The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-09-13

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ka. To the north Gregory county in
South Dakota was well represented
while circus crowds were present from
as far west as ONeill and as far east
as West Point. The larger delegation
came from Meadow Grove, Battle
Creek, Tilden, Stanton, Pierce and
Madison. Madison sent nearly half a
thousand people Save for circus Wis
itors on the Sioux City line and on the
Bonesteel line north of Verdigre nearly
all the visitors of the day left Norfolk
about 8 p. m, trains leaving the city
at that time in four different dlrec.
lions. In the course Of a few minutes
more than four thousand people had
left the city.
w. w. Cole, once on the road with
a show of his own, Is the managing
director of the Barnum & Bailey circus
this year. Charles r. Hutchinson, one
of the directors, is road manager.
The circus girl is almost an I'M
known quantity. OF the two score or
so women with the Barnum & Bailey
circus in Norfolk Tuesday less than
half a dozen were unmarried And
most of these half dozen were provided
with male relatives. 1t Is no uncom-
mon thing for husband and wife to be
performing at the same time in two
entirely different parts of the big tents.
Two of the best riders among the wo-
men Tuesday were the wives of two
of the circus clowns. There have been
two weddings with the circus this year
Marie Castrillon, age thirteen, is the
pet of the big circus, the only little
girl among the thousand circus people.
Maries father is at the head of the
famous Castrillon acrobatic group.
Four thousand dollars of silver coin,
dollars and half dollars, was carried
into the Nebraska National bank by
the Barnum & Bailey treasurer Tues
day noon. 1t was a big load of silver.
Two men had to take two trips to
carry it from a carriage to the bank.
The big stack of silver was exchang-
sented surplus coin taken in at Omaha. |
In the same way north Nebraska dol
lars and half dollars will be taken to
bank at Grand Island Wednesday. |
The surplus paper currency that the
big show takes in is sent to New York
by express but the extra coin is ex-
changed the next day for New York
drafts.
1t required three-quarters of an hour
to count the money at the bank.
Good clowns, circus people say, en-
ter into the spirit of the game. And
clowns are only at their best, circus
people say further, when before a big
cheerful crowd. Spader Johnson with
Barnum & Bailey is said to be the best
of living clowns, delightful impromp-
tn actor. Johnson will be remembered
as the clown in the stiff white suit and
high hat who was chief among the
leapers Tuesday.
Circus actors, while terribly matter
of fact in many ways, dearly love APP
plause. When they don't get it they
criticise the town and spectators in
their dressing room, heaping heated
abuse at the dead ones" who do not
appreciate their merits. The actors
are jealous, especially the clowns.
In the dressing room of the Barnum
& Bailey circus Tuesday the air was
filled with a friendly spirit of COM
radeship and good natured raillery.
Between acts performers mounted box
es and delivered impromptu speeches.
Interest of the circus men is centered
largely in sports and especially in
baseball. Base ball teams are rife
among the circus people.
Circus people are clanish, terribly
so. There are cast lines as firmly |
fixed as the caste lines of India. But
in the dressing room of the performers
there is good spirit and democracy.
Circus leaping, tumbling and somer-
sault turning isn't what it used to be, |
according to R. W. Beswick, once a
circus expert in these very lines. But
the aerial work and the riding, Mr..
Beswick adds, has improved greatly
over the work of thirty years ago
And the women have outstripped the
men in improving their riding. Josie
DeMott the somersault equestrienne,
did a turn, Mr.. Beswick declared, that
the old time circus world never Of
fered.
Barnum & Bailey left Norfolk for
Grand Island. Thursday they show at
York and Friday at Beatrice. They
will spend the next thirty days in Kan
sas and Missouri, closing the season in
Tennessee.
There are only comparatively few
families of circus acrobats. And for
the most part these families remain
in the same circuses from generation