The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-27

for the Jumps Of paint and putty which a
clown puts onto his countenance would
turn low comedian pale with envy. A
few of the men were all ready. and had
taken advantage of the opportunity to go
to sleep. One of the clowns was lying
fat on his back with his eyes closed, and
on top of one of the dressing chests was
living picture man who had fallen
asleep, leaning on his elbow in pose
which for picturesqusness and grace was
far in advance of anything seen before
the audience.
"Who ever saw General Grant in
white cotton gloves?' said Mr.. Showles
ref1ectiyely, as he got into his clothes.
for he was to depict that distinguished
general in the opening parade.
He pulled on the despised adornments.
and, taking his coat over his arm and
his whiskers In one hand, passed out into
the hitching tent. where the floats were
drawn up in q long line stretching back
to the stables, with the elephants and
found Columbus and Mary Queen of
Scots, sitting side side by on a harness
chest and chatting with the Spanish In
fanta. who was leaning out of the back
of the carriage and chewing gum like
an ordinary mortal. There was not
much time for conversation. however.
for the elephants had begun to move, and
the line of.ssfioats passed through the
tent each one stopping long enough to
allow its passengers to scramble in and
no longer. Mr.. Showles slipped into his
coat, hooked his whiskers over his ears,
jumped upon the float and struck mill
tarys attitude just as the float went out
under the curtain. For few moments
there was almost silence in the tent, for
nearly everyone was out in the ring, and
the noise Of the audience came back only
IN subdued way; then the curtain WAS
run back, and the United States float
came tearing out with the horses on the
run. Mr.. Showles swung himself to the
ground, barely keeping his feet, and as
the horses went tearing through the
stables, q hanging loop nearly pulled
from her perch, by the neck, Columbia
who is really one of the Silbons. There
was something eminently oircus-lke in
the whole affair and in the matter-of-
fact way in which everyone took it.
The elephants were the first on after
the parade, and then the Indians, and as
neither of these required any costuming,
it gave the others chance to get ready,
which they did in a surprisingly short
time, several of them changing in few
seconds from the soldiers OF foreign po-
tentates into muscular, clean-llmbed ath-
letes, who little later were somersault-
ing over the elephants in the ring
Following this came the New Woman"
number, the performers for which were
ready, as is always the case, Ion & before
1T cana their turn to go on. The open
space j4sf outside the curtain was an
interesting sight just at this time, with
the many performers and horses waiting
to go on. On one side Of the entrance
were Rose Wentworth and Josie Ashton.
the bareback riders, chatting together,
and near them the two youngest Meers
girls, and their father, who was appar-
emily giving thsm some good advice of
some kind before they went in. Mr..
Meers is rather smaller than his daugh-
tiers, and is known behind as the little
man with the large family for he has
four large daughters, all Of them accom-
plished bareback riders. Almost all cir
Gus people have their families inside of
the show. and grow up from generation
to generation with ne company or an
other. 1t ia the only way to do, for then
they know no other life, and the love
OF the work becomes bred into them.
Standing all about were the ring men
or, rather, women-of this numbe and
in the midst of all the hustle were two of
the Zedoras, sitting In a shady corner,
reading novels and enting bananas, as
unconoerned as possible The performers
all stood back at respectful distance as
the elephants came numbering out, for all
CIRCUS people have wholesome fear of
elephants, and the next moment were
kissing their hands to the audience in
the ring. They come out shortly after,
looking warm and breathing hard, for
bareback riding, for all 1T looks so easy
and graceful, is not the easiest work in
the world.
One Of the prettiest sights was to see
the horses male ready for John O'Brien's
great equine act. There were ffty-one
of them, and they filed the whole hitoh-
ing tent, and extended out In long line
toward the stables. They were rs anx-
ious to go on as though they were going
to be fed and there was hardly a horse
there who did not know when 1t was his
particular turn to move. 1t also was
pretty to see them come out, which they
did in the most heller skslter fashion,
kic king up their heels and jumping
about like SO many children jus. let out
of school; but every one Gained down
when his groom called him by name, and
trotted back into his place again.
Rather curious sight was to see tho
aeria lists and acrobats limbering up be-
fore going on. They went through all
sorts Of exercises out in the hitching
tent, SO as to have their muscles pliable
and in good condition when they re aohed
the ring, and it was not an uncommon
sight to see two girls talking with each
othe r, one bending first one leg and then
the other up 80 as to touch the back of
her head, and the other leaning over
bac kward until her bands touched the
ground, and doing it Ii in as matter-of
fact way as ordinary women would toy
with their fans. Then in an instant
there would be another change, and the
whole place would look like menagerie,
as the mon brought in the animals for
the children's number. The men take
the greatest care Of thess trick animals,
nd always pet them and brush them,
and generally smooth them down physi-
ca lily and mentally before they go in. |
One of the most interesting animals
in the show is the black higb-schooj