The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-18
DAVID HARUM OF
 CIRCUS BUSINESS
Lewis Sells Quaint and Inter-
 eSting Character
HAS AN EVER READY WIT
Can Always Get Work Out of Ills Men and Is Undaunted by Difficult ties-Some of His
 Schemes.

From the Baltimore Herald.
 One of the most interesting and striking characters of the circus business is Lewis Sells, one of the Famous Sells Bros, of the Fprepaugh- shows The nearest approach to his character, disposition and capabilities, either of the world of fact or fiction. Is David Harum. Lewis Sells is as much like the famous upper New York banker and horse trader as two cherries on a stem or two peas in pod. He has the same vigorous health sterling honesty, quaint humor and fond ness for a horse trade that characterized his fictional prototype.
 That constant and perpetual applica- ton joined to keen sense of humor and honesty wit, given full play and ac- tion, Is the only true and invariable elixir of life, as well as the only sure receipt for sound health, unruffed con tentment and bubbling joyousness, Is as truly exemplified in Lewis Sells as 1t was to such an astonishing degree in David Harum. When things go wrong Lewis Sells whistles the loudest; when poor railroad service. mud, rain and light ming are doing their worst to balk the show and get everything twisted up and behind hand, he is ever present with his cherry jokes, his curious cajolings and perpetually uplifting merrimen.. In point of fact, Lewis Sells can get more hard, pushing work out of thousand men than any man that ever piloted show.
 It is a true and oft repeated saying of the men around the Forepaugh- Sells Bros. circus that MT. Lew" as he Is in- variably called, can find more work for somebody else to do than any man alive. This is as right as a triyet; yet, he Is no laggard, and when necessity calls, he can stay on his feet and plod as hard and in- eessantly as any strong man of half his years. His career, like that of his brothers, has been crowded with moving incidents of flood and field, anG now, well past threescore years, finds him hale and hearty in health and merry and joy ous of mind. What exercise in the open air aided and abetted by a sunny tenn perament will do for a man is well ex- emplified In Lewis Sells.
 Penalty for Not Laughing.
 There is another saying of the show people that the man who does not laugh at MT. Lew's' jokes is the one who has to run errands. Consequently the per- son who finds himself galloping about town or the "circus lot'' on one trifing errand or another, can come pretty near guessing right that he is woefully lacking in his sense of humor. This errand run ming joke of MT. Leww' resulted curl ously some time ago. In the side show there was a wild man kept on exhibition for the edihcation of the country folk. This curious creature was kept in an ani- nal cage, which was piled half full of straw. The wild man" when on ex- hibition was discovered to be a negro with huge tusks sticking out of his mouth, horns on his head and with an abundance of hair flying over his face. The wild man would chew at a huge chunk of raw meat and make a noise resembling that of a young lion when being fed. Every side show. however, has its wild man" and a description of this "curiosity' is hardly necessary. One day MT. Lew desired a morning paper. Unfortunately, the few lacking in a sense of humor were at dinner. and so discov- ering meek looking negro basking in the sun alongside of the show, called out 10 him. Come here rigger." The negro approached cautiously when ''Mr. Lew" said to him: "Go down town and get me the morning paper" The colored man replied: T simply can't, N.r. Lew " MT. Sells surprised, asked: I'd like to know why you can't" to which the dusky gentleman replied: ''Why, MT. Lew don't you know I am the wild man."
 Able Financler.
 If there is one thing that "M. Lew brides himself on, 1t is his ability as 8 financier and horse trader. As a con- tract maker of any sort, however, he comes pretty near getting the best end of bargain. One day, lately, the circus showed at Norfork, Va. On the following day 1t was to appear at little town across the river. From one circus lot to another was considerable distance, and there was no street cars which could be taken except by a very roundabout way. It was late in the evening, and as MT. Sells had his wife and companion with her he thought 1t would be a fine idea to hire a carriage for the entire trip. He asked the price of hackman, who informed him that he would have to pay s5 for the journey. MT. Lew" thought this pretty steep. and so set about to devise some other plan of reaching the circus lot at the new town. On the street he discovered farmer with a load of nutmeg melons. He took a good look at the wagon, and, finding 1t had two good seats, inquired of the farmer what he would take for his load of melons. The farmer agreed after considerable dicker- Ing, 10 det MT. Lew nave tue entire load for S1.50, and with the understand ing that the farmer was to deliver them to the circus lot in the next town, and furthermore MT. Lew" his wife and companion were to be taken along to show him the way" INT Lew" when relating this story. said: You see. I saw ed $s50 and gained the reputation among the circus people of being man of great liberality."
 
 Another Sells Anecdote.
 ''Mr. Lews" ability to find work for somebody else to do'' is illustrated by an- other anecdote When the circus was playing in Clinton, la. some years ago, and at time when his brother. Ephraim now deceased, was in charge of the ticket wagon, black panther got out of its cage in the menagerie tent. MT. Lew" was in the menagerie at the time. He ran out to the ticket wagon and cried out to his brother Ephriam: "Eph, the black panther is loose in the menagerie Run in and help catch him. I'll stay here and take care of the money" Ephriam grabbed fork and ran into the menage- rie. where with the assistance of the ele- phant keepers and menagerio men, the panther was finally subdued and gotten back into its cage When Ephriam came out of the tent and over to the ticket wagon where he found MT. Lew" "tak- ing care of the money" It wasn't till then however, that Ephriam discovered MT. Lew's" strategy and consummate ability In the line of keeping other people busy.
 Some seasons ago the Sells Brothers wintered at Chattanooga, Tenn. The H. oanca fa uhou in that town tg very hfoh