The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-25
CIRCUS REHEARSAL.
How the Finishing Touches
We're Put On.

The clowns in the circus can not be
gin TO produce the fun, at a regular
performance. which happens uninten-
tionally at a circus dress rehearsal The
Sells & Downs last preparatory per-
Torrance. before the opening of the
season. was given last night in the big
tent in the Douthitt tract.
Promptly at o'clock the band start
ed on its march around the interior of
the big tent The musicians were not
uniformed but they played just as
strenuously as II they were Then the
animals and the actors on horses and in
carriages followed. The camelS became
ObStreper0us and bolted the track The
big, white Filipino water buffalo took it
into his head to run and he passed ev-
erything else in the parade and two
men couldn't stop him. To make UP for
all this speeding the horses. driven by
the women chari9teers baked three
times and tried to kick the front out Of
the chariot
pected at a dress rehearsal. They viii
be smoOthed out today when the per-
Torrance begins While the affair
last night was called a dress reheaF-
SAL" not person wore the costume he
viii wear when the show is being given
for the benefit OF an audience The men
wore soft and stiff hats. short trous-
ers. long trousers and 0Veralls. jackets.
overcoats white shirts and sweaters.
The women performers wore all sorts
of old costumes.
One of the features Of the circus VIII
be the riding of Grin Davenport and
May Davenport, brother and sister.
They come from the famous DaVenpcTE
family of circus performers. The father
is with them He used to be a per
former but now he travels with the
show only for the purpose OF caring for
his children. Grin Davenport IS IS
years old and May Davenport IS II.
When the Sells Brothers and Forepaugh
shows come here in two weeks. joan
and Stick Davenport, Two brothers of
the Sells &. Downs show team. viii be
seen riding in the rings
Grin Davenport is enc Of the best
riders in the business He IS following
easily in the footste2s Of William Sells
who originated the sOmersault on a
bareback horse and was the nrsI u
jump from tke ground to the back Of 4
running horse. Davenport does these
turns and others with seeming ease he
is a clean built young fellow who would
pass for a college debater rather than
a circus performer. When Davenport
went through his turn at the dress re
hearSal he was dressed in d neat bust
ness suit. stiff hat, standup collar and
white vest.
The Garcenftta family OF acrobats d54
not do their high and lofty tumbling
The band played and the members Of
the trouD went through the motions q
their performance. One of the boys
would run toward the biggest man III
the troupe. The big man would make
the pantomimic motions of throwing the
boy high IN the air When il came time
for the boy to reach the ground again.
he would make a short Jump and bow
to the imaginary audience The Stirt
family Of bicycle riders VIII be anothes
star feature.
The Raschetta brothers, the barrel
tumblers and jumpers, who were at the
Auditorium during the Midwinter expo
sition. are with the Sells < Downs
show A novel feature is the clown
work of Delavoy and Fritz. who jump
in and out of a miniature brick house
regardless Of windows. doors. brick
walls. chinneys or other breaka bic
parts Of the building Willie Marks ann
Willie Rololo ride. trick mules around
the race track Of the show tent
Sells and Downs we're everywhere
When TIE dromedary refused to take his
place along with the elephants in front
of the springboard, for the high ana
/ lofty tumblers to jump over. Downs
prodded the native Of Siberia with >
sharp stick and talked broken English
to the foreign keeper. Sells kept the
band going and was general master OF