Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-08
CIRCUS TEST Of
HUMAN NATURE
Man Whose Soul Does Not Thrill
Within Sight of Circus Ring
Is Confirmed cynic,
Says Writer


writer and critic in the south, says, in
the Atlanta Constitution:
'Show us the man with soul so dead
that he does not feel the least bit OF
thrill when the circus comes to town.
and we will show you confirmed
cynic. He's a bad man; fit for treason
stratagem and spoils.' For the man
who elevates his proboscis at the circus
not only admits that he isn't young
and never has been, but furthermore
advertises the fact that he has no SYM
pathy with youth. And while it may
be only a misdemeanor never to have
been young, it is deliberate criminality
never to have desired youth.
Therefore, the circus is your true
test as to whether your neighbor is
human or not. One who has become
thoroughly disillusioned is not only a
heavy weight upon himself, but wearies
his acquaintance as WELL and it is a
false sympathy which regrets his sui
eide. If man claims that the circus
bores him, it is because all the fresh
ness is gone from his nature; and by
the same token he is a bore himself.
Except you become again as a little
child you shall not enjoy the circus
and if you have the power to do that,
you are in such spiritual condition
that you need not worry about the
hereafter. OF course we don't mean to
make the flat-footed statement that all
who go to the circus will of necessity
go to heaven, nor that all who are ad-
mitted to the latter place must have
been circusgoers; for even some of the
c1rcusgoers are wanting in the proper
child-like simplicity in other things
and may not be able to even creep un-
der the tent of paradise.
o1 dc
it is bad man and a bad neighbor,
and above all, bad parent who can
forget his own juvenile delight in the
brave bespangled confusion of the
Greatest Show on Earth. Zach circus
is the greatest show on earth).
And there is nothing more pathetic
on earth than the urchin who stands
outside the big tent views his COM
panions blithely pass before him to
enter into paradise, while all the time
the hldeous consciousness is his that he
mas not been able to muster the price
of admission. He may grow up later
10 be a great and good man, and be-
come president of the United States,
but he does not care for that now
he would give all his chances in this
world for the possession of the little
slip of cardboard which would put him
race to face with the gleesome, f1easome
baboon. If you meet any such wistful
hanger-on at the outer pale of the Land
Of Hearts Desire, and are moved by
the memories of your youth to pass
him in, you will do better deed than
II you found him hungry in the street
and fed him. For he will digest the
meal and need another before long, but
circus is worth missing many meals
to see.
so go to the circus and don't be so
ashamed of wanting to go that you
make the excuse that you are just 60
ing to take care of the children. Admit
that you like it. Go and eat peanuts
and laugh at the clown and feel young
and happy again. The clown is another
test. He will be, to all intents and pur-
poses, the first clown that you ever
saw; and he will have the same jokes,
but If you attend in the proper spirit
you will laugh in the same old places.
Inc clown is not meant to minister to
your sense of humor; his is the highest
function of testing the degree of youth
which you retain"
The Sells-Floto Shows are coming to
Los Angeles Monday, April 8, for three
days, at Praeger park
The big shows will come to Los An
geles for three days. beginning with a
grand street parade this morning and
tHlS afternoons exhibition. A down
town office will be open at Bartlett
music and piano house, where tickets
and seats can be secured at the same
price as on the show grounds.
Here is the program for the day
which will be carried out in detail and
the show people say strictly on time:
| 1O:3O a. m,-The parade is due to reach
the downtown business district. Drivers
and teamsters are especially and DO
litely requested to avoid this parade OF
have secure control of their horses.
l p. m.-Opening of the main entrance
to the menagerie and big shows, allow
ing one hour to view the animals
Promenade band concert by combined
bands of sixty musicians.
p m.-Grand opening pageantiC
tournamental spectacle and regular pro.
gram. One hour to view the menagerie
after the big show.
AIS p. m-The speciality concert after
the big show, introducing new features
| z p. m.-Opening of the main entrance
to the menagerie and big show for the
night exhibition. One hour to view The
menagerie. Fine band concert.
! p. m.-The night show begins. Crane
| Oriental pageant and Asiatic display
enhanced by the electric lights anC
colored fires, adding most vivid anC
realistic hue TO the gorgeous touFna.
mental pageant. The long program
commences with the performing ele'
plants, the finest in the world. In case
of inclement weather the waterproof
tents insure perfect protection and com
fort