The San Francisco call., 1897-09-12
The Maids Storu.

Inc Maid S OtOrY.
know it isn't just the proper tn ng to
allow the home people to think that you
are going to the Heart of Maryland"
matinee, and then slip away, al by your
lonely, and go TO the circus instead. But
what is poor girl going to do when she
would rather go to a circus than TO eat,
any time, and is too nearly grown up her
self 10 serve as an excuse for some full
grown persons visiting that enchanted
place, and vet isn't quite old enough to
chaperone any of the small fry?
What l did was to stare vacantly and
fxedly at the two bit side of Market street
as the car which I was in went Changing
past the Baldwin, and then change at
Eighth street, with lot of other people, to
the special that took US to the gate
which for ten days separated San Fran
cisco from Fairyland.
The crash and bang and clamor of the
band were beating on the air all about me
as l bought my ticket, aud driving me
frantic with i'm patience. Some way circus
music is like no other that | ever heard !;
1t seems to have language of its own.
and 10 accompany the performance with
q running fire of monologue, and when
you are on the outside of the great can
vas tent, and can't possibly see what is
going on, ii says so plaiuy that even the
stupidest person cannot fail TO understand
it: Hurry, hurry, hurry you'll miss
the best part of the show if sou don't get
in here quicker than You can say Jack
Robinson.
l honestly think that it took that tor
toise of a man fully fifteen minutes to Civ e
me that piece of pasteboard and fish up my
change, but finally he accom- pl shed that
difficult and serious undertaking, and |
was free to make my way TO the inferior.
Oh, that music! that music Not sweet,
nor harm monioue, nor beautiful in any
way, but full of life and fire, and rushing
excitement. 1t almost seems to me when
l hear it as if /, too, could ride gallop-
ing horse bareback, balanced on one foot
could hang myself all over the trapeze
bars IN graceful attitudes and turn
double-yes, triple and Quadruple-som-
ersaults and do all manner OF possible and
i'm possible things, with that music to ac-
company, inspire and urge me on.
And to come right down to cold facts,
if there is any one in all the wide world
L
circus performer. Just think OF travelling
all over the country on perpetual picnic,
living in tent, gypsy fashion, keeping
your wardrobe in trunk, and not having
a single care except to do your own par
ticular little act when the time comes!
And it all looks so easy, too! | do be-
lieve, if l had the courage to try, | could
do lots of the things that the circus women
do myself. But what chance does girl
have that is bound down to music and
languages and ologies and all such things
and domineered over by the fetish of
''good society,""
Mamma would have seven consecutive
fits if l should even attempt to turn a
someTsault in her august presence -
though l won't deny that | have expert
mented trihe in that line in my time,
where 1 knew l was safe from invidious
criticism-and if she should catch me
pracGcing standing on my head / am
afraid the consequences would be de-
cidedly deplorab abe-that is. from my point
of view.
was just an atom futtery when set
tied down into my seat, for l suddenly
felt very young and small and babe in
the-wood-like in tina immense tent among
that crowd of absolute strangers. But be-
fore the procession part was over with a
lady reporter who has been at the house
two or three times to see mamma about
her societies, her charities and her "occa-
sions," sat down in the chair beside me,
and we chummed directly, and then l felt
better.
don't care so much for the pageant
business; it seems some way, like serving
the dessert before the soup. but l fairly
went wild myself over the wild beasts
performances. L was horribly afraid every
moment of the time. l was afraid thai
the beautiful, graceful, cruel cat creatures
might elect to settle some OF their private
grudges-o of which they evidently have a
large mum ber-in public, and snarl UP
into a biting, clawing, roaring mass oil
bloody fur right there before my eyes.
was afraid that some of them might sud-
denly realize what an easy thing it wou d
be to spring over that network OF fence
and scatter the grinning, staring crowd oil
two-legged animals for whose amusement