The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-01
WIT OF A CIRCUS MAN.
Adopts a Clever Ruse to Announce a
Performance.
~ AAA~ANC-
(Topeka Herald

|
(Topeka Herald)
There was a man at the circus last
night who can give the members of the
Topeka Saturday Night club cards and
spades and beat them at their own
game.
This statement is made without men
tai reservation and with a full appre-
citation of the lung power and resource
fulness of the average Saturday Night
club member.
1t was the duty of this particular
circus man to mount a stand in the
middle of the ring, announce the per-
romance and dwell at considera bic
length on the attractive features of the
coming concert programme. It is the
same old gag, which was introduced
as far back as Nero's time, when the
people were invited to stay for a little
private wrestling match after the big
performance was over
Topeka people did not propose to
stand for it. The man with the big
voice waited until the highly skilled
medley of cOntOrtion, ladder acts and
up-to-date vaudeville speciality stunt
was done. and then sung out:
Ladies and gentlemen"-
He got no further. Tom Doran asked
him to cut the rest of it out and 1000
people backed up the demand.
Ladies and'-
l..
don't need that ETC., came from the
audience. followed by a perfect storm
of Kisses.
Five times did the circus man at
tempt the announcement, and just as
many times was he stopped.
Then hard expression settled over
his face He waved his hand and the
attendants began removing the ira
peZes and accessories for. ne next turn
Mr.. Man looked around with a now
don't-you- wish-you-had -been-good" ex-
preston
been the proud boast of Topeka audi
ences for years that no concert an
nouncement shall be made. and they
didn't propose to allow it now if they
missed the whole show.
Then a ring master with a brogue
and dress suit came forward.
g e e
Dis is no concert announcement" he
said, disgust plainly written. Listen,
and he'll tell you about de next act.''
This was a different proposition, so
the crowd quieted down.
The ladies ana gentlemen will lis
ten with an ley emphasis-"while I
announce Monsieur Joseph La Fleur,
with terrific headlong plunges, back
ward droO end descending so1ner-
sauts from theztop of a high ladder to
only by this marvellous model of ply
sica1ly perfect man."
'HOoray." yelled the crowd, now
thoroughly satisfied
So Joseph La Fleur did his great act
He climbed sthe top of the ladder
and did hair-Taising stunts while the
audience held its bre-
Then La Fleur drop and there
was a smarp Juckir teeth and an
agOnized "ah." from thousands of peo-
pie, who saw that in the fall ne had
struck the edge of a box-as it seemed
full with his chest.
Two attendants ran forward and
picked La Fleur UP. Then they waved
frantically for help.
Tom Doran said never word, but
his face showed infinite pity. Harmon
Wilson tried to climb over the seats
to help the unfortunate man. Will
Wilton said his wrist was broken and
declared he saw bones sticking through
the flesh.
The man who had made the an
nouncement mounted the box in mad
haste.
rs there a doctor in the audience"
he called, appealingly, whhe the crowd
sat in Mortified silence. 'If there is"
the man continued, Il want him and
everybody else to stay until after the
concert
La Fleur got UP, bowed and smiled.
and the generous crowd gave them all
the hearty applause the very clever
trick deserved.