The times., 1898-05-03
It WAS A REVELATION
Ringing Brothers Circus Takes
Washington by Storm.
TRIUMPH OF WESTERN GENIUS
The FIRST Visit of the Great 0cei-
dental Aggregation TO the Capital
Performance More Than justified
the Promise of the Parade.

Interest in the war was distracted yes
terday by the advent Of Ringing Broth
ers' circus. Thousands Of people on the
streets turned from perusal Of the latest
bulletin to watch the big parade 20 BY,
and later in the day hied themselves to
the show grounds IT North Capitol and
NJ Streets.
The small boy was in state Of ecstacy
that approached delirium. Fortunately
for him. school was dismissed early, 50
that he might revel in the delights Of the
circus, with no thought of duties past,
present or future
The parade, which passed through +
Street TO the Tleo sury building AMI back
on Pennsylvania avenue, was in many re-
spects the finest ever seen in Washing
ton. II proved q -eritable revelation 10
the people, who d a never heard Of the
Ringlings before. .-oming cut OF the
West, the idea had become prevalent that
this new circus Vas, to say the least. a
seeond-cIass affair. That idea was dissi-
pated yesterday. Long before the tail
end Of the parade passed those who were
watching il felt their preconceived no.
tions Of inferiority melting away. and
with the arrival OF the last wagon the
display was pronounced fully equal if not
better than anything Of the kind ever seen
mere.
Everything In the procession was in
Epick and span condition. The great gild
ed wagons, chariots and tableau cars
looked as though they had just come from
the workshop. Every one Of the 400 horses
was fat and well groomed. The trappings
were bright and new and the banners ar
tistic.
And yet, as the Ringlings themselves
say. That is the poorest part Of the
show
The crowds along the route Of the pa
lade melted away when the cailiope had
passed only to TeasseIn BILE at the show
grounds early in the afternoon. They
came early enough to see the long-haired
lady and the midgets take "A casual stroll
around the outside Of the big tent and see
the animals-all before the circus proper
began.
Ringing menagerie is deserving Of men,
ton because il contains all the animals
that are Usually seen and many more that
are very rare. The elephants, twenty
five in number, attracted fully as much
attention as any other feature Of the
geological exhibit. They accepted with
great c0rdiality the offerings Of the pass.
ers-by. heddah, the white elephant. is
ti+e only genuine specimen IN this coun-
Try lie Is little fellow and travels ir
great state IN "a car by himself He ha,
special corps OF keepers. who see to i
that mis- tusks are properly polished and
his mails manicuTed.
one Of the four cages Of lions contain.
Cubs that were raised IN winter quarters
They are pretty little fellows. but dis
play all the fierceness Of an ex-denizeI
Of the African jungles
A rare display was that Of black tiger
from Asia. The huge hippopotanus. win,
eenjoys the distinction Of living in tn
biggest cage Of all, was sold TO the Ring
lings by the park board Of New Y0rl
City. His mate is Fatima, the hippopot
anus IN Lincoln Park in Chicago Tn
pair winter IA Florida. where they are "a
much AT home in big yard as in TIA
Nile or Euphrates. Ostriches, birds O
paradise, parrots and several species @
cockato0s have comfortable quarters o
their own.
Much was expected Of the arenic par
o. the big sho~. and it is safe TO say u,
one was disappointed. All Of the act
were good and many OF them origina
and startling enough 10 be feature G
any show. The Introductory marcl
convinced all spectators that nothing
was TOO good for the RInglings par
ticularly commendable thing in this page
ant was the color effects. Great attention
feature, FOR IN no part Of The entire per
Torrance was there an inharmonious 0
inarJistic grouping
IL IS said that the wife OF one OF IN
SroprietOrs makes the designs for III