The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-29
NOT A CIRCUS-RIDER.
Miss May Davenport is an Equestrenue,
II You Please.

Miss May Davenport is an Equestrenue,
If You Please.
Miss Nav Davenport is an equestrinne.
Rude people might call her a circus-rider.
but such a use of the nomenclature OF
the ordinary world in the canvas home
of the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers circus
would result in swift, sure destruction
for the offender. Half a dozen people
members of her personal retinue-wouid
Immediately annihilate the culprit.
It is this condition which brought
alarm to the circus managers few days
ago in Chicago. when Il brcathleSs at
tendant from the dressing tent brought
word that Miss Davenport had slapped
Miss NIaude Livingston. 1t was not
so much the exalted state of the offender
that the situation was serious, ne
cause Miss Livingston occupied n posi-
ton equally as prominent upon the pos
ters. and when an investigation revealed
that Miss Estelle Hobson had delivered
a vigorous opinion of both the others,
the necessity for action became impera-
tive. The three bareback stars Of the
circus had Glarrclcd and veteran show
man well knew what that meant They
had been fearing it for three weeks and
il had come.
Each of the enuestricnne trio threaten
ed to resign instantly unless protected
from imDositions of certain persons,
The manager tried every known means
Of modification. In the emergency Col.
Lewis Sells was sent for. Hc found
three energetic private managers, repre-
scnting the three stars. besi2ging n dis
outraged and disheartened arenic mama
ger. These gentlemen agreed upon but
one Dronosition-thc sole and inc0ntest-
able claim of their own charge to the
CHIEF position of prominence. But they
disagreed hopelessly rs to the name OF
that star. The bills prominently set
forth that it has a triple alliance, but
the alliance had broken. The band was
already playing the overture for the af-
ternoon performance and something hal
to be done.
Col. Sells listened to the demands.
They were strikingly similar. There
must be Il favored and luxurious apart
ment in the dressing tent, new poster
stating that this particular star was
the ''peerless queen of the arena" bet
ter provision for the retinue of servants
each carried. and a carriage to and from
the train for the star and her
chaparone. smnhbafiasq-z N. \
chaperone They were promised every
thing. separately of course; and that
afternoons performance was assured
But there were twelve performances n
week for the rest of the season to be
looked after. and permanent measures
were necessary.
The boss canyas-man and the chief of
the proprietors were summoned, and at
once took an account of stock. The
star acrobat was robbed of a dressing
table that had been the pride of the
circus for years and his joy for two
seasons. The concert stage was de-
spoiled of three of its platform sections,
and the canvas men worked all after
noon rigging up three canvas dressing
rooms that were exactly alike even to
the stitches. Miss Hobson's mother was
told that her daughter was certainly the
hest rider of the three and would have
been billed as the sole star had her con-
tract been signed before the paper was
printed: Miss Livingston was visited by
an experienced diplomat who promised
her new "Strobridge three sheet" and
Miss Davenport's elderly aunt was mis-
taken for her charge, which disqualified
her complaints for all time it is to be
hoped. The three dressing rooms We're
erected and the household of each star
established within roped lines. The
crisis seemed to be over Miss Daven-
port added a smile of her own to the
ring expression which circus tradition
demands. and all was serene and lovely.
There has been no further outbreak.
but Col. Sells is still devising precautions.
Every eligible man in the circus has
been privately warned to smile not unon
an eGuestrienne unless he is prepared TO
furnish two of his peers to smile with
equal ardor. A property man has been
detailed to see that Miss Hohson's poodle
and Miss Livingston's Argora cat re-
main utter strangers and the chief vp-
terinary surgeon has been charged. rs
he values his position. to gnard tho
health of Miss Davennort's pet monkey.
Hostilities are suspended for the pres
emf. but how long white-winged peace
viii reign in the camp is what lyeeps
Col. Sells and Arenic Manager Melville
awake o nights.