Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-04-12
A Circus Story.
A CTrcuS story.
Written for the Oxford Democrat by Fl. e. Ham

II
| When | was boy there was circu
on Paris Hill. 1t was an old fashione,
one-ring show, with the ring master ant
the clown, and the usual performance
of a common circus. But the one at
traction that remember more than any
thing else was the man that pullet
against span of horses.
| The ring master came into the RIM
accompanied by very large man, ant
introduced him as the strongest man il
the world. He said he could lift NOR
than any other living man, and cOult
pull more than any span of horses tina
could be brought into the ring.
A stout ladder was brought in by fou
men, and one end was fastened to stakes
driven into the ground.
The man put on sort of harness will
| wide straps over his shoulders, ant
stretched himself on the ladder, takins
hold of the top round with his hands
and braced his feet against the bottom
round of the ladder.
A pair of heavy team horses wer'
driven into the ring, and hitched on
The horses were well driven and pulled
smartly, but could not pull him off.
After the horses were taken OIL the
man got up and said he would pull
against any span of horses on Paris Hill
The night after the circus DR.. Kit
tredge left large washing OF clothes
out on a line. The next morning the
clothes were all gone. Among the
articles missing was the doctors shirt
Whether it went to Bridgton with the
circus, or was borrowed by some OF the
neighbors, no one knew.
Fifteen or twenty years ago was N
Boston and saw man on the Common
that attracted my attention. lie was a
very large man, and carried on his back
large sign advertising certain kind OF
salve that was a sure cure for all sorts of
corns and bunions. | was informed he
was an Old-time circus man, and ut one
time was the strongest man in the
world.
A friend of mine who is now living on
Paris Hill, and who was at the circus
with me, and remembers all about the
clothes line robbery, as plainly as do,
sat down and talked with him. The
large man asked him where he lived.
He told him he lived on Paris Hill, in
the State of Maine.
well" said the old man, 81 have
been on Paris Hill. | was there once
with n circus. | was the strongest man
that lived in the world. My strength
was wonderful. | was the cannon ball
thrower, and the great balls were my
playthings. | could fire cannon on my
shoulder that weighed more than five
hundred pounds, could break a rope
that would hold span of horses. But
my greatest feat, and the one that re-
ouired the most strength, was pulling
against a span of horses.
"Now," said he, 81 want to tell you
why | remember Paris Hill so well.
After the performance was over two or
three of us took a walk To see the sights.
We went round one of the streets and
saw lot of clothes hanging on line.
The sight was as tempting to us as an
umbrella is to the average white man on
a rainy day, and We swiped them OF the
line as quick as niger would clean
out watermelon patch. When we
looked over our plumber we found a
shirt of enormous proportions. 1t was
the biggest shirt / ever saw. | was the
biggest man with the show, and the
big shirt was passed over to me.
"Now," said he, lis it possible that
YOU had man ON Paris Hill that wore
a shirt like that?'
On being assured that we had such a
man, and his name was DR.. Asaph Kit
tredge. who was the biggest man that
ever lived on Paris Hill, he paused a
moment and then said, "Well, l was
the man that pulled against the horses.
And | was the man that wore the doc
tors shirt"
The mystery surrounding the robbery
of the clothes line was cleared up, and |
have no doubt but the doctors shirt did
GOOD service in the circus ring.