited, the animals
fresh, the attaches interested and even the
elephants show signs of animation.
Every procession in New York is headed by
battalion of policemen, handsome dress pa
rade fellows who give It eclat and dash from
the start.
And then how night does idealize every
thing, how II covers all of the blemishes and
brings out all that is effective and pictur-
esque.
You can not see the paint on the faces of the
women riders, or observe the bleach on their
hair and the killing glances of the men riders
are lost in the darkness. The gaudy trappings
and highly colored equipments are all sobered
down and the glare is all gone.
The chariot drivers fat arms are co overed and
as the blue ribbons flutter on the spring breeze
and the horses dance and paw the air, you
could almost imagine yourself in the collos-
cum.
Cleopatra who usually swelters under the
boiling sun with red arms and coarse skin, try
ing to keep from rolling off her couch ON
wobbly wagon, while fat Anthony with
crooked legs holds on to post to preserve his
balance; the Cleopatra with a cheese cloth
gown, well tinsled, becomes veritable siren
by night and her attendants dusky slaves Of
the orient.
Even the clown looks funny in his little cart
and the caliope played Sweet Marie actually in
tune. And then the band did not stop
playing when It reached your square as II al.
ways does at home, but kept right on with
music to the end.
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln,
General Grant and the nice gentlemen on
float were quite immortalized, and the lady on
top of the lions cage was beautiful creature.
Queen Victoria was regal in her carriage and
the Emperor of Germany was fine soldier.
SAVAGE NATIVES.
decidedly fine feature of the circus parade
are the savage natives comprising the much
advertised chronological congress. There are
Hindus, Ratmalistums, Cinalese, Dauces,
Downles, Cottas, Caribs, Coolies, Arabs, Sa.
means, Fiiies and tribes of American Indians
with their wives and children. They march
in clans to the wierd din of their music, dane
ing and juggling in their strange barbaric way,
and it was all so quaint and wild and thrilling
under the stars
And how magnificent the elephants were as
they glided by. Elephants do not walk, they
glide, and the swaying of their great bodies is
to me the personifcation of grace and subelty,
in spite of the prevailing view to the contrary.
The circus performance is now being held in
Madison Square Gardens and the vast amphi-
theatre is crowded every night and matinee.
The arena is divided off into three or four rings,
with the spectators in boxes and the tiers of
seats above. 1t is quite the thing to have abox
party TO the circus, and all classes take advan-
tage Of it. noticed one party in evening dress
which struck me as decidedly unique. Fancy
a woman wearing decollete gown to circus,
when one is accustomed to sailor hats and shirt
waists. This party seemed to attract no special
attention, so imaginei it must be quite in line.
But in spite of all of the completeness of ar
rangement Of the Circus, missed the man with
lemonade and fans, and the man who sold
tickets to the crowd after the speech from the
ring, announcing that after the performance,
ladies and gentlemen, there will be grand
concert, presenting some of the best artists in
their several lines in the world, and as a spec
ial inducement the management has decided to
present those strange and curious types of hu.
man beings from the side show, including the
two headed COW and queer types of people, af-
fording fine study in contrasts to the intelli.
gent and intellectual"
One also missed the hard boards to sit on
and the place to let your feet hang over; but
the woman who screamed and hid her face
during the greatest double flying trapeze acts
and startling aerial specialties was there, also
the man who explained everything that was
going to happen.
The three new features of the circus were
the skirt dance on horseback, the woman
clown, or "only lady clown on earth," and the
carnival of aquatic sports. The skirt dance
was very pretty. The young woman wore
cloud of white drapery and danced on white
horse which galloped slowly around the ring
under cOlored lights and the whole effect was
graceful and beautiful.
THE WOMAN CLOWN.
Surely this is women's age You will find her
in every branch of education and learning,
in any occupation and in every field of use
fulness, even as clown in circus, hitherto
the sole privilege of man.
Talk about the new women Her day has
indeed come. And like everything else that
women does, she is success.
One feels greatful to the only lady clown on
earth for not wearing the white suit and paint
ed face of her associates in the profession
Our lady does not conceal any of her charms
She assumes the aggressive manner that men
say we well have when we vote. She knock
ed fellow CLOVIS down, dragged another around
by the nose, kicked another, rode around the
ring dragged to horses tail and made herself
very amusing She also jumped over six ele-
plants while the men only mastered four.
Idoubt If there was woman in the audi
ence whose heart did not swell with pride,
over the achievements of this new woman.
The carnival of aquatic sports comprises con-
tinual succession of exhibitions in an artificial
water ring; head foremost dives from the roof
of the building, log rolling, swimming and
curious feates by Samoans, Fiji and Gilbert
islanders and other strange people, the whole
closing with huge prismaie fountains illumi
mated by display of fireworks.
LF,NORE SHERWOOD