Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-09-10

that had always before been common
place, and it grew more wonderful as it
advanced. know, for followed it,
And then it vanished into the spread
ing walls of the canvas city and was
lost. The beauty and the loveliness
would have vanished from the earth
but for the glare and flare and marvel
of that circus day.
John was in the line before the ticket
wagon, but his progress was slow for
time, and again he was pulled from his
place to give a frantic greeting to some
one whose son or brother or father was
in the service. That was why soldiers
came home on furlOugh-tO tell when
the war would end and to talk hope
fully to the friends of the boys at the
front.
But finally he stood at the wonderful
door of the ticket wagon, where money
was leaping from the hand of the coun-
tryman in exchange for pleasure. In
stantly he was away again. The fat, hot
man that sold tickets cared nothing for
the blue uniform. He saw nothing that
interested him beyond the bills laid
down. And these he whisked from sight
half savagely.
Our tickets were in our hands. We
had passed the insOlent, broad -jawed
fellow at the gangway of ropes, and
stood in the NEST amazing place in the
world. TO the left were rows of won
derful cages-nOw opened-and in each
was marvel of animal life. | never
had seen them, but somewhat of natu-
raj history had been opened to me in
books, and l could call them by name.
A man may live thousand years and
win great honors, but he will never feel
so keen joy as thrills in the boy of 10
when he stands in the center Of an un-
expected circus and menagerie.
sought the elephant in vain, because
my little eyes had not been adjusted
to the huge dimensions of the pachy-
derm. And l was touched by his trunk
before l gave him recognition. And
in the midst of that wonder, but half
filled with the charms Of the animal
portion, | was dragged away to the
smaller etertainment of the ring.
The old circus was near at hand, and
single ring embraced the limit of its
possibilities. There was the band above
the place of entrance, and on each side
0f II thn hiobaY yN,.ino te
tickets called for but common sittings
and we found place In a coatless, fan
ming, perspiring, but happy crowd. The
men were vociferous, the women broad
ly smiling. Girls giggled and blushed
when the clown tossed kisses at them
and their escorts bought what they
called refreshments and tried with
prodigality to purchase popularity.
There was bareback riding-and, be-
ing old, will say these later days have
taught us nothing in that. There was
the leaping through balloons" which
seems to have come with the first cir
Gus, and trapeze performance which
was doubtless good. There was trick
riding and performers on a horizontal
bar. And then there was bout at box
ing.
Nothing could have been more timely.
No doubt amusement purveyors are the
same yesterday, to-day and forever,
and even before rural audiences, which
they hold in contempt, delight in max
ing applause. Well, this sparrlng ex-
hlbition was no frost" Very likely
that undertone combativeness, which,
appealed to by drum and fife, set ma
tion at war, was just sufficiently assert
I've to respond to this matching of man
against man. For there was nothing of
the hippodrome about the affair. The
men were fearfully, exhaustively in
earnest. But to me, who got even in
war time my first sight Of human blood
drawn in anger, there was something so
horrible, so Notwithstanding, so impos-
sible, that | appealed with tears to
the man at my right to stop them. He
was a powerful fellow, but he laughed
at me.
The circus was almost over when
loud voices to the right announced the
beginning of quarrel. There were at
least ten years, beginning in 1861, when
circus men counted themselves fortu-
nate If they got out of a town without
battle. They hired canvas men who
were as good at fighting as at work.
The whole corps of workers was organ
lied and constantly prepared. And the
towns in which they showed were sure
to have ''hard men," Fighting was the
order of the day. The circus simply
provided the occasion.
Sitting up there in our lofty place, we
could hear that premonitory speech in