The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-07
FUN FOR THE CHILDREN
THE ANNUAL APPEARANCE OF THE
GENTRY SHOW WELCOMED.
A Larger and Better Exhibition This
Year Than Ever Before
Some of the Acts.

The big tents of the Gentry dog and pony
show were all in place yesterday morning
or the half-square vacant lot at the corner
of Capitol avenue and Sixteenth street, and
almost before the diminutive little actors
were fully awake for the day children were
swarming about the white city," eager
for glimpse Of the attractions within.
Every move made by the circus employees
was watched by scores of juvenile eyes,
and when some of the dogs, ponies and ele-
plants were brought out to be exercised
or to be given drink the youthful enthusi-
asm knew no bounds.
The parade. which started from the show
grounds about 10 o'clock, was the magnet
that drew host of children from dis
lance of many squares. This portion of the
entertainment was a decided success. 1t
enabled patrons to see for themselves the
progress that has been made by Professor
Gentry since last season. There are more
animals in the show this year than ever
before. and the equipment is more extensive
and in better condition. A novelty was
the appearance for the first time on the
streets of this city of a genuine zebra in
harness with pony. The little striped ami
NAL behaved very we'll except when the
procession reached Sixteenth and Meridian,
when it started to run away. Professor
Gentry was watching the parade from his
buggy, and soon as he saw the antics
of his pet leaped to the street and seized
the bride of the zebra. In some way he
and the diminutive animal got entangled
in the harness. and the animal trainer
ceived number of painful kicks He was
able TO walk around all right, however, by
afternoon.
n visit to the show yesterday afternoon
was full of interest. The scores of animals
were found comfortably housed in tent
almost as roomy as the exhibition tent.
There are fifty dogs, of every conceivable
variety, all of them highly trained. OF
ponies Professor Gentry has siXty-Seven
head this season, and most of them ar as
scmest spotted ponies one ever laid eyes on
cost $1,000. Jim, the new baby elephant. is
an interesting creature. Whenever his
trainer approaches the animal gives him
gutteral greeting, at the same time reach
ing out his trunk for the tidbit he has come
TO expect. Pinto and Toby always con-
trive TO make their presence known also.
When the hour of I rolled around last
night the big exhibition tent was crowded
largely in the majority, but here and there
could be seen older folks that used the
well-worn excuse of chaperonage to enable
them to enjoy a treat. For an hour before
the entertainment Prof Charles Cronk and
his musicians RECALLED the audience with d
concert of up-to-date selections. The pro-
gramme given in the arena was received
with VociferOus applause. One of the best
features of the performance was the dem
onstratiOn of ability to educate ponies TO
go through various military maneuvers and
dance movements. The Snyder family Of
CANNES, father, mother and baby in its
little carriage. made a big hit. Fred and
Jerry. two beautiful ponies. went through
neat waltz. The performance given by
the dogs waS enlivened by the comical
antics of dish Rag" the clown dog. An
other funny animal was the "rube'' monkey
that rode horseback In a Jockey costume
and turned somersaults while the steed
was going at full speed. Scott. the famous
canine bareback rider went through all
the feats that a human equestrian per-
forms. Trixie. the diving dog, made his
dive from a much higher point than he did
last season. and his act differed also in
that he assembled to the diving platform
by rope instead OF a wooden ladder. The
entertainment was replete with varied and
enjoyable features. and came to a trilling
close with the outbreak OF a fire in the
Hotel de Gentry" in which the flames
were eXtingushed by a monkey fire bril-
gade, while the dogs Caesar and Dish Rag
rescued two infants in the shape of
small dogs from the burning building. The
Gentry show will remain all week, giving
performances every afternoon and evening,
regardless Of the weather.