Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-07-12
FRANK A. ROBBINS CIRCUS.
Gives First-elass Performance to Sig
Crowd.


Crowd.
The sun fairly beamed on circus day, the
9th, with an approval that, however, fell
happily short several degrees of a scJrch-
ing warmth, and a large crowd soon col
lected. By train and team people poured
INTO the village, whole families appealing
with the babe in arms aud the dog under
the wagon, and only the cat possibly left
at home.
Pater and mater familias paraded the
eongested streets iamming perambulstors
through the mob or dragging behind them
tapering rows OF youngsters, each Kid
holding tight 10 his fellows lest family ties
/ be broken and he be lost ia the sea OF
humanity, through which he was being
helplessly towed. The idea that the child
rem must be taken to the circus, and could
/ be taken none too early IN life, had evil
IDENTIFY rooted deeply in the paternsl mind
1 with the result that excited parents were
seen holding a child bawllng from fright
I in front Of the elephants and begging him
/ to look al the monsters, whose wriggling
/ trunks hunting for candy, brought fresh
/ yells Of terror from the panic-stricken in
/ FAINT every time they moved in his
direction.
One bunch of eircus-goers, landing from
4 an early train, were agiIatlng the question
/ Of what to do first when one OF their num-
/ Der exclaimed, "Ohl let's see the town
| first; they say Randolph is an awful pretty
place" Whereupon they started out on
I d tour of inspection to verify doubtless the
roseate reports OF a Randolphite who,
/ forced TO 90 away from home sometime,
had described to the jewellers in other
parts the kind OF terrestrial paradise he
nailed from.
When the circus train drew into the
station at a. m, there was large gath
ering OF representative citizens on hand to
watch the process of unloading. They
stood around in the mist of early morn,
teeth chattering and chilis racing up ana
down their spines, TO see a lot of sleepy
] unfJrtunates unroll themselyesfrom blank
cts ana crawl out from under wagons on
] fat bottomed cars, which had been the
downy couches OF their slumbers. No
time was wasted in ablutions or manieur-
ing by these men who awoke to plunge
into business, unload and harness horses,
run heavy wagons off the cars ana start a
long procession OF tent poles, canvas and
other circus paraphernalia towards the
grounds. Their appearance was hardly
/ thai of craving room pets or cot1llion
leaders, but a Lord Chesterfield after a
month OF such life would be apt TO look as
though he had just broken jail. As a
matter Of fact, they were remarkably
quiet, orderly company, and no dlstur-
] bAuEN Oh any hlla ulhlASu the 4NtNtA-
| theless, the boy, who thinks the hardships
of home with its feather beds, rocking
chairs and three square meals day I'M
bearable, would do well to think twice
before running away TO Join q circus.
BY 10 o'clock the street parade unfolded
I its wonders TO an admIring multitude.
Two bands discoursed gay music, CALI
ope blew of "Therell be a Hot Time"
ETC., and a lady bugler filed in the inter-
anFfa Fln Hon md
rocked back and forth as though be had
the collie, though, doubtless, merely ex-
pressing his longing to leave the circus
and ioin an expedition to the north pole.
Two elephants demureiy followed their
keeDers and stately camel paced behind,
while Just at the rear OF the procession
rode M. d. Church with three little woody
lambs in box wagon. The lambs we're
local addenda and will not be seen in other
! places that the show visits. There were
numerous cages OF wild and curious AMI
mails, beautiful horses with graceful riders
/ b tndsomely costumed, Shetland ponies
and Il good sprinkling OF clowns, VINO
knew how to be funny without being vul-
gar.
Altogether the street parade was so
good that in the vicinity OF 2oOO people
poured into the big tent for the afternoon
performance, which was well worth
feats OF horsemanshIp were exhibited,
while on a central platform remarkable
acts were presented, notably that OF the
lady. who. nicely balanced on a large
i bali. worked it around with her feet, up
and down a teeter board, and stood upon
il poised at the top OF an inclined plane
while she enveloped herself IN spiral
circles Of a streamer that she whirled about
her head.
The trapeze acts we're distinctly thrill
ing. the performers apparently bent on
suicide every minute but managing al
ways TO escape death by a hairs breadth,
while the spectators watched them with
bated breath and heaved signs Of relief
whenever an aerialist struck the earth
on his or her feet with the certainty and
precision Of a cat.
The trained horses were six noble
houvhnhnms that seemed endowed VIII
= more than yahoo intelligence. They did
: cake walks, knelt and sat down, drilled
like soldiers and finally one OF then
clfnched his claim to superiority by
walking out OF the tent on has hind legs
The death leap was taken by the cyellsl
who rode his wheel down a track IRON
/. the top Of the tent, made 1t leap ehasn
~ several feet to the next section anc
rolled unframed through the exit.
No captious critic could ind an al
vertised feature missing and, best OF all
ne tone OF the whole performance wa
high. There was fun a plenty, but fur
Of a wholes ONE kind, that gave pleasur'
I without offense.
Z Three or four hundred people ATTENDED
= the show In the evening, and the man
: spement. it is understood, found Ran
dolph a most profitable place % visit
The same circus was here Just 81 year
AGO. when Mr. Robbins had been onl!
three wears in the business.
Try a little KoDoL FOR DasPEPsl II,
: after your meals. see the enect ,l y ~
,,roduee on YOUR general feeling by digest
, mo vour food and helping your stomach
- MANY stomach