Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-09-18

tne street parade. meaning from two
| to four miles more.
You had few hours for rest after
that before the grand entry. All, that
grand entry! That was something to
live for. No matter how bad the roads
or how hard the hills had been Calico
forgot 1t all during those ten delightful
minutes when, with his heart beating
time to the rat-tat.tat Of the snare
drum, he swung prancingly around the
yellow arena.
1t all began in the dressing tent with
| q period Of confusion In which horses
were crowded together as thick as they
could stand, while the riders dressed
and mounted in frantic haste, for to be
late meant to be fined. At last the
ringmaster clapped his hands as sign
that all was in readiness. There was
a momentary hush. Then a bugle
sounded, the flaps were thrown back
and to the crashing accompaniment OF
the band the seemingly chaotic mass
unfolded into double line as the
horses broke into Il sharp gallop around
the freshly dug ring.
The first time Calico did the grand
entry he felt as though he had been
sucked into whirlpool and was being
carried around by some irresistible
force. So dazed was he by the music,
by the hum Of human voices and by
the unfamiliar sights that he forgot to
rear and kick He could only prance
and snort. He went forward because
the rider Of the outside horse dragged
him along by the bride rein. Around
and around he circled until he lost oil
sense of direction, and when he was
finally shunted out through the dress
ing tent flaps he was so dizzy he could
scarcely stand.
For a horse accustomed to shy at his
own shadow this was heroic treatment.
But it was successful. In month you
could not have startled Calico with
pound Of dynamite. He would placid
| ly MUNICH his oats within three feet OF
| the spot where Il stake gang swung the
heavy sledges in staccatO time. He
cared no more for tapping canvas than
for the wagging Of mules ears. AS
for noises, when one has associated
with q steam calliope one ceases to
mind anything in that line. Old Ajax,
| 1t was true, remained q terror 10
Calico for weeks, but In the end the
horse lost much Of his dread for the
ancient pachyderm, although he never
felt wholly comfortable while those
wicked little eyes were turned in his
direction. Hereditary instincts, you
| know, die hard.
During those four months In which
| the Grand Occidental fitted over the
New England circuit from kendus-
keag, Me-, to Bennington, VT, there
/ came upon Calico knowledge Of many
things. The farm horse to whom Ban
gor's market square had been full OF
strange sights became, In comparison
with his former self, most sophlsti-
Gated. He feared no noise save that
sinister whistle made by BronchO Bits
long lash. The roaring sputter OF gas
| oline flares was no more to him than
the sound Of running brook. He had
learned that 1t was safe to kick a
mere canvasman when you felt like
doing so, but that real artist, such as
| q tumbler or trapeze man, was TO be
respected and that the person OF the
ringmaster was most sacred; also he
acquired the knack Of sleeping at odd
times, whenever opportunity offered
and under any conditions.
When he had grown thus wise and
when he had ceased to stumble over
guy ropes and tent stakes Calico re-
ceived promotion. He was put in as
outside horse Of the leading pair in the
grand entry. He was decorated with
white braided cord bride with silk
rosettes, and he wore between his ears
feather pompon. All this was very
fine and grand, but there was so little
of 1t.
After II was all over when the
crowds had gone, the top lowered and
the stakes pulled, he was hitched to
the leaden wheeled band wagon to
strain and tug at the traces all through
the last weary half Of the night. But
when fame has started your way, be
YOU horse or man, you cannot escape.
Just before the season closed Calico
was put ON the sawdust. This was the
way Of 1t.
A ninety foot top, you know, carries
neither extra people nor spare horses.
The performers must double up their
acts. No one is exempt save the auto
cratic high bar folk, who own their
own apparatus and dictate contracts.
So with the horses. The teams that
pull the pole wagon, the charlots and
the other wheeled things which a cir
Gus needs must also figure in the grand
entry and in the hippodrome races.
Even the ring horses have their share
of road work In wagon show.
To the dappled grays used by Mile.
Zaretti, who was top liner on the
bills, fell the lot Of pulling the ticket
wagon, this being the lightest work.
1t was Mile. Zaretti's habit to ride one
at the afternoon show, the other In the
evening. So when tho nigh gray de-
ve.oped shoulder gall OH the day that
the Off one went lame there arose an
emergency. Also there ensued trouble
for the driver Of the ticket wagon.
First he was tongue lashed by made
moiselle, then he was fined a weeks
pay and threatened with discharge by
the manager But when the increasing
wrath of the champion lady equestri-
enne Of America led her to demand his
instant and painful annihilatioa the
worm turned. The driver profanely
declared that he knew his business.
He had Travelled with Yank Robinson,
he had, and no female hair grabber un-
der canvas should call him down more
TO a--