Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-05-12

The street fair and spring carnival
opened last night in a blaze of glory
The streets We're thronged with peo-
pie. music resounded from every di-
rGCtiOn, myriads of incandescent
ligl IS impaired radiance to the scene.
and every attraction found eager and
apFreelatiVe patrons The Gaskill
Munday company has reason to be
proud Of its reception and it is but
just to that company to say that it
merits the public patronage that it
received
The show is easily the best of its
kind ever presented here and any at
tempt 10 do full Justice to it would
fill more space than the Graphic is
able to assign to it.
The leading attractions are the
trained animals and the stadium. The
former includes a decidedly thrilling
exhibition, and all who saw it were
treated to a rare sensation.
The collection of animals embraces
twenty lions, leopards and jaguars.
They occupy separate cages when in
repOse, but when the business of the
evening begins they are sent into a
cage arena, about twenty-five feet
in diameter, and the things that are
done there are calculated to freeze
the blood of the average spectator
I've performance began with an act
between Mile. Van Gorder, three lions
two leapCrds and one jaguar.
Mile. Van G0rder, without other pro
terticn than whip and revolver
loatcd with blank cartridges, ventures
into t'3is den of peril and puts the
animals through a course of stunts
tEat are amazing. She is attired in
black waist, short skirt of the same
color that comes to her knees, and
her black stockings and shoes COM
plet2 her costume The color of her
nerve is not apparent at first glance.
hHt her subsequent demeanor con-
vinces the most skeptical that it is of
superb quality and that it's owner is
grit clear down to the bone. She
makes the animals stand on pedestals
and climb up on iron shelves and
group themselves in statuesque atti-
tudes AS a rule they were obedient
to her will and the lashes of her
whip. but there was one rccalcitrant
fellow. named Dewey, who showed
fight and snared at her and gave vent
to ominous growls that sent a thrill
of terror through the large audience
present. M lie. Van Gorder, nothing
daUnted by the brute's ugly demeanor
having exhausted her loaded weapon
handed it out through the bars of the
cage 10 Capt. Ricardo, who reloaded
it. and thus reinforced she again
again attacked the rebelious animals,
md by dint of pistol shots and Iashing
of her whip compelled the vicious
beast to do her will It was a superb
exhibition of nerve and was enthusi-
asticaly applauded.
The next act was trick pony stunt
under the management of Maj. Tom
E}urd who kept his audience convulsed
by the intelligent manner in which
the pony answered the difficult ques-
ions propounded to him.
Capt Ricardo then went into a mar
"ow cage with five lions and made
hem jump on each others backs and
10 all manner Of impossible things,
while the crowd trembled for his safe
y, amid the savage animals that sur
'ounded him
Capt Dyer, a beardless young man,
then entered the arena with four
ions Of ferocous aspect, and the way !
re managed them was sight for the
Gods. He sat at a table with three
# the animals crouching at his feet,
while another lay sprawling behind his
Jack Then he fed them with slices
# moot lust as a child might pet
loe aod then he winds up by putting
hem through a series of leaps and
Jumps and all manner Of evolutions.
The crowning feature Of the per-
fGf.rnoncn however was Cant Ricar-