The times., 1901-05-05
WOMEN OF The CIRCUS Ring
Very Little Time for Any Sort Of
Recreation.
The Change From Pageant Costume
TO Ordinary Gurb-Their Dressing
Room Always i'm Bustle-The
Ring TESTERS Select Apartments.

TO Ordinary Gurb-Their Dressing
Room Always in BustIe-The
Ring TESTERS Select Apartments.
Few understand or can realize the rou-
time life Of circus riders-their troubles on
the road or the trials and tribulations dur
ing Tbs. performance season in some large
CITY. wherever they stop there is a pa
rade every day at 9 o'clock, a show at
o'clock and another at IN the evening.
Every one must go IN the parade and
sometimes IL means q slow ride under the
broiling 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 mile As
soon as the pageant reaches the sho"
grounds, after having made its tour OF
The streets there is a rush for the dress
ing rooms. for perhaps it is past noon.
Parade dresses are doffed, street clothes
arc donned, and then to dinner The wo-
men in the circus live well They have d
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
q rate Of. say, s. a day is charged. There
are several kinds Of meat, three OF 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
running for il is better by far than any
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 10 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
ecurrving for the trunks and makeup
boaes: dresses disappear and tights are
,onued: every article of the wardrobe
must be neat and clean and Of the very
hest. therefore cannot be thrown here and
thera carelessly. The performance has
commenced and there is a continuation
Of ceaseiess hurry that would distract an
ordinary woman. Circus women, howeN-
er are used 10 it. and work with the pre-
CisiOn that perfect system demands. some
Of the women perform In two or three
acts. each necessltating a chahBe OF COS
tune, tights and all
AT s.s0 the afternoon show is over, and
then comes supper which Is really SUD
stsntial meal Now comes an hour ana
q half Of rest. Gathered about in groups
IN shady corners. the women Of the cir
Gus come together, bring out their en-
brOidcry and fancy work, chat, gossip,
and talk Of everything except their buSl-
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 al 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 siIken curtains at the win