Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-10-01

their lives to please the crowd are not
farmers. but none the less are they
glad when the harvest moon has come
and gone and the hay and grain are In
the barns, More than in other seasons,
It is in the early fall, when all country
roads lead to fairgrounds, that these
men are up and doiug-up ON high
wires, up in balloons, upon bicycles in
the avChing curves OF loops, twisting
the law OF graVltauou, September and
October are tho months in which the
acrohats are busiest laying away funds
for the wintorwhen the weather keeps
them down to earth, Whom the agri,
cultural horn of plenty has become
fun to overlooking, the Fourteenth
street agencies, whcre in August the
Iopen,air performers were wont to eN
change daily greetings, grow lonely.
for out in the rural districts the farm.
ors are coming to town, and the high.
wtro men, the aeronauts and loop the
loopers" are Fastening away to meet
them.
Tho "loop-the loop on q bicycle Is
the newest act called for by the fair
managers.
Say, want To get hold of a good
rider that's got his nerve with him
The loop man wiped his brow. for
he had just climbed the agency stairs
and it was hot aud he had had busy
morning.
i've got TO get him right away" he
went on, because that young Gala.
hams gone back ON me. He said that
when his mother heard he was goin' to
do the loop she threw n IT. lie came
near leavin me In n pretty hole My
Jersey date begins day after tomorrow,
I've just been seein about havn' my
stun shipped out
Tho agent consulted his address
book and said that he thought he could
have couple of good men around the
next morning The loop man was rc.
lieycd.
mo, tmnt hard TO get riders" he
remarked except, maybe, at the last
minute, Ike this. There's plenty of
young fellows that's glad to do the
loop on bike for the good money
that's in It, But you've got to know
where YOU can put your finger on EN-
quick.
SuppOsin' your man gets hurt You
must have another on the spot. or the
fair people throw down the contract
| That means nice little bunch q mon.
ey out o pocket Sx.dfty Is what
| get for Rivn' the ride once day dur
in fair week It's cheap, nj that
when YOU como to reckon up the dam.
age,
I'm the FIRST place, there's your rid
crs to pay A few of tho men ldat
have n loop on the road do the stunt
themselves; but. between you and me,
| think too much of my skin for that,
even Ii was lively enough II taxes
young and active fellows, and not
many Of these have money 10 buy
Irig, or business experience enough 10
got the contracts. So they ride for
managers.
when I'm film dates ont OF easy
halin' distance of Fourteenth sire It
here, | always carry two riders, glyin
tho ono that's dom the net regular
$3.50 week. and the other, that only
does 1t now and then, but Is ready ah
the time, a pretty good stake.
They get good deal more than
they could ever make In any other
way that would be on the square, but
they earn the money because there is
no use tryln' to get around the fact
that it's risky business. They know
| 1t well enough, and some o. them Ii
apt TO key themselves up for work Oh
booze. ] have To look ont for that
always look over my man before let
| him mount his bike, and If he amt III
he don't ride, and il fined. That's MI
| In the agreement before he goes TO
work.
Another Of my troubles Is with my
rig You can't depend on the fair pco-
pie for anything. take everything
along carryin' the loop In sections.
Why. travel with pretty near enough
! lumber to build a house. II costs,
this does and then there's the extra
help To pay, when you're hustln' to
get the loop set up.
oh, II amt easy money, and II drops
on you pretty quick After Noyem.
Der ] there's nothin' dom. You can 20
, South, II you want TO- or even strike
down in Cuba, where they're gettin'
strong taste for firstcass American
outdoor acts, but with all the STUFF
you have TO carry, and the long jumps,
Il pays better, 10 my mind, to lay off
till the summer parks and picnic
grounds open up for business"
One Of the growing drawbacks Of
following the curve Of the loop to
make living is the feeling In some
communities that game is too haz.
ardous to be encouraged. But at most
fairs and parks n great attraction Is
the loop. The authorities don't like to
prohibit IL, and 10 obylate the proba.
bility Of the looper breaking his necE
experiments are being made with l
new kind Of loop.
In the new loop the bicycle Is elimln.
ated, and instead OF the boxed.in wood