The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-25

Everything started off admirably
Saturday afternoon. The crowd nau
passed through the menagerie, which IS
twice as large and four times as good
as last year and had found its seats
in the big tent. The band was below
ing away over at the performers en-
trance and the grand entry com
nenced Everything was gl1tterlnS IN
the eaaIdy pride of its own newness-
the show commenced under suspicious
circumstances
It isn't fair to judge the show by
what happened afterwards Pretty
near everything went wrong, and II
vas only by sheer nerve that the show
was given at all.
At the evening performance, the
tent was about half filled, and there
was no rain to interfere. But the
ground was a quagmire, and the nip
DOdrOune races were out OF the queS-
ton Tt was necessary TO spray tne
platform with kerosene several tunes.
and burn it off, in order to get rid
of the dampness, and give foothold
for the performers
In spite of all the hard luck, it can
be fairly stated that the Sells-Downs
circus is one of the best that ever eX-
hibited in Topeka. In many ways the
show presents the strongest features
ever seen here, not barring Rlnglng
or any of the others.
Beginning with the menagerle tent
there has been immense Improvement
over last season. Thousands of dollars
have been invested in new and valu-
able animals There is a big herd Of
camels and elephants, of assorted
shapes and sizes, and scores OF hand
some new cages containing almost
every kind of rare beast ana Dlro
which exists in captivity. The sacred
OK of India and the water buffalo
from the Philippines occupy the cent
one of the best of the new show
features offered this season is the Zou-
SrTGATGT.
which gives an exhibition OF marchln
and manual of arms whlch can ne
beaten The Zouaves also snow now
10 scale walls and fortified tons with
out the use of ladders They climb
uDou each others shoulders, and from
pyramids clear to the top OF the tent
More spirit and ginger is concentrated
into this drill work than can posi- bly,
be found in any OF the regular mill
tary organizations.
clowns are also one of the strong
cards of the performance. sells &
| Downs have collected a score of the
4 biggest fools in the business, and tn ey
keep something going on all the time.
/ The clowns are assisted by couple CT
performing mules, and a trained gl-
Taffe" Among other things the
cIovvns start is a Kansas saloon, which
| is smashed Just as it begins to get
busy by Mrs Carrie Nation The
clowns with the Sells circus are the
high priced men of the profession, and
they earn their pay
In the equestrian department the
show is also very strong. Horse bust
/ ness is one of Willie Sells fads, and ne
/ has collected a bunch of bare back
/ riders and ring horses which would do
! credit to any circus. The performers
are top-lfners, and their work under
adverse conditions Saturday shows
that Mr.. Sells has made no mistake
in picking the stars.
Sells & Downs also have the Ras-
chettas, barrel jumpers, whose Won
! derfuI work is well known IN Topeka
( they having been engaged here in 1903
as one of the star attractions of the
/ Midwinter exposition Their work is
| marvellous, and they do thr1hers
while the band stops playing and peo-
pie in the audience hold their breath
There is also the Garcinetta family