El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-20
STORIES OF
THE STREETS


Doesn't the world look bright to ;
man after being confined to his room
with sickness several days and ther
, gets out on such a fine morning as
this?" cheerily remarked w. S. Vince
Ter. the ex-clown. this morning.
This takes me back to my old show
days" continued MIR. Wheeler. fol
many a beautiful spring morning like
this, only later in the year. / have sci
up our tents and prepared for the
street parade. One morning especially
is vivid in my memory. 1t was in the
year 1887, but not as early in the morn
ing as now. for we had made Il long
jump and being otherwise delayed we
arrived in the town so late that we
were required to hustle to get things
in readiness for the evening exhibition.
1t was in May and a beautiful day.
One of these days when a fellow had
much rather be sitting on the bank of
| the creek watching for a sucker to bob
up circus tents.
| Il was head clown for Johnnie
Shields, who is now enjoying the de-
\ lightful climate of E, Paso. having re-
manned here after the carnival, during
which he pleased the crowds with
'Lunette. the Flying Lady. Mr..
Shields established the first ten-cent
|
the ten-cent circus that we were put
ting up on the day am speaking about.
We made three-day stops at each town
and had good crowds at every per-
Torrance. We were III New Albany,
Ind. We had been there several times
before and Shields ten-ecnt circus
was popular in New ALBANY.
When we were late the performers
would assist in putting up the tents
day. I had been sent up to town for
something. Nh. Shields was both SUI
perintending and assisting the hands;
he was also drafting every citizen, old
or young. who We're rubber-necking
around. They were ell willing to work
for Mr.. Shields for he always rewarded
them with passes into his show. We
had two rings and stage between
them. Mr.. SHEDS was preparing to
put up the stage and was standing by
what material that had been brought
for it when he noticed that the jacks
upon which it was SET had not yet
been brought in. Turning to some
small boys, about twelve years old, who
were standing near. he said, Boys, |
there are two little jacks out there. !
/ wish ycu would go and get them for |
ne; they are standing but be-
fore he could give any farther direc- |
tons. the boys, with the ass urance that |
We know where they are had dis
appeared under the side of the tent |
with pleasant visions of 4 free pass in
to the circus.
When l returned l found Mr. |
Shields standing by The stage material,
a hammer in one hand and a saw in
the other. Well. 1 see you are over
your ears in work / said as 1 ap-
preached him. Yes said Mr.. Shields.
] am waiting for two boys to bring in
those jacks; it seems like an hour
since | sent them out and they assured
ne that they knew where they were |
put it seems that they have not found
hem easy; | wish you would go out
md see what they are doing
| just turned to go out when the
side of the tent was raised and in came
he boys. one leading one of Mr..
Shields little trick mules and the other
following. limping. They were out of
breath. but when they reached Mr..
Shields. the one leading the mule man.
iged to say Well. Mister. we got one
If them all right. but the other'n
come and he kicked Sam on
he leg II
Joys thought Mr. Shields meant the
wo little mules which had been stand 3:
zig hitched out by the tent. They had ,
attempted to lead them in and ore had
made use of his circus tricks and re-
used to come. After a fierce strug-
lie in which Sam had been kicked |
hey had given up the job. After an
which showed that Sam
vas not badly hurt. Mr.. Shields told
hem to come around to the door when
he show opened and he would re-
member them.
We'll. sir. that little incident was
old to newspaper man in New AL Il
any and was copied IN other papers S
ntil it went nearly all over the Uni
ed States. The joke was on Mr.. a
hields. but il gave him a widely-ex-
ended free advertising and probably n
id him more good than all the paid +
dvertising he ever had r
What would happen if the Mrs Ma q
on fever would strike FL PaSo?'' is D
question that is being asked on the s.
reefs this week. 1t has already struck s;
custom with very light results and
lere are several suspicious cases in o.
her towns. While a quarantine
ould certainly follow and public opin- p
n denounces the disease here there n
some probability of it appearing az
here have been several exposures and L
lie exposed people have not taken the re
'eventive virus and should the dis I'll
se appear here no one would be sur al
Used. Il understand that the matter ID
is been discussed by several Nation
is" said a citizen today, land they Ii
e talking the situation over. The
ouble just now with the local Ma
onists is what the outcome would be.
here are some l understand who Sc
ink that the atmospheric conditions fc
re would be very unfavorable to such w
n 4,