The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-08

cans had never seen a circus before,
but they tumbled to the old trick of
crawling under the loose flaps of the
tent as readily as the small boys of
Podunk, and the circus staff was not
numerous enough to cope with them.
By the time the paying guests ar
rived the tent was usually crammed
full of deadheads. The elephant, too,
had an enormous appetite, and the
price of hay, Which has to be imported
into Jamaica, was very high. Under
all these distressing circumstances the
proprietor soon found bankruptcy
staring him in the face.
But, although he was Cuban, he
was as full of press agent notions as
the great Tody Hamilton himself. He
announced that people would be al
on the elephant for "quattie" apiece
(three cents). This caught the fancy
of the colored folk. They were will
ing to spend their last cent for such
a thrilling JOY. and soon the poor
beast was working overtime day and
night.
One fat old court try woman came
into town with mule-load of bananas
and coarse tobacco. She sold the pro-
duce-the fruit of months of toil--went
to the circus, and took to riding the
elephant as some people take to drink.
After she had ridden around for two
or threa hours her money was all
spent, so she went outside and sold
the mule for $40. With that vast sum
"a fortune to one of her class-she
went back to the circus day after day
and rode the elephant until every cent
of it was gone. Then she trudged
homeward, thoroughly happy, for she
had had the time of her life.
NOT MANY nafrOnC Of fha ShnHU xyara
as enthusiastic as this good sports
woman, and in time the passion for
riding the elephant cooled. But the
mammoth's appetite continued, and
the Cuban racked his brains until he
finally hit upon another scheme to re-
vive public interest and raise money
to- enable him to take the show away
from the island
One of the most popular personages
among the colored people of Kingston
was 'Captain-General the Reverend
Charles Higgins, Apostle of the Lords
Gospel Band" better known as "Marse
Charlie" a half-crazed negro revival
list. He was circus in himself. He
used to ride about the city on a flea
bitten nag which, like Kiplings YAM
pire," was nothing but a rag and a
bone and hank of hair" His uni
form consisted of a British admirals
IL L,
yer epaulettes, a canary-colored waist
coat, sky-blue trousers with gold braid
on Them and a long sword which he
was wont to flourish in order to en-
phaSize the points of his discourses.
He prided himself on being a great
swOrdsman, and his sword, indeed,
was the rod of authority by which he
kept his gospel band in subsection.
Just as the show was "up against
it," the local papers came out with a
challenge from "Mademoiselle Jeanne
D'Artagnan, the champion woman
fencer of France" to Captain General
the Reverend Charles Higgins to meet
her in single combat in full view of the
populace gathered in the circus tent.
Higgins eagerly accepted the chal-
lenge. A great crowd was present,
and I heard the story of the encoun-
ter from the same negro servant who
gave such a graphic description of the
"uffolant."
Laid, sah" he exclaimed. "Marse
Charlie him get mashed up fe true!
Him go at de spear lady wild him
sword ies' like goat buttin', but she
skip aside quick as lii mouse, an
Marse Charlie him fall down fiat pom
him 'tummock. An when him get up
she mex she sword flash roun' and
roun him like iightnin' an him shake
an shake jes like a shakespear.
"Marse Charles gospel band, dem
was all dere fe see him mash up de
spear lady. and when it didn't happen
dem get mad. Dem mash up all de
seats an t'row dem at de circus man
an de spear lady, an dem dribe ebry-
body out an tear de tent to pieces.
Cho, sab! it was a debil OBJ a time!
Dere can't be no more circus, sah!"
Next morning 1 walked to the cir
Gus grounds and saw the Cuban pro-
prietor sorrowfully contemplating the
wreck of his show like Marius among
the ruins of Carthage, while the ele-
plant contentedly munched his break
fast near by.
"Ah, senor!" he exclaimed. Con
S9ratulate me! 1 have borrowed re
passage money, and to-day leave zis
land Of devils and go back to Cuba.
Caramba! but l would be a reech man
if Eat beast"-shaking his fist at the
unconscious elephant-"had not so
much hay insisted on
Copyright, 1904, by William Thorp.)
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