The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-20

/ into the show. If it takes all day.
The circus door and the ballot box are
alike in that those VINO pass by are for
the time being upon q level There are
no favorites. Jew ana GENTLE Christian
| and agnostic, rich and poor, proud and
/ humble. foreign and native born, educat-
edand ignorant, old and young, capital
/ lists and iaborers, officials and citizens,
| honest and dishonest people, all brush ell
bows at the circus door. The ticket TAX
ers see before them solid mass of peo-
pie who have for the moment uneon-
sciously obeyed the scriptural injunction
ITO become as little children.
II is not alone the crowd and the faces
that furnishes entertainment for the door
man. Every day hundreds Of people try
TO beat the circus. and it is amusing 10
notice the devices and tricks 10 which
people resort TO gain admission free. The
nerve Of some such people excels the
nerve of the celebrated Silverton trio, one
OF the great features with the Wallace
show, while the persistence of others is
only equalled by the patience and per-
sistence of the men who train the goats
sheep, pigs, elephants and donkeys which
perform daily under the Wallac tent.
Tt is not the children who try to beat
their way in, but it is the older folks.
Some try it to be smart. others do 1t for
fun. while others do it TO save the paltry
price of admission. y stranger would be
surprised that those who endeavor to
beat their way are generally well dressed
and are often accompanied by well dress
ed ladies. Of course, the vast majority
Of the thousands who visit the big circus
like Wallace's daily do so because they
know that they will see a first class
show and they cheerfully pay for the
privilege and pleasure, and such people
always look with disdain upon those who
attempt to work the door man.
The most common trick is that Of car
rying children in arms. Many child is
never carried in its fathers arms except
on circus day. There is something about
the small price of a circus ticket that
makes the father suddenly wish that his
children would not grow so fast When
within about fifty feet of the circus door
he may be seen to stoop over and shout
der his 14-year-old son or daughter. for
whom he has not purchased a ticket, be-
ing perfectly confident by so doing he
the crowd, holding his two tickets for his
wife and himself in readiness for the
door man, as he is anxious to make his
getaway" before the ticket man looks
I'D. The sharp eyes of the door tenders
are quick and the man hears these polite
remarks: Put it down. It can walk,
or Let US see if it can crawl. or rs the
young lady sick. or when was she
married." Those behind hear the point
ed questions of the ticket man and imme-
diately a smile steals over their faces.
The mortified father pays % cents and
the child suddenly becomes able to walk.
Professor Kerslake, who has the train
ed pigs with the Wallace show, has been
accused of keeping a tight strap around
his youngest pig to keep it small. 1t will
not be surprising if some enterprising
father will do the same with his child
just to beat the circus
Some people are perfectly willing to tell
little white fbs" about the age Of the
child even in the presence of the liar.
They don't seem to think such untruths
count. Some folks will write out a fake
pass. while others vii buy a side show
ticket for ten cents and then declare that
they bought 1t at the ticket wagon and
insist on being admitted. saying at the
same time. that if they are not admitted
IN get the marshal and have you all
arrested"
The same scenes on smaller scale
are repeated at the reserved seat en-
frances. except with one additional bluff.
Every day a few people viii tell the re-
.
check. but the door man kept it Which
is another little white fib."
The fact is a big three ring circus like
the Wallace show has a perfect system /
of auditing its tickets. just as a bank /
keeps track of its drafts and checks. /
Mistakes are not as frequent concerning I
circus tickets as many might suppose. 1t /
IS the aim TO conduct the show honorably /
and if a mistake has actually been made. /!
either with money or ticket, it is always /
cheerfully rectified.
Since the great Wallace show has /
grown to be the foremost circus of the /
world in point of real merit and exclusive +
and original features. it has become ex- I
pensive to the management. While il +
costs several thousand dollars daily those
who attempt TO beat the show seem to I
forget that it costs a goodly sum to con- 4
duet such an enterprise and that the (
management depends entirely upon the I
legitimate sale of tickets TO meet the /
enormous daily expenses.
Visitors 10 the show lot and those who T
see the parade or circus viii appreciate
the magnitude of this popular show ana /
the necessity of the door man insisting
upon all thosee whoshould pay doing so. /
II the Wallace show is not worth the (
price Of admission then there has never /
been one worth seeing. /
For many seasons America has seen
high wire acts galore. some OF which 1
were very creditable. All who viii for 4
the first time see the renowned Silverton /
trio this season vii behold revelation /
of high wire acting Within the pale Of /
the performance Of the Silvertons all 4
other wire acting fades into insignin- /
canoe. AS Washingtons monument tow
ars above the ordinary tombstone. so
far superior IS the Silverton act TO AL
other inferior acts
Two men yoked together. walking in
tandem style on the ground and carrying /
a girl perched on one foot, standing up
right on the yoke between the two men.
would be a creditable act. BY magma
ton transfer the act 10 a slender thread /
Of wire, and if the readers imaginative
powers are good. he or she viii have /
some conception Of the wonderful work
OF the Snverton trio.
TWO men. about seven feet apart, walk 4
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