New-York tribune., 1907-06-08
CIRCUS AT FLUSHING.
Hospital Benefit Dra5cs Thousands
Thrilling "Stunts."


Flushing is exerting itself nobly in the cause
Of the Flushing Hospital. All the Flushing peo-
pie who are not giving their services as clowns,
bareback riders or something equally difficult and
daring IN the Great and Original Flushing Cir
Gus and Carnival now being held for the benefit
OF the hospital attending the performances,
afternoon and evening, with enthusiastic regu-
1arity. Even the fact that the platform sup
porting the boxes side of the arena gave
way Thursday evening. mixing the occupants
up quite badly. did not keep the big tent from
being filed yesterday afternoon and evening. Il
IS said that not a seat remains unsold for to-
day
A most joyous circus atmosphere pervades the
five acres of Ingleside Field. just beyond Flush
ing Hospital. where the tent is pitched Sober
fathers of families wander up the Merchants Mid
way, throwing confetti like children. Small boys
who have no tickets poke holes in the canvas
that surrounds the hippodrome, where most Of
the riding is, and peek longtngy through just
when The real circus comes to town. The
pink lemonade sold by pretty Flushing girls
dressed In quaint, fantastic costumes has that
elusive favor Of sawdust that proclaims the
genuine brand
UnQueshonably. the hits of the afternoon were
made by Mrs. Thomas W. Pierce, Henry L. Bell
and the other riders IN the open air performance
in the Hippodrome People enjoyed the tent
performance that preceded this of course. There
was some good bareback riding and all the
children fell in love with the beautiful brown
horse ridden by Frank McCord. a horse that
danced TO music and bowed gracefully to the
ringmaster and then to the audience A most
exciting event was the pushmobie race, partici-
pated in by half a dozen youthful members Of
the great Pushmobile Club Of America The
only ones who didn't enjoy this were the boys
who pushed. There was a riding act by Buff
falo Bill Crank Dixon) and Chief Hot Foot
(E. F. Wilmerding) that was much cheered.
Buffalo Bill prancing on basket horse, firing
pistol with one hand and smirline at his
mustaches in a mirror held in the other hand,
made great hit Twenty clowns were there.
under the lead Of Fred J. Leavitt and Per
cival B. Nash, and they proved 10 be what the
programme describes them. the most registering
bunch Of fun makers now out of jail" There
was the clown policeman, so dear TO the hearts
OF children, and all the various types that work
so hard to make people laugh IN the genuine
circuses.
But it was when the tent performance ended
and the audience fled out TO the hippodrome
that the real enjoyment began. Most of the
people who filed the seats were friends or ac-
cuaintances of the riders. and discussed them
by their first names they ate peanuts and
popcorn Children camDed on the green grass
around the big ring. and one small black dog
Caot on the programme wandered amably
about the ring while the maddest races were in
progress and defied half dozen masters OF
ceremony TO drive him out.
Mrs. Pierce did some crack tandem riding
riding the wheel horse and driving the other
There were two hurdles in the course Some
times the horses took the hurdles prettilv and
sometimes they sulked and said they wouldn't;
( pot whichever they did the people looking on
epplauded gayly- Then Henry Bell rode in on
his high-jumping horse Rife. His first iumn
was over q rail feet inches from the ground
The next was feet inches AS Rifle rose
higher and higher in the air with each f1ron q
became evident from the shrieks in the andi
snee that Mr.. Bell had feminine friends there
isn't II splendid. don't you know" said
young man. u Il
Il think it's perfectly dreadfulr' said tha
woman at his side. ~
Myi l feel gaspy!" said another.
Then there was a race of cou,ho,.s o.s -,
ians. The pony ridden by one Indian refns.d
70 go. ano the Indians friends outside hurled
advice at him uii ieu
Get messenger boy 10 lead him Franl,
advised one '' iA'
Get an automobe!" shouted another
Henry Bell raised a laugh by showing how, ~,
Fastener breaks Western horse r. Nc -
real bucking horse, too as several borsar,a,- a.,
the audience testified Al
Then came the attack on the Dea dv-ood s+,,o
Ihat was what the children were waiting for
and they shrieked with joy as the stooa - -
bled into the ring. driven by Thomas g VII
iets' and hled with Flushing men and woman
IA costumes ranging from the real Western o,,t
NJ 10 The most sophisticated Fifth avenue OF
tAe a bdnd OF Indians then swooped down
upon IT. uttering wild warwhoops 1t was a
most friendly and neighborly affair this at