The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-09
TOLD BY THE OLD CIRCUS MAN.
Additional Light ON the Great Giants
Size shed by Details of His Umbrella.

S' 's's " ssttti VI Ills Y "UTeI1H.
You might have thought" said the
old circus man, that IL would put us
to some considerable trouble and ex-
pense 10 provide umbrellas for the great
giant, whose actual size I have never
dared TO tell you for fear you wouldn't
believe IL IL / did. trusting to those
things that l have told you about from
time To time to give you some approxi-
mate notion of II.
AS to the giants umbrellas. we
new had any trouble at all: we sim
ply used TO use for that purpose the
tops of u discarded balloons. We
never fooled with balloons. you under
stand: after they had become weak
ened at all we used to put 'em aside
ana put in a new one; we never took
any risks on balloons. Before the great
giant Joined us we used to sell the old
balloons for junk. and likewise we used
10 cut up the old center poles of the big
tent, when they showed. any signs of
weakness, for firewood; but after the
giant came we saved all the balloon
tops for umbrella coverings. and the old
center poles we saved for umbrella
handles. We had our blacksmiths get
out "A set of ribs and fittings, and these
were good for a long time. Whenever
the covering OF the giants umbrella got
so worn that IL was no further use as
such. or II looked bad when il was
opened, why then we'd just recover the
old frame. When he put in a new
handle we'd simply AXE the irons of
the old N OF and put 'em on the new
one.
w used to make II a point to have
the giant carry the umbrella i'm every
town we struck. whether IL rained or
not. He used to turn out and walk
with the show. and walking behind him
we always had 10 men carrying the UNI
brella, rolled up and with an umbrella
case on IL, these men walking i've on a
side and carrying II lying along on
sticks that they held by the ends. This
always used To excite interest, because
people always wondered what the men
We're carrying. but the sight didn't be-
gin TO excite the interest hat was felt
when they discovered what il was and
saw the giant raise Il.
This, of course. he couldn't do i'm the
street. on account of the trees: as a
rule the giant opened the umbrella i'm
the public square Of the town. When
we came To that the procession would
halt and the giant woul step out from
IL and step over the fence or the orna-
mental gateway or entrance or arch or
whatever there was there-if there was
one we always stopped SO that the giant
would be opposite it-and then the men
would walk in with the umbrella and
Stanu beside MIN. 1hey would lift IL up
on the carrying piece as high as hey
and then the giant would bend
down and n X IL. He would draw of
the case that covered IL, which was
something like a windsail, only many
larger. and Of course made taper
ing. and roll IL up and put IL In his
and that mad a wad as big as
a bale OF hay. but IL didn't bulge out
In his pocket enough so Z you'd notice
IL. And then he'd hold the umbrella |
by the handle with one hand. point up. |
and shake IL out as anybody does an
umbrella that's been rolled up tightly. |
they pen IL. and then he'd set
TO raise IL with the other hand IN
the customary amer.
by this time OF course IN
the crowd aroun would know what IL
and IL was fun 90 see 'em look AZ
u. n 1 don't wonder. I never alto
lost interest in IL. myself: be-
when the giant held IL up before
opening II the umbrella was about the
and size OF a church steeple. and
rs a matter OF fact Il was often blr-
ger than the church steeple that han
pened TO be on the other side of thai
particular green. But when he came
TO open IL. n they saw the spread
of it-h-m-m; well. at one time and
another the show had a great many
striking features; but I don't think We