The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-08-04
crotlrs oF eARNuM.
Gossip About the showman and His Show
By One OF His AssociateA


"I was travelling with p. Thar
mum once" said Mr.. Stow, "long 1
before the railroad shows we're in I
existence. We travelled by wagons /
from town TO town in those days, !
hating on the outskirts of the town I
to enable the circus people to put on
their show clothes and prepare for
the parade. We were to show in q
small town in Pennsylvania. and /
had noticed that a bridge over which
the wagons were to pass was weak.
/ sent word to Mr.. Barnum TO put
the rhinoceros wagon at the rear,
but he did not do so, and as it was
in advance it broke the bridge. The
show did not reach town in time to
make much of parade.
THAT night Mr.. Barnum was seat
ed in the village hotel when an an
CRY lot of people who were disap-
pointed at the size of the parade
waited upon him and told him that
he was a fraud.
"'How SOP said Barnum.
"'Well, replied the spokesman
for the crowd, you advertised two
miles of parade, and there was only
one.
"'Yes,' replied Barnum, there
was one mile of parade and another
mile of d--d fools following it.
That makes two miles. doesn t it?' "
A rhinoceros is the most expen-
sive animal in a circus. A we'll bred
and well developed rhinoceros costs
$1,000. The Barnum show lost a
rhinoceros and was compelled TO
cable to Hagenbeck at Hamburg to
send ON another at once. Hagen
beck is the largest animal supply
agent on earth. He furnishes the
geological gardens of London and
similar gardens in the capitals of
Europe. Elephants are quite COM
mon these days, and half dozen Of
them could be bought for the price
; of one rhinoceros.
The elephant is the meanest ami
NAL that the show people have TO
r deal with. Everybody is afraid of
!, him, for no one can tell when the
3 big brute will take one unawares to
crafty some long treasured or fan
cied grievance
A few years ago the show was in
e Rochester when the elephant keeper
went into the elephant car to see
that everything was secure before
5 the train started. He fastened the
n n rear door and thoughtlessly passed
through the car to examine tho front
door. AS he was passing the ele-
phant the brute, realizing that he
n was alone with his keeper, crushed
i him to death against the side of the
car. The elephant is the biggest
coward of all animals and never un.
1t dertakes to get the better Of his
n keeper unless he can take him of
L. his guard.
1t costs not less than S., 600 day
: to run a big circus and menagerie
Notwithstanding this seemingly
large outlay a first class show j:
! usually a sure winner. Before start
ing out a discount for rainy days j:
made by averaging the rainy day:
during the past ten seasons. Will,
this is not by any means reliable il
affords pretty fair test
When p. 7. Barnum was in Lon
don 10 years or so ago, he sent tick
cts of admission to all the clergy anC
to the bishop of London and his fam
. lily. Barnum's reputation as a phi
=. lanthropist had gone before him, anC
- it became necessary to establish 1
regular picket guard around him Il
protect him from annoyanoes in hi
: hotel. The applicants for obaritabl,
J. donations would frequently go
le through the line and apply for dona
~ tions ranging from 800 to $40, 0OU
: After the bishop of London and hi
family had seen the show the bishoI
called upon Barnum and chatte,
i" with him for some time. Barnun
impressed him, as he did everybody
as being a big hearted, amiable an,
- brainy man. The bishop ON leaving
took his hand and said:
"Mr. Barnum, you are not such
bad man after all / hope to NEE
you in heaven, sir. -
b. well, you will if you are there,
replied Barnum.
IN The answer was too much eve
for the bishop, and those who hear
it shouted with laughter. .-Syracus
Courier.