The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-10

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him, Then he quit the show business
and went about as far down as he
could go, which was pretty far And all
the while the ring girl and the other
man We're doing a twO-high ring act
IN the other end of the country, and I
don't think they thought much about
the clown. But when he was sober
enough he did the thinking for the
three of them
Well, one day he wandered into a
little burg in the middle west. without
even the price Of a drink in his clothes.
Perhaps he'd have passed it by. only
ne saw some big circus tents going up
across the fields and, of course. all of
a sudden he wanted to smell the tam
bark and canvas again. So he moseyed
up and hung around for a while. and
when the boss came out something
made him go up and brace him for a
Job-any kind of d job. You see he'd
got tired Of staying so far away from
the wagons.
The boss heard his name and said;
You're clown, amt your and the
clown owned up. Go on tonight, says
the boss, and see if you can make
good SO the clown borrowed some
Clothes and makeup and went on
He was so glad to get out into the
ring again that he was dizzy. The
boss was watching him. Of course, and
be said TO himself: Here's where I
hold this job down for all that's in it
And just at that minute he saw his
wife and the other man riding into the
ring-his ring"
Slivvers nodded slowly and solemnly
There you are, he said, there's lust
two places that could happen, one in
play and the other in a ring. But fl
wasn't any play to the clown. ! don't
think he could have moved for all the
money in the ticket wagon. For a
couple of minutes he watched the two
of EN- like a dead man standing up
right and then he turned around and
wandered out TO the dressing tent In
five minutes he was on the road, with
the makeup still on his face, / guess.
And that was his chance to make
good"
The doors opened to let in a drove of
white horses and bicycle riders. who
scattered to stalls and dressing rooms.
SlivVers was looking beyond them TO
where three men were wheeling out a
gilt-cOvered chariot.
The people like those things" ne
said. tWirling his terra Gotta wig. And
it's good sight when they race around
the curves with the bark shooting off
the far wheel. I saw that play Ben
Hur' that had a chariot race in il. but
the part where the hero knocks the
other fellow over was pretty tame
after the real thing. 1 saw the real
thing once. Sure, there's a story In it.
and a queer one, I think
You see, there were two women that
used to race in those things in a show
that did western circuit. There al
ways is a rivalry among women who
race together, I've noticed, though the
folks in front seem to think its all cut
and dried. But there was a good deal
more than the wishes for winning be-
tween these two. They were both good
drivers, one in a red chariot and one
in a green one, and when they ripped
around the corners they always got
the whole house with them. Sometimes
one would win and sometimes another.
but one night they met behind the flap
before their act and had il out again.
and the green chariot woman said that
shed fix the other for keeps. Don't
ask me what the trouble was. never
mix with family affairs
so they began as usual with an
uneven start. No one looked for what
was coming. On the second lap the
green chariot had the outside turn. and
al of a sudden Il caught the red one
back of the wheel and shot it over
against the ringside with the biggest
smash I ever heard. The house stood
up and yelled. and while they were
lOOsening the splnters and twisted har-
ness and aXles the green chariot drove
out Of the exit. I declare. the woman
in it was laughing
Slivyers suddenly sat up straight
and looked out Of his makeup sus-
piciOusly.
DO you believe it," he asked anxi-
ously. He was told that while the tale
was exciting as he recOunted it. IL was
above doubt, as coming from him
Very well" he said, relapsing into a
contemplation Of his wig, then I'll tell
you another.
1 was going down south with an
outfit that I never got a cent out Of
ana that never made any money that
/ could see. when we came to a little
town in Mississippi, where we were
booked to show one night.
Maybe the people Whereabouts didn't
approve Of circuses. or maybe they
didn't have the few cents we charged
10 get in. but I'll give you my word
that things didn't look promising an
hour before opening time Across q
couple Of fields there were the decayed
ruins Of show that had been aban-
doned there d week before. and that
DIDN'T cheer US any, either.
When il came time. nothing had
showed up but a few pickaninnies. who
stood out in the shadows as II they
were afraid Of US. say, you can pretty
near see II was blue night for US,
looking for the price Of a square meal
to drift in. The boss went back 10 the
band and called for a tune, hoping to
attract somebody By that It was a
last try, but il did attract some hing.
lille they were playing someone
outside let out yell, and the band
stopped like it was shot And I'M through
the door of the main tent came a little
old lame hea-bitten circus mule from
that abandoned outfit across the fields.
who d heard the music and thought IT,
sounded ike home. Take my word
for IL, maybe we didn't have much 20
offer, but that lonely audience got the
best there was that night"
The big band outside was playing a
crashing gaiiOp that most Of the watt
ing performers were whistliug softly.
Hear that tune" inquired Slivvers.
beating time with ore two-foOt long
shoe They played that the night
when Danny Innis got killed. No.
Danny wasn't very vel known. a
clown who died TOO soon TO get out Of
the little shows into the big ones.
The night they played that-well. /
you know the old sct-it's the classic
OF the ring. 7 guess-where the troupe
jumps the elephants from The spring
bOardz There. EFeFe-three OF US clowns.
We came down the board last. Danny
behind the whole bunch. Somehow ne
tripped on the take-Off and in the air
he tried ~ twist straigllt. but h Vas