Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-04-10

OF tin; teamsters, canvas-men, spike
men, roustabouts and the like, sat at
one big table. Most of the star per-
formers did not live in the Garden,
but boarded outside. The building
held 10000 people, and hundreds OF
animals during a performance, and
yet was not crowded. At that time
this was the finest circus in the world
1t had the biggest elephants and
lions, the finest horses and more OF
them than any other show. There
were twelve white horses and a SINH
lar number of blacks, each of which
went up in the air at the ring-mas-
ter's command and marched and
counter marched in that position for
several minutes; they also waltzed
and danced hornpipes, and they did it
all in apleasing and graceful manner.
There were eleven clowns, among
them Tony Wells, then the greatest in
the world. The horses which brushed
so carefully were said to be pure Arab
ian stock; whether this was true or
untrue, l did not know, Gas had never
handled many horses, and they were
only Indian plugs about Olympia, on
moonlight nights, when Lo was asleep
in his wickiup). My great delight
was TO pet the little ponies and the
trick horses; they showed almost hui
man intelligence. There were times
when these little ponies would play off
sick, to escape an appearance in the
ring. There was pair of trick mules
that caused more trouble than all the
horses combined. 1t was a common
thing for them to kick some unsus.
pecting person head over heels, every
day or so. They we're driven into the
ring by couple of clowns who repre-
sented country people on the way to
market; after circuit of the ring one
of the clowns pulled string which
released some very sharp pins that
were attached to the mules cruppers
and the way the mules kicked was a
caution, and it was real kicking; after
while a pin in the wagon is pulled
and down goes the wagon into small
pieces, and of course mighty applause
of thousands of laughing people; but
one afternoon these mules did trick
not on the bills; that is, it was not
due at that time. 1t was the usual
habit for the mules to be hitched up
some time before the time 10 go into
the ring; this day they were standing
hitched up with dropping ears and
wo-begone looks, when big German
animal tanner Cions were his strong
suiD happened along. The lion-tamer
had been down on Fourth avenue
drinking beer, until he had quite a,
skate" on. Coming along past where
our mules were, and seeing a carriage
and span, he thought he would get in
snd rest his brewery, so he got on the
seat. He sat there for few minutes,
when he discovered this string which
ran to the mules cruppers. He
grasped it and gave it a slight pull.
1t made the mules look around to see
who was fooling in their backyard
He then gave it a good, healthy pull,
and then there was doings in the
kicking line that were great. Then
the mules ran out into the ring, just
as the man who rode one horse and
drove thirty.fve others came around.
The mules, German and thirty.five
horses were tangled up in a mess in
an instant. 1t caused great excite
ment, but no damage was done. A
few nights after this the mules got
loose and nearly kicked sacred COW
to death. She was not sacred to them.
The dressing room of big circus is
scene Of confusion to q stranger !;
trunks, dressing-cases, looking glasses,
powder, paint. heaped here and there
1t is wonderful how each person can
pick his property out OF the mass
and in such a crowd; but they move
like clockwork, each places his or her
hands on what is wanted in An in.
slant.
In the side-show there was Nor
mon and family of thirty.five wives,
rest children. This man got no salary ;
nothing but board and lodging for
himself and family, which was a big
contract. Then there was the wild man,
with rings in his ears, lips, toes, and
any other place where there was room
to hang bone ring to; bearded wo-
man, she was real too; the lady
giantess, feet 9 inches tall, and the
SOO.pound woman; the little man
the sacred bull (about the size of a
pug dog; the big horse; the pig with
two heads; the Razzue snake woman,
who handled the kind we see in our
dreams, and several other varieties not
so large, and last but not least, yours
truly, who stood with a gun in one
hand and look of murder in the
other, the great boy scout, the Indian
terror, killer of Shagnasty Jimloo, the
boy who, alone and unaided. captured
Sitting Bull and Brigham Young, and
harnessed them to the wagon of Peace
and Matrimony, and drove them to
Helena. Well, l was no fraud, was
the real thing, (nit). You should
have seen those cultured Eastern
ladies hand ME sleeps eyes and bou.
quets. If I put my hand into my