The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05
WOMEN OF TEE CIRCUS Ring
Very Little Time for Any Sort of
Recreation.
The Change From Pageant Costume
to Ordinary Gnrb-Their Dressing
Room Always in Bustle-The
Ring TESTERS Select Apartments.

Few understand OF can realize the rou-
fine lJfe of circus riders-their troubles on
the road or the trials and tribulations dur
ing the performance season in some large
CITY. wherever they stop there is pa
rade every day at 9 O'Clock, show at
o'clock and another al in the evening.
Every one must go IN the parade ana
sometimes 1t means slow ride under the
brolling sun over eight or ten miles OF
streets The average out-of-the-clrcus
woman would faint and fall from her
horse before she had ridden a mile As
soon as the pageant reaches the snow
grounds, after having made its tour OF
the streets, there is rush for the dress
ing rooms, for perhaps 1t Is past noon.
Parade dresses are dofled, street clothes
arc donned, and then to dinner. The wo-
men in the circus live well They have a
cool, airy dining tent, with well set tables
and competent walters, and the food is OF
the best. The table service corresponds
with that of the average city hotel. where
a rate Of, say. 50 day is charged. There
are several kinds OF meat, three or four
kinds of vegetables, two kinds of dessert,
With coffee, tea, or milk. Fruits are added
in season and no one ever goes to coun-
try hotel when the dinner tent is up and
OF them.
Dinner over, there is another rush for
the dressing rooms. The crowd is going
In and the grand entry is about TO begin.
All are expected to appear in the pageant
as IN the outdoor parade in the morning
This means another entire change Of dress
to the respiendent costumes worn IN the
grand entry That finished, there is a
scurrying for the trunks and makeup
boxes: dresses disappear and tights are
danned: every article Of the wardrobe
must be neat and clean and of the very
best, therefore cannot be thrown here and
there carelessly. The performance has
commenced, and there IL a continuation
of ceaseiess hurry that would distract an
ordinary woman. Circus women hoWcN-
er, are used TO it. and work with the pre-
cisiOn that perfect system demands some
OF the women perform In two or three
acts. each necessitating change OF cos
tune, tights and all.
AT $3.50 the afternoon show Is over ana
then comes supper which Is really sub
stantiai meal. Now comes an hour ana
a half OF rest Gathered about In groups
in shady corners, the women Of the cir
Gus come together. bring out their en-
broidery and fancy work, chat, gossip,
and talk Of everything except their busi-
ness, which Is rigidly tabooed. Seven
O'Clock sees them again in the dressing
rooms and for the balance OF the evening
the rush goes on, never seeming to end.
At 1920 O'Clock the show is out and the
performers go to the sleeping cars, and
IL is there that the women OF the circus
are at home. The sleepers of the Ringing
Brothers show are arranged exactly like
Pullman cars. with swinging upper berths,
and are clean, well ventilated, and attrac-
tive. As rule, each married couple has
another married couple for chums. Their
sections are usually opposite and their
natural desire for neatness, from force OF
habit, II from no other cause. enables
them to decorate their berths with little
articles of fancy work. slipper cases, a
tiny pair Of silken curtains at the win