The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-17
CIRCUS is HERE.
Great Wallace Shows Again
Visit Topeka.
Parade Given on Time and Is a
Good One.
NEW THINGS ARE SEEN
The Juvenile Menagerie PIeases
the Little Folks.
Second Performance to Be Given
This Evening.


This is the first show day of the sea-
son in Topeka. The fact may be noted
by the absence of small boys from the
residence portions of the city.
They may be found at the show
grounds-the Douthitt tract near the
fair grounds Several score were there
to meet the first wagon this morning.
and the number has been growing
steadily during the day.
Boys who for months have religiously
RETAINED frem wedding the family gar
den patch and have rent the air with
howls of resentment when asked to
bear the burden of a loaaf of bread
from the corner grocery, might be
found this morning clearing circus
rings, carrying seat planks and lug
ging" water to the elephants and dPom-
edaries. This afternoon they are oc-
cupying space on hard planks and en-
Toying the show as only small boys on
free tickets can.
places and tomorrow-wen, tomorrow
it will be different. The show will have
deserted the town and the energy of to-
day will have deserted the small boy
It will take another event of the same
kind to recall it.
Circus grounds on the morning pre-
ceding exhibitions presents a great IL
stops to think about it. The small boy
who works for nothing and the big man
who works for almost nothing are in
possession then
The trapeze artist who is paid hand
somely for terrifying leaps in mid-air
is away with the parade. The clown is
attracting attention on the street The
musician is ga1loping through marches
according to musical taste. Only the
roustabout and the small boy, and the
boss. who does the swearing, is left at
the grounds
The bows are white and black So
are the men Some of the boys are
barefoot. Many Of the men are with
out shoes. The boys perspire and gasp
in their minor work of rubbing weeds
or carrying planlSs. The men gasp and
perspire from the exertion of driving
stakes and building up temporary
amphitheater.
The boys have the performance to
look forward to as their remuneration
Sufficient coarse food to keep strength
in their muscles, sleep during the hot
afternoon hours in in-Smelling wagons
or on the ground under friendly shade
with wages q little over so cents per
day at the end of the week constitutes
the incentive for the mems labors.
The show that is claiming the atten-
ton of Topeka people to-day is onewhich
has not visited this city in several years
1t has been some time since wagons
bearing the inscription THE Great Wal
lace Show" have rumbled over Topeka's
streets. The indications are that To-
peka people have missed seeing credit
able parades and performances by the
management's slight of the city
If the fulfilling of one promise means
the fulfllment of all. the performances
of the Wallace shows certainly deserves
the patronage of the people. The pa
rade started from the show grounds on
schedule time, and had passed along
Kansas avenue and returned to the
temporary headquarters before the time
49,
spectators to confidently look for cir
Gus pageant
The parade promise is one of the most
difficult for circus managers to keep
1t is therefore only reasonable to believe
that all of the other promises made by
the wallace people are certain to be
carried out.
The Wallace show has been receiving
the best press notices on it's tour this
season. The parade certainly deserves
kind attention. The wagons proved at
tractive this morning, the horses show
ed to be in excellent condition, and the
open cages spoke well of the menagerle-
A feature of the parade. which is also
a feature of the show,was the Children
Menagerie. This consisted OF over
dozen cages of miniature proportions
drawn by Shetland ponies, and contain
ing smaller species of animals.
The monster hippopotamus, said to
be the largest in captivity, attracted
much attention as the parade passed
along the streets. However, the enor-
nous hog-like animal was forgotten
when the two zebras owned by the snow
came in sight. The zebras are beauti-
fully marked and are claimed by the
Wallace people to be the most perfect
specimens of their kind ever captured
The big elephant who headed the herd
of elephants drOmedaries and camels in
the parade, is decidedly useful to the
show not only as a parade feature put
as a worker. After the wagon returns
to the grounds it is the big elephants
duty to push the heavy wagons in place
along the sides of the menagerie tent.
This he does with apparently no exer-
ton and perfect willingness
The performance this afternoon VIII
be repeated tonight. The Nelson fam
lily of acrobats probably constitute the
greatest feature of the show, altf @1Sh
a number of competent people in their
respective work are with the circus.
The Nelson family includes nine per
tumbling. pyramids. etc is short of the
marvellous. The Stark family of cyclists
also created an excellent impression oy
their performance.
The performance opened with a concert
S7ctorI na seaD4 of animals and actors
followed, after which was artistic Nv
ing picture exhibition. Then followed one
Of the cleanest and best circus programs
ever given in the city, including Horace
Webb on revolving ladder and trapeze;
and monkey: a new feature of which was
an elephant riding a bicycle; feats of
feats of contortion, the Maritz sisters;
double contortion act in midair, Earl sis
tiers; bareback riding. Miss Olga Reed;
high wires, Hotu Kawara; Nell sisters and
Winnie Sweeney, bicycle riding on tight
wire; Mile. French: wire evolutions. Della
Nelson; revolving ball on spiral, Mile
French: bareback riding, William MelroSe
and Fred Ledgett IN addition to the
| performance concluding with a thr1lllng
| chariot race between Mile Inez and Fred
The clowns were funny and very much
! in evidence, furnishing plenty of enter