The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-02

/ and an hour before the band strikes up
! al the show grounds there is a solid line
! OF humanity from one end Of the town
| to the other.
AND SUCH A CROWD!
By noon every face is turned toward
| the show grounds. The side snow prop
erly seen and its myriad Of curios and
! freaks explained, tine tide turns toward
| the ticket wagon. Another pandemon-
| iuIn, in which each individual in the
vast throng imagines he must get his
ticket first or be forever debarred. A
struggling, surgfng mass Of hulparity.
with hands and arms hign in air, clutch-
| ing tightly 10 the money which is TO
be invested in the magical Qasteboards
that viii admit them to the wonders oc
the big show. The crowd carries itself
along until each Of its component parts
has reached the goal. The money Is
snatcned from the uplifted fingers and
! tickets placed in its stead, SO quickly.
yet 50 accurately, that tne bewildered,
perspiring purchaser scarcely knows
how it wSs done. Yet ne mas his tick
cts, and then begins a battle for exit
from the crowd. There is no relief, how
ever. until the doorway to the men,
agerie is passed. and then the crowd
spreads out, within its spacious area,
and begins the real enjoyment Of the
day.
A circus is a circus the world over,
and to describe the performance in this
particular western town would be but
m .o7l
are some old stories that are always
new. One is love, another is the circus.
The lithe limbed man, who twists him.
self inside out; the airily clothed wo-
men, who fly through rnidair while you
hold your breath; the clowns, who make
you laugh in the same Old way that they
made you laugh years ago-w1o can re-
sust the glamor of it all?
And the strange sights behind tt1e
scenesi Lucky the man or boy in that
town VINO rejoices in the acquaintance
OF somebody connected with the show.
He is the hero of the year. Countless
times does ne retell the stories Of what
ne saw in the dressing rooms.
FOLDING THE TENTS.
clifton Of that OF the afternoon. With
in all Is scene Of gayety, with myriad
lights blazing. Outside a different
scene presents itself. A few minutes af-
ter the performance begins, hundreds of
hurrying men attack the menagerie tent.
Its side walls come down with a rush,
its poles are carried out in a steady line,
its cages picked up 10y waiting teams,
who at a trot, start the procession Of
canvas covered dens toward the rail-
road yards. The great top comes down
with run and is unlaced into sections,
rolled into huge bundles and loaded into
waiting wagons, almost before the last
cage has disappeared in the gloom
around an adjacent corner. The nerd Of
elephants has stalked off into the night,
majesticaIly and silently, following a
man who carries lantern half square
ahed.
The cook house, stable tents, black
smith shop, barber. shop. band tent, side
show, together with the nuu1berIess 9th
ct smaller tents, have been expeditions
ly, yet silently, packed and taken to the
cars. In three-qua1lters Of an hour the
"big top" stands alone, It's gaunt poles
reaching far up into the darkness Of
the Sky. At the railroad yards every
thing is hustle and activity.
The night sl1ow is oGrt; the concert Is
finished, and the last Of the performers
skurries toward his trunk, waich has
been left upon the open space where the
dressing tent once stood; a quick change
Of costume, a banging trunk lid, and the
9ast member Of the company takes his
way to the train. BY midnight the show
IS on its way TO the next town.
a sHowMAN's DIARY.
The following extracts. selected at
random fro mdae diary Of a Snowman,
jotted down by him last summer, will
give an additional idea Of circus life in
the west:
La Sale. IL, April 2S.-Cfoudy and
threatening Slight shower at night.
Business light. About as bad lot as
could be found anywhere. Every wagon
mirei TO the hubs. and II rain rad set
in during the day would have rendered
it almost impossible TO move. Business
in the town stagnated, and no factories,
ouarries or mines running.
Kansas City. Mo, May 10.-Typical
circus weather, clear and hot Tre-
mendous business. Thousands were
turned away from both performances.
The parade elic5ted the most cordial ep-
proval from the vast throng that wit
messed it. The snow went with a dash
and vim that captivated every one. Late
comers in the evening, who were refus-
ed admission, Offered as much as 80 for
reserved seat tickets, but could not get
them. Several hundred VINO had pur-
chased tickets. but had arrived too late,
were given their money.
Trinidad, Col, May 7-warm; clear
until half-past five p. m. Heavy west
ern wind prevailed all day. and IN the
evening a sand storm made matters
very disagreeable. Showed on the
Santa Fe lot. Good business.
Rock Springs. Wyo.. May 24.-Hot
and dusty. Business hgIt. Probably 50
named because there are no springs
there. A cosmopolitan crowd OF Huns.
Firms, Norwegians. Poles, Dagoes and
ether foreigners. VINO work in the coal
mines there. A desoate. barren mining
camp. with cosmopolitan bunch OF
weather in keeping with is people. It
WAS clear, cloudy. surshinny, dusty arei
rainy. by frs and starts. One Snow
only was given, and no one was sorry
70 leave the place.
Salt Lake C1cy, Utah. May 21-Per-
feet weather continues. Tremendous
business. TIE snow was declared by
bgIr5 Norman and Gentle ,,z.a-z-,.-,.-., |