The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13
ro1D Dr TINE Z cInoUs NAV.
An nncident Attending tho Giving Out e
DouvenIra of the Grent GIrnmn.

Souvenirs OF the Great Glrans.
Tho first souvenirs I ever knew OF bolnp
given out In the show business said tho old
circus man. "wo gave away In our snow al
tho time wo had tho big Eighteen foot ciraTa.
We never had an attraction that heat tho hiR
giraffe. Tho people were Just carried way
with him. There wasn't anything about him
but what interested them, cvon tho slight est
little things. On clear days. when we vera
where wo could do 1t and the sun wns right for
US, wc used to get tho giraffe ont in front OF
the entrance of the main tcnt md have him
stand there like n great sentry. People USED to
stop and look I'M Mt him, and then tho first
thing you know somcbody'd discover his shad.
der. Anybody'd cast n long shadder ar That
hour of the day. OF course, but the g~iraffo's
shadder reached rs far as you could see. And
as soon as one man begun to look at II forty
others did. and then you'd see en-. I've sccn .
thousand people at a time, line up long that
shadder and just stand along the cdge OF 1t down
past the main tent and the sidcshow fonts, just
standing there lookin'. ut, it,. The giraffe was
under, the edge of the earth, and tho first thing
they, Knew there wasn't any shadder. Then
then nll bunch up together again and look 90
the giraffe till VIC took him in.
saying that at , o' SHsy a ,n ut On 3 o' Ede pRtG az Hpsns
giraffe would hand around ice water. That's
where the souvenirs come In. Wo used to
give away the glasses the water was in. The
Giraffe and whoever got 'em could keep 'em.
sections. We used 10 give away four dozen
tumhlers at every, performance. one In each
tho giraffe around the edge of the ring, and in
front OF each section his keeper would hand him
he would take by the handle in his mouth. Tail
as he was, he could reach easy to the highest
back to Ks, seats; It's astonishing how people used
the whole section would stand up on the
seats and all grab for tho holder when It come
near EN-. They'd sDill the water and get wet,
and hGve, the greatest time you ever heard OF.
but nobody got hurt and so we Just let her buzz
along. But finally something did happen.
AT one evening entertainment when he
was serving, out tho souvenirs. when we come
on the fourth tier from the top who picked up his
boy, q bright-looking youngster about 10 years
him M on his shoulder. The giraffe lifted the
holder up and swept it along the seats with tho
people grabbing, and when II come near this
i sboHId Sim NJ T. so w that g thn boy y could ost LIST stand on h!o
n grab for it.. There was only one glass left in
then, but the boy got it. He upset 1T lifting
over everybody, but that didn't count: he got
the glass. and was coming down with 1t. when
on his shoulder. felt his weight growing lighter
and the next minute he and everybody else saw
s sss by tSo 'Ti sss riss! in ep The he ali lifted T the h sss slrf ne
wav he always did. to clear the people before
sNinging 1t around and down to the keeper.
This time when he lifted II the buttons on tho
outside Of tine cuff Of the boys Jacket got caught
in the wires. They were scwcd on the way
mothers sew on buttons. and they held the
youngsters weight easily. and when tho giraffe
liftet the holder M he lifted the hoy with u.
Then there was n scene. We knew the a.
raffe wouldn't hurt a fy. but it looked to the
people as though he had tho hoy in bis teeth,
and was going to sling him through the other
end of nowhere. The whole audience rose up
and stood leaning forard. watchin' and never
savin' boo. but the giraffe swung his neck
around as gentle and easy ms tho arm Of n crano
and lowered the holder and the boy hanging to
Il safe into the arms Of the keeper in the ring.
The boy hadn't even dropned the tumbler.
Then the people did holler. and the giraffe
walked of MS stately MS you please. the boy
climbed back IN to his pop. and the show went
on. Nobody hurt. but when VIC run out Of tho
%tumblers we had on hand we adopted another
style of souvenir"