Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-19
/ GUYED REPORTER.

a MUY.ED REPORTER.
"About ten years ago. y said a man
who used to be a newspaper reporter
out west. 81 got queer assignment
from the city editor of the Chicago pa
per that paid me wages. Frank Perley,
who's now the 'impresario' Of a tray
cling comic opera outfit, blew into Chi
cago ahead Of Barnum.s show. He got
the thing going pretty well from the
jump.
stIn the first place, he told all Of the
city editors that the star panther Of the
show was going to have an liberated
tooth pulled out by a local veterinary
sharp on the Sunday morning follow
ing the arrival Of the show in town on
Saturday night. Each paper sent a man
down to see this performance, and Per-
ley got gobs Of reading space for his
show out Of 1t. s.
"The panther had an liberated tooth
all right and put up a highly interest
ing scrap when the animal doctor de-
tached the molar, but the thing certain
ly did fit in mighty pat for ante-exhibi-
ton space grabbing all the same.
"Then Perley blandly suggested to
the city editors that it would be a good
scheme for each Of them to send man
to the show for the purpose Of writing
an absorbingly interesting Sunday spe-
cial on Circus Life Behind the Scenes :
All Of the, city editors side stepped on
this proposition except the city editor
Of my paper, who thought it would be
good thing.
81 was picked ont for the job.
couldn't precisely see why 1 should get
the assignment, for wasn't notable as
spellbinder or a coverer of freak as
signments. found out afterward why
the task was poked Mt me- / was very
humble quantity on the paper and
noted all around for, the sweetness of
my disposition.
'sThere was to be . put up job, and ]
was singled out as a good thing, not
liable to get mad and tear things loose
II went to the show grounds with
Perley for the first afternoon perform
anoe VI eno cilous. ei.ey .ooh l ~
around 10 the mems Dressing tent and
,ntrodnced me 70 Nero. Nero was the
huge chap who took the titular role in
the big Fall of Rome spectacle that
preceded the show.
Nero asked me what kind of q
maze up wanted lot the spectacle. Any
oid MAKE up told MN. 80 ne, started
IN 70 heip me tog out as q Persian
prince nee;
men ne got 1nrougn Win me,
guess naa on 9 COCA sSV,ooo OF $SV.
wy morsn VI c.o.Ies anu I, oshsr gear q.
ieass ! 1elt as y nau. me long capes-
ny 1ooe wore was !ncrustea win nun
u,eos OF large dlam me sappnires ru-
Dies pearls, eheraios ana sucn. Inc
sclhlter tnaG swung from tne siae OF
Ine was 5e"ei Mi'ea UP 70 me unit,
:. inc taii' clotn o. goid mead ghlng thas
Nero gave me 70 put on was also q plaze
OF JeMels' ana, nnaliy' me Rlnely mace
tnae naa 70 pacK atouno me as q part
OF my equipment. II Welgnea aDout oV
pounos-Was SO !, I9icKiy ss1oaed Watn
precious s.ohes tnal wonaered W y ,
cnance Ia nave o. ge1sins away II
Doi l!eI WIN tl tlle tlllils L,
SOW an easy 1ote N me specsacnlal
SNOW was sllsllel ous q, tne. Al nag %
70 ao was 20 selescn oue on 9 gorgeous
sliuea palanquln. wl1n my neao rest.ne
sracelu,y on one y hana, ana De caIIaeo
alouhu tile ,ene - g,ie
procession py iS roman sol ~, WIN
oonaenlara 5aces q eneln. -. Lnere was
noehlns naro iooklns aDoue snat' ana !.
piea.ngu .'Asisi WEI a : iounu .na., ai1'
81 y, an WASH !. q pecsssu 70 nop oa' lnte
, .he Se =, - Sne man ring ana 90
1l - ~ ns sh.lS aanoe a.ole anu u.aiaes
AL ypuse = ggo " y, uos saau l,elo'
%ho whs' w az ouas' sle niest looAlne
i pto'n ~. 81 aan Wal eyel saw = my
ne ~ iay SUI " 10 eop ue ca,
W ,asn ~ keep YOU neau I,oseu, see
:, nouse ~ go' . pur.y pAre Don grin.
Icy an iook as = youse nau Jus1 pse s,,
l1Meu uow ~, ~ osa' Aoep' az ouse
..W6en the moment arrived, hoped
aboard Of the palanauin. the Is Roman
soldiers got hold of! the legs Of the
same, and / shot IN in the air. Looking
down over the side it seemed to me as
he r - $3.50 ....:1s -..y:, ~ : .