The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-14
CALLED 1T BULLY SHOW
AND OTHER
PLEASED CROWDS AT THE CIRCUS.
Robt. s~tfcIxncy, Once IN Famous Rider,
and Elephants Trained by Young
in the show.

1870 49, NAN N0@@
the sincere comment of a girl who climbed
down from a seat in the big white tent
west Of the river yesterday afternoon.
well, it's pretty fair" remarked the man
who was with her. Fair exclaimed the
girl. why, 1 think 1t was superb The
young woman and the man were lost in
the crowd that surged out of the big tent.
The general comment, however, was in lire
with the statement of the girl-that the
Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers circus
is "a bully show" The show gave the usual
street parade yesterday morning, after the
rain had stopped. The attendance in the
afternoon was not so large as the man
agement expected, on account of the
Threatening weather. This is the worst
crowd we have had since we left New
York" remarked Press Agent Davis. Last
night the management was better pleased.
for the crowd was more like the usual cir
Gus crowd in point of numbers
There are some features on the pro-
gramme this year that impress people as
being really marvellous. Notable among
these Is the act of "Diavolo," who is ad-
vertised as 1.-The daredevil" and who
loops the loop on a bicycle. At the after
noon performance this act was one of the
last and the crowd, after witnessing other
things in the way of aerial and equestrian
acts, was in fine condition to receive the
final sensation. DiavolO is a stalwart
young man who halls from Texas and who
is said to receive $1,000 a week for his
daring act. He came out yesterday with a
black patch over one eye and a singular
feature of his act was that people appeared
to be more worried about what was the
matter with his eve than over the fact that
he was about to perform a tremendously
thrilling feat. What's the matter with his
eye?" and How do you s'pose he hurt his
eyer" were CALCULATIONS heard here and
there. Femininity seemed TO be more inter-
ested in the mans personal appearance
than in the feat itself. In this act the
bicycle and rider turn a somersault on a
narrow loop of track. The programme re-
fers TO the performance as "a hair-raising
act so desperate 1t disarms description, de-
rides danger and defies death" Yesterday
afternoon when the young man was pre-
pairing to make his descent to the loop the
he could do 1t safely. He seemed to per-
form the act with perfect ease.
REMINDERS OF l. DAYS
One of the p~rettiest features was the
aerial act of the. Potters, ten of them. At
times the air was full OF Potters, men and
women. An interesting incident is related
about one Of the POtters, a young man.
Several years ago, when he was a lad, he
posed as a girl, and always did his share
Of the act dressed as a girl. He was a
handsome youth, and the common express
sion among the women used to be, Isn't
he a pretty grip The young man has
now outgrown his skirts and is quite as
handsome as a man" as he was pretty"
as a girl.
There are some features that suggest the
circus of fifteen or twenty years
ago, although there is nothing out
of date about this one. One of
fhaQa features * the frOfnQ of nprfOrYn-
ing elephants that young Adam Forepaugh
trained. With the exception of one ele-
plant this troupe is the same that used to
be the delight of young F~orepaugh. He is
now in Philadelphia, almost a physical
wreck. He is nearly blind and is a sufferer
from locomotor ataxia. The elephants
were in the ring yesterday performing
some of the tricks that young Forepaugh
taught them fifteen years ago. A story is
told of how young Forepaugh visited the
circus three years ago while 1t was per-
forming in Boston. The instant he entered
the tent and made the signs that the ele-
plants used TO know so well the huge
brutes recognized him and gave evidences
of their delight. Although almost blind,
their former trainer took charge of them
for the time and put them through some
of the old maneuvers they had not per-
formed for years.
Another reminder Of the old circus days
was the presence of Robert Stickney in the
ring. He has retired from bareback riding
and is now assisting his young wife, who
Is an equestrienne, in her act. Stickney
was formerly one of the best known bare
back riders in the world and was for years
with the Barnum & Bailey show.
ALL CITIES ALIKE TO THEM.
ct never saw such a lot of pretty, we'll
dressed women with any circus was the
remark of one spectator yesterday after
noon. Eyes, we pride ourselves on our
good-looking women remarked Press
Agent Davis. And, by the way" he con-
tinued, did it ever occur to you that a big
circus i. just like a village in the way of
gossip? The 500 people that are with this
circus are just as much interested i'm each
others affairs as the 500 people in any
small town
And did you know remarked another
man connected with the circus, that this
big tent serves as the world for these peo-
ple while they are in it? Their living is
here, and here is where all their interests
lie. I'll guarantee that there are men and
women in that dressing room out there
who do not know that indianapolis is the
name of this town. They do not care,
either, for they have no interests here. One
city is as good as another to them
Among the best features presented by this
show is the act of the Aurora zouaves, I'M
der the personal of Capt. a. H.
Tarble. These Zouaves, ii is said, have
taken prizes in many countries. and Press
Agent Davis said he had understood they
were awarded a prize for fine drilling in
indianapolis two years ago.
Some of the people in attendance yester-
day who have seen the 'cycle dazzle" con-
fessed they had never seen anything SO
wonderful as the "cycle Yhirl' given by
the Jackson family. In fact. there We're
many features that were we'll performed.
The reminiscent man of middle age could
find much food for reelection in watching
the different bewildering acts did he allow
his mine 10 stray back to old days, when
people were content to watch the zone
ring show" that always came to town over
land instead of on two or three special
trains.
But there is one thing" remarked an
old-timer yesterday, you can take away
a lot of the old-time pleasure with all this
gloss and tinsel and loop the loop but
YOU can never take away the smell of the
sawdust. which is just as rich as in the
old days. and you can't change the roar OF
the lion nor the small boys desire TO Greer
under the canvas"