The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-18

ssv earssl~s. and these m shesr turn hy eli
Ysru-z Years afferxard came the crown
srw f~surnrsh % al Iigats-fhe electric lsgnt
| -so6 The managers % mammoth tent
shows were nol ss5- 20 adept &
II seems very strange that al least fo1-
81 saa most brilliant and pleasing ae-s
ever performed in circus ring and waica
were once tire principle ard most popular
feature OF every circus performance. are
| raw largely obsolete and almost wholly
unknown 10 circus goers or the present
day. The first o. these was the forming q
s.pvrarnl8z" as they we're called. by from
eeysu % eleven men standing upon horses.
with "aankerz' of from four 10 eight men
and boys on other horses at the sides 70
complete the picture. This was exceed
iagiy EeuIt and dangerous. sor the
slightest movement on the part OF the
horses would cause a general tumble n
which TO one could save himself. ard in
which there was great likelihood OF being
frampiaa upon by the startled s9utneS.
The Spanish trarnpolgne ~ another OF the
for time obsolete performances IL was
done by waulging over q standing horse
from q very high spring board. taken al
a downward run from an fnclsne plane
This however has been revived OF late
years. and even improved upon by vault
ing IN the way described over number
OF horses and elephants. III waiting
Il another admirable acs that was very
popular with the circus audiences Of long
ago. but never seen now. II consisted in
throwing somersaults in rapid succession
within a small space marked of upon
level spring board. Arthur Barnes. an
English performer, thus threw ls con-
secut.ye sonnersaults. There Is another
very beautiful act which was once done
BY every circus performer who could ride
at ali, known running vauitiug J.
consists OF yauls.ng from the ground after
a run. and alighting. in an erect posture
with both feet upon the back Of a swiftly
moving horse. This act has been revived
within a few seasons past, and when IL
was first relntroauced TO the public IL was
regarded as marvellous.
Ny partner. the late p. T. Barnuna, used
70 say that old Aaron Turner. whose
treasurer he made his first entrance Into
the csreus business, was one OF those &C.
centric old down-Easters who never failed
10 delight sn audience when imperson-
afed upon the stage. In appearance he
was almost an exact counterpart OF
Joshua NhFteomb. as represented by MIR.
Denman Thompson. whom In voice, dsa-
sct and manner he also closely reseua-
bled. Though he had the reputation of
being "a hard man." reaping where he
not sirewn. ne was by no means devoid Of
generous impulses. He was always his
oaa 300rkeeper. and when one of the
crowd OF boys who always hang about the
door OF a circus In the usually vain hope
that some good Samaritan viii pay their
gay in, would beg 10 be passed in free
because he had no money. Turner would
say in mis- rich nasal twang, Have We get
"a iackknife?'
The reply would generally be in the af-
flrmative, and then Turner would say,
lie me see f." The urchin would pro-
duce his Jackknife and hand IL TO Turner
who. after examining il with the air OF a
profound connoiseur, would slip 1t into his
own pocket and say TO the lad in his in!ul-
table down-East dialect. Skin in. skin in.
jest quick as ye can" At the end of
the circus season Turner would have
about bushel of jackknives Of every con-
cesvable size and patterns, which he would
'swop OFF, TO country storekeepers ana
landlords during the winter.
In those days and for almost forty years
afterward. all circuses travelled by
wagon. as / have already stated | well
remember clever practical joke by which
Turner got even with a Connecticut land
lord soon aller my late partner joined his
show. as | have often heard Mr.. Barnum
tell II. Turner's contracting agent had
engaged dinner. supper. lodging and
breakfast Tor % people al the principal
hotel in a small rural village When the
company arrived In the morning a steady.
drizz.ing rain was falling and would prob
ably continue throughout the day. 1t was
useless 10 put up the canvas under such
circumstances. and Turner proposed 20
proceed at once to his next stand. But
the land lord OF the inn brought out the
contract he had made with the agent, and
insisted on its fulfilmenr. threatening 20
attach the property OF the show unless lie
~as paid the price agreed upon for dinner,
supper. lodging and breakfast for 90 peo-
pie. Seeing that there was no escape.
Turner told him 10 serve dinner at noon,
supper ono hour later and breakfast an
hour after that. Promptly al midday ell
hands sat down 70 dinner. AS soon as that
meal was finished the tables were cleared
and at o'clock that same afternoon sup
per was served. At i;3o O'Clock. in bread
daylight. while a number of gilpns and
joSklns who had gathered in from the SUR
rounding country 70 have a look at the
"circus folks stood by in open-eyed aad
open amazemeut. the 80 people compr.s-
ing the company. headed by Turner
marched TO bed in single file. each bear
ing a lighted candle in his or her hand.
Half an hour afterward they arose. par
took Of breakfast with seemingly "a much
heartiness as though they had not tasted
food for many hougs and then departed
Tor the next Town.
JAMES 4 YATIEy