The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-25
TALE NO. !.
Why the Press Agent Cult the Busl-
r ness.

why the FreSS Agent 3u'l I''e Sas'-
Various are the views held on the gentle
art of circusing and many are those VINO
have expressed these views
From the golden age of childhood, thru
the halcyon days of youth, up to the disil-
lusoning years when the youth becomes
man and knows the true value or lack or
value of all things, the circus has, and
probably always will have, an abiding
charm which no man and few OF the 1ndls-
pensible sex can resist.
, Much has been written Of the American
institution known as the circus. Many per-
sons have dwelt upon joy and splendor of
its being, but all that has been rW1tten mas
been written from the outside or for the
glorification of the press agent and the In
cidental prot of the show Few men have
lived to tell the tale of actual experience.
Few have travelled with red wagons and
have lived and literally moved and had
their being as a member Of the circus fra
ternity few have enjoyed the free Masonry
which Is the inevitable Inheritance of a
people which lives alone and often on the
defensive, and have told, unvarnished, the
tale afterward.
We were sitting in the office Of the re-
formed press agent, after the show had
gone, and indulging in general babble of
shop talk. Every body agreed that the
show was as good as ever and some OF us
thought it was a bit stronger than two sea-
sons ago. The reformed press agent
showed where we were mistaken in this
contention. He had mingled with the
newspaper men of two continents pointing
out for a welcoming public the advantages
possessed by Ibis show alone, and for
many years he had done the press honors
for the great aggregation which had just
departed.
to clx 4
homesick to have the old gang blow in and
out again and to have the show go away
and leave you?'
& Never a homesick my son. promptly
replied the reformed press agent. II don't
have to go hustling down to the tracks
looking for the train in the middle of the
night don't have to get out in the rain
and the mud of morning and do stunts
with the yokels all day. I've got an office
to stay in days and home to sleep ir
nights and the office is in the same place
every day and the home is in the same
place every night.
''Ill tell you why I quit the business, .
and we all settled back to hear the tale Of
the man reformed.
II don't just remember how many sea-
sons I've trouped with a circus, but it's
more than dozen and it's the same story
from the opening to the closing of every
season and from year to year just as long
as you stay with the show
1.-The press agent that's ahead has 6
snap. He just drops in on the newspaper
men, does his little jolly, makes his con
tracts and blows to the next town. No
so with me back in the show. Oh, no!
give o'clock in the morning Tn
stumbling out of the sleeper and making
for the lot. Towns full Of people ant
everybody drunk. Maybe the lots a mill
away and maybe it's three. More likel!
it's three You crowd and push thru thu
dust and the natives who are helping ge
the show up until you find the tickle
wagon
"Then you ask the treasurer for tn
money to pay for the newspaper advertis
ing. 49,
"'what the devil do you mean by com
ing around here and bothering me?' say
the treasurer Can't you see I'm busy:
And then you have to stand around an
bullyrag him until he gives you the none
your vouchers call Tor.
Back to town you go, all Top slded Wit
the bag of money you've got, and you &c
into a newspaper shop and say: L m tn
press agent of the circus and I've com
I to pay our bill here And then the gu
tell you: oh, Mr.. So-and-s 80 has jus
gone out to the lot with it.
.'Back to the lot you drill, and mayh
YOU find him and maybe you don't
Every time you shake hands with
man it costs you tickets, and there al