The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-27
The Theaters Of New York
Spring Ushers Circus and the Shelved..
Cibsons Loss a

flying across forty-five feet of open space.
landing him on a final slope in a way that
is Shower than the other foolhardy chaps
arrival al the journeys end. I would like
to dramatiZe Volo's feat-not for the sake
of my devotion to aesthetic art, which is
ardent, but as a concession TO my COM
mercial greed for wealth. which is more
ardent still. 1 have no idea what the
Barnum-B Bailey concern pays for this pat
ented device and its operator, but / wound
double ii for the use of them in a play.
How many times have you seen a stage
hero come to the brink of a chasm. on his
brave way 10 save life on the further side.
only TO find that the accursed villain has
burned the bridge? With mad courage he
swings across on rope. or the
branch of tree, or gets over
in some other way that excites
the beholders But in my melodrama
the hero would be a bicyclist. He appears
on a mountain road as high and remote as
the stage will permit He sees his abducted
boat with the libertine. The bridge Is gone.
There is no other boat, What is done?
What to do? A glance tells him both. I'm
braking his bike, with a terrible oath. he
beats the ride of Sheridan TO a standstill
by leaping his wheeled steed clear over the
canyon, heads off the villain, saves the
girl and makes my fortune.
Very much indeed do / like to 20 to the
Barnum show-once a year. On no account
would L see it either semi-annually or BIZ
annually. Once year hits it just right for
my keen enjoyment. Its doings for 1904 fill
three rings and two platforms three hours.
and a gang of clowns is busy most of the
time in the surrounding space. Nothing
failed to please me, from the whirl OF a
girl the highest trapeze to the lowest
sprawl of buffoon from the spring-board.
excepting the one thing which should have
made me laugh at myself. You know how
hard it is TO grin and bear an easy joke
that is played on you with unequivocaI
success. This thing happens while the
people were skirting and crossing the
broad arena TO get to the seats. A quietly
gOwned woman came IL pushing wheeled
chair, in which reclined a man wearing a
dress coat an opera hat and other tokens
of faShionablenesS one or his legs was
heavily bandaged and it lay out helplessly
cordially bowed politely TO the woman and
took her place behind the chair.
All eyes were on these three as they
moved slowly along the front OF the tiers
of boxes and chairs. They showed their
coupons TO an usher and he pointed across
the arena. They slowly passed around the
ring to the opposite side. There an usher
directed them back 20 where they had been
misled by the first one. The general inter-
est in the helpless man became sympathetic
We felt indignant at the laundering at
taches. In recrOssng the arena the chair
was pushed against the edge OF a platform
and the poor pleasure-seeker was tumbled
out on the ground. Then we were angry at
the awkward friend. But the object OF
our concern was able TO take care OF him
self. He sprang TO his feet and attacked
the culprit the woman screamed I'm terror.
the multitude became agitated at sight OF
the fight and we didn't know we had been
fooled until the three performers ran out
through the doors by which the opening
procession of the show was about TO come
in. There was a roar of laughter. but
some of US were busy thinking what
chumps old FOUNDERS are.
Charles Grapewin, the actor. is here with
1.-The Awakening OF Pipp." comedy which
Charles Dana Gibson, the artist, tried hard
to suppress. one of Gibson's series OF pub
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5. PART 3D.