The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-21
The CIRCUS WIOMANE \
Something About the Way She
Spends Her Days.
THE LIFE IS A STRENUOUS ONE
But Off Duty She Spends Her
Time Much as Other
. Women.

Few understand or can realize the rou-
tine life of circus riders-their troubles
on the road or the trials and tribulations
in the performance season riuE some large,
city. Wherever they ySstop there is pa
rade every day ats9 O'clock "a show at 2
O'Clock and another at Is nGthe evening.
Every one must go in thel parade: and
sometimes it means aislow ride under the
broiling sun over eight or ten miles of
streets. The average Inon-circus woman
would faint and fall from her horse be-
fore she had ridden a mile.a
AS soon as the pageant reaches the
show grounds, after having made it's tour
of the streets, theretis a rush for the
dressing rooms, for perhaps it is past
noon. Parade dresses are doffed, street
clothes are donned, and then comes din
ner. The women in the circus live WE'LL
They have cool, airy dining tent with
we'll set tables and competent walters,
and the food is Of the best. The table
service corresponds with that Of the av-<
erage city Eotel, where a rate of say So
day is charged There are several
kinds of meat, three or four kinds of des-
sert with coffee, tea or milk: Fruits
are added in season. None of the women
ever goes to a country hotel when the
dinner tent is up and running, for 1t is
| better by far then any of them Dinner
over, there is another rush for the dress
| ing-room. .'."4I.
The crowd is going in, and the grand
entry is about to begin. All are expected
to appear in pageant, as in the outdoor
parade in the morning. This means an
other entire change Of dress to the res
| splendent costumes worn in the grand
entry. That finished there. is: a scurrying
for the trunks and makeup boxes, dresses
disappear and tights are donned; every
article of the wardrobe must be neat and
clean and Of the very best. They cannot,
therefore, be thrown here and there care
| lessly. The performance. has commenced,
and there is a continuation of ceaseless
| hurry that would distract any ordinary
woman. Circus women, however, are used
| to it, and work with the precision that
perfect system demands Some Of the
women perform in Two or three acts, each
necessitating a change of costume, tights
and all. r~->, i. ,.,,S -. ,.-'r. e.
just Like other Women.
At 4:3o the afternoon show is over, and
then comes supper, which is really a SUBJ
stantial meal. Then comes an hour and
half Of rest. Gathered about in groups
in shady corners, the women of the circus
come together bring out their embroidery
and fancy work, chat, gossip and talk Of
everything except their business, which
them again in the dressing rooms and
for the balance of the evening the, rush
goes on, never seeming TO end. s.=EiT =.
| At 1890 the show is" out and the per-
formers go to the sleeping cars and it is
there that the women Of the circus are at
home. The Ringing Bros sleepers are
arranged exactly like Pullman cars, with
swinging upper berths, and are clean, we'll
ventilated and attractive. LAS rule
each married couple has another married
couple for chums. Their sections us,-
ally are opposite and their natural de-
sire for neatness; from forsa ct habit If
decorate their. berths With little articles
| of fancy work, slipper cases,a tiny pair OF
silken curtains at the windows, little
cabinet with a lock upon the door, toilet
articles in racks upon TIE cbulkheads,
| snowy. .counterpanes- .everst hing, in fact,
found in a. well=appot otnt Cd sleeping apart
ment. '- u n. - %,.F..E d: