The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-27
All About This Wonderful Fam
lily Of Brothers.
a SMALL BEGINNING.
We're Brought Up in Iowa and
Wisconsin.
Show the OhtgrOwth Of an
Amateur Entertainment.

though everyone" said, the last time
the show visited Minneapolis, All
circuses look alike to me, and l
wouldn't have gone today except TO
take the children says the Minneap-
pills Journal
1t was the same old lie as told by
tniddle-aged folks a hundred years ago
and brought out from its hiding place.
The ingenious press agents precede
the show this year as they did last
year, and as press agents have done
for the past thirty years, out II - d
noticeable fact that elephants, suHer-
ing with hollow tooth do not nave
800 gold-flIng inserted into the cavity
any more; the implacable boa mas
ceased to feed on little Norwegian boys
in the winter quarters in Baraboo; ana
the tiger has apparently permanently
recovered from its appendicitis
som doubt was aroused as TO the
genuineness of some OF the stories, anu
the press agents suscepti blhtleS PENS
wounded thereby. these WONDERLAND
stories no longer appear from Ringing
headquarters. It was a happy terI1i-
nation. and a positive reileE 70 tne
strain upon conscientious ana truth
loving press agent, and brought sur
cease to the dire occurrences that were
wont in other days to disturb the even
tenor Of life in BaraboO and arouse
the winter alternating press agent
from his innocent dreams TO instant
action.
As the day of the fake circus story
is a thing of the past the following
truthful personal sketches OF the own
erS and mana gers OF the big snow are
entirely appropriate at this time The
Ringing circus is exclusively owned
and naged by I'VE brothers, the sons
Of an honest German harness maker
who lived for several years IN NC
Gregor Iowa. from whence he re-
moved to Bara boo, Wis. forty years
ago With a family Of eight children
seven boys and a girl-to support, ne
doubtless had frequent occasion 10
quote and realize the truth of the
ancient adage that g stitch in time
saves nine" and it was with fingers
weary and worn" that he brought the
boys. one after another, into the shop
as they got old enough to work, and
tried to teach them the trade. Al and
Gus went through the term of appren-
ticeship- John bucked- otto tried Tor
a season to make the merry surc1ngle
join the jocund saddle tree. but ne took
q good deal more interest in his sur
reputiOus studies of AIS crude featS
of juggling. which the eldest OF the
flock was practicing at the tine All
T. and Charlie fairly abOminated the
very OdOr OF a harness shop but fire.
uuent applications of strOp Oil held
them down fairly close to the bench
for a time Put the spirit Of rebellion
was strong within the boys Charley
and All T. got hold Of a 3 fat cOrnet
and an alto horn respectively, and old
viii tell you to this day how the
brothers made night hideous in their
attempts to coax melody out of their
cracked and brazen instruments. Otto
could beat the bass drum furiOusiy.
and the boys conceived the idea that
there was good talent smOldering
somewhere In their several makeups,
and so they began rehearsing earnest
~ with the view Of organizing an en-
tertainment-for money They con-
cluded to TRY it on the dog"
With these few prelimlnaries, the
following personal sketches of the own
ers Of the Ringing circus, which visitA
Minneapolis today, are offered as a
contribution to the gayety of nations.
ALI 7. Ringing is better known to
newspaper men throughout the coun-
try than any Of his brothers. He is
chief of the bureau of publicity and
promotion. In other words, he has the
direction Of the press work. and the
three press agents employed by the
show receive all their orders from him.
Those who know him well and love him
best, call him Atty and he likes it. This
is the surest passport to his favor, and
invariably knocks the persinnons
when his penchant for working the
newspapers" was recognized in his
mastery animal stories, faxed from the
natural histories, and which stories he
successfully planted in various rural
newspaper offices in his salad days as a
circus man. His brothers. by common
consent. conceded to him the position
Of chief press agent of the show. and
he selects his own assistants or chooses
them. without interference from the
rest of the owners.
He is one of the most tender hearted
men going Cruelty to animals indif-
ference to human suffering and the
sunerings Of the poor worried him
deeply Animal men around a show
get rather calloused at times and thew
q "a r. Il -
stock, If they think no one is looking.
All T. noted this tendency during his
observations around winter quarters.
put instead of rebuking these men for
rheiE brutality with a club or gun.
ne decided on moral suasion and he
put II in beautiful poem. The gem
from his pen put a stop to brutality
he wears gold watch and his
CLONES are now made to order. He Is
smooth shaved and attends strictly RI
business, and is one Of the best iolliers
that ever walked into q newspaper Of
John Ringing IS the Adonis Of +bs
amusement world. He has a roaoria
cent physique. is a member NJ an
market club, Chicago. has a swell 0a+
- II :, s9-ciuslNe Bellevue place, is worth
nalK a million dollars-more or less IA
IS unmarried, but decidedly al.es,1a.
handsome. companiable. affacfIo7stS.
generous to a. fault but he is 1890 ~
slris- Time and time again Cticaeo 81
SleIy Inatrons and buds have trie-l 70
- - hlfn 70 their social functions fnt
John Is a sny canary You rr7a-r 49,
MIN IN a cage. and scatter seed ~
S1ttiensn galore. but he won't nihbIs
lie merely smiles, and smiles. ana So
don't understand girls Tf,s -,
olInaence, OF bashfulness. there's NO
49, IN mime. ing Tor IT otherwise. Aside from
TINS exceeding constituencies he 5s -, -
MAJ And what an all round 1n-fo-.I-.t.
royal good fellow he isl Every Tr s1--5'
manager in the country knows -
1.AS ss MIN. They have stood for his SOL
w. 80 1ne past ten years. and wonder