The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-11
CHILDHOOD FANCY.
Peter Sells Discusses His Early Circus
Aspirations


Colonel Peter Sells, one Of James A
Bailey's partners in the FOrepaugh-
Sells Brothers circus. is a man whom
this town is going to know more about,
because he is one of those men like
Barnum, who do big things. who has
had an interesting and extraordinary
successful career, and is at the same
time a man of culture and refinement
Talking TO a representative Of the
Journal last night, Colonel Sells had
some interesting things to say Of circus
life. There is something. said he,
of a romance and mystery surround
ing and unalterably connected with
circus peOTle that enlists the attention
and interest of all classes in every part
of the civilized world What often be-
comes tiresOme to the circus man are
the questions with which he is piled by
people who are prompted by curiosity
and desire to fathOm the unfathom-
able. The same questions Will be asked
day after day, and they run something
like these:
How much hay viii an elephant eat
in a day2 Do the animals get acquaint-
ed with their keepers and lose their 1e-
rOcity by being Gagged? How did you
happen to get into the show business?
Where is Dan Rice now2 Is Barnum
really dead, or was the story started
Tor advertising pHrpOseS2 Don't you
get tired OF travelling Do circus peO-
pie steal children and teach them the
business Why don't you retire2 and
50 on al auIlulLuDl+ 4uGSE QQe5llOlAS
only show the interest the public takes
in the circus business. and are not in
tended TO be nor are they at all con-
sidered impertinent.
We often hear people say the first
circus they ever saw was altogether the
best; that the old-fashioned circus was
better and more pleasing than the mod
ern one The truth is, first Impressions
are always strongest, and naturally the
first circus Will seem to be the best; but
the fact remains that the Old-time cir
Gus of forty years ago is as far behind
the circus of today as the numbering
stage coach is Of the Pullman palace
car
I remember the feeling of envy that
possessed my soul when I gazed for the
first time upOn the brief but SDangled
garments OF the boy performer in the
circus though his condition was the
nearest approach to paradise that any
one could hope for in this world. and I
never dreamed that should ever be-
come mately connected with a bus
mess so filed with mystery and glOr-
iOus charm Ny feelings were an ad
mixture of admiration and awe. As I
grew older the gaudy barbarpOled clown
struck my fancy. Talk about greatness
he was greater to my mind than all
the kings and pOtentateS of the whole
world, and none stood too high to pay
him homage. He was an enlarged edi-
tion, gilt-edged and morocco bound, of
the boy performer I used to love so
much
y
for companion of the opposite sex.
which invariably makes its appearance
in callOW youth. the scanty-dresSed an
gel who escorted into the ring by that
encyclopedia of learning, that Chester
field OF pOliteness, that Beau BrummeI
OF dignity, the ringmaster, who took
her dainty-slippered foot III his hand
and with one bound set her upon the
back of the fiery and untamed steed,'
and when the band began TO play the
horse gallOped and the sylph-like fairy
danced and pirouetted upon the cellar
dOOr-sized pad. while the musicians
who sat perched upon their frail plat
form blew out discOrd until their eyes
looked like a job lot from some misfit
opticians and their cheeks like the red
toy balloons that our Italian friends
have a corner on, then it was that my
cup Of joy began to slop over.
And then, when the speed of the