The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05

do not say better peopie-f merely al
Iegei better mofaiS! 10 have killed q man
under exceptionally sensational circum-
stances, TO have had the reputation Of
having more husbands than any n else,
to nave scandalized society in some unique
manner IL not an aid TO female entrance
upon circus life. No backing OF some
financial papa can get a woman q circus
Job. Even the pretty face and the sym
metrlcal legs don't 90. The circus woman
must be able to do something. That's all.
II she can make good she need not have
q friend In tho world.
As ! have shown, 90 far as the women
are concerned there are no opportunities
and no temptations such as exist on the road
for theatrical people. The married couples
are in q car by themselves. The single
male performers, heads OF departments,
TO-, are in their own car. The razor
backs" canvasmen and the animal men
and others OF that grade are In their par
tioular cars. Each car has a porter and
superintendent.
The single women are under the close
supervision Of an elderly. lady, who sees
the car Immediately after the last per-
nhO ohC T0ApObo -tuc hI1h POIOSA
who waits upon those Of that car.
When an immense spectacle Ia on the
road. in which hundreds Of dancers figure
and hgurantes are employed, IL would seem
as IL great confusion would ensue. Such
is not the case. These bands Of beauty
move like clockwork with the rest Of the
show. After their turn they must go
Immediately to their cars. They are gen.
orally tired and are glad to turn in. II
they were not. the fact that the train pulls
out almost any time without schedule
brings everybody In helterskelter as eoon
as the work is over. II anybody IL left he
or she must follow on a regular train at
personal expense and face a heavy fine
II abeent at morning parade.
The book Of rules and regulations 10 a
part Of the contract Of every performer,
and it lie signed in due form; and In the
same way the printed rules Of the lower
employees are signed by that class. These
are the articles Of war. They prohibit
drinking, gambling. swearing, indecent
language and everything that would pre-
ven a man from being an acceptable Sum
day school teacher. In the case Of laborers
these rules are strengthened by q clause
which reserves q certain amount Of monthly
pay to be paid only TO those who are with
the show at the close Of the season. II one
is dismissed he loses this bonus.
The peril Of dismissal becomes greater
and greater as the end Of the season APP
p~roaches, and IN men are more Int more
scrupulous as to the rules Of conduct When
canvasmen and others Of that Xix serve the
same show steadily year after year without
q break II IL q pretty fair Indication that
they are physically, mentally and morally
sound. A surreptitious flask Of whiskey, a
deck Of cards. ar indecent slip Of language
would settle such q mans business in a
few minutes. MASKING on the part Of a
male performer, whether outside or within
the organization, is pretty likely to wind
up the masher's career for that season.
To be sure. the circus In not all q happy,
family. It is very human. Distinguished
performers. male and female. as on the
stage. hold themselves aloof from others
Of less renown. There are. no star dress
the highest priced clown, rider. acrobat or
equestrienne must herd with his or her kind
at least during performances
The only marks Of isolation are the can
vas walls that separate the two sexes from
each other and from the ring horses. But
the stars are looked up to and are accorded
certain stations in the dressing rooms,
though no more space. Theee places are
continued the same, relatively, throughout
the season. The trunks are deposited
there, always in the same order, by the
property men.
The stars are ooldly courteous to their
own class; the clown with other clowns,
the rider with other riders. and so on; but
the feeling Of caste, IL marked.
There are more distinct o~lassiications
Of social and professional life In the circus
than in sven the theatrical world, where,
it has been humorously said, there is no one
SO humble OF rank but that he or she looks
down on somebody else. And you may
add to these divisions the natural e1olu-
s~iveness Of families.
Vanity and rivalry are also high and
strong. With a dozen clowns in the arena
at once there is always a difference Of
opinion as TO which raised the shouts OF
laughter; with a dozen men and women
making flying leaps and doing difficult
deeds it is not always clear which called
forth the applause; with three or four
riders OF renown in different rings at the
same time it lie not always easy to decide
which is the favorite OF an immense and
distant audience. So, many times, and
quite naturally, some personal friction 90
curs, which usually Is known only to the
performers themselves, for their reputation
and salary depend upon their hit with the
patrons Of the show.
Circus people invariably talk shop.
Politics, government, society as a rule
interest them not. Scandal finds no place
among them. A famous female con-
t~ortionist, when asked by an interviewer
what was the first thing she thought Of
when she awoke in her oar, replied with
professional naIvete: @My legs. And the
first thing / do she continued, lis to put
my feet under my head; then 1 know I'm
all right for the day.
On pay days many OF them line up to
the red wagon with little satchels and old
salt bags and similar 'eoeptaoles. receive
their salary in solid silver-of which the
show has 30 much that il has some difficulty
In disposing OF it-and strike out for the post
Office, where money orders addressed Ia
themselves or distant relatives are pur-
chased against the rainy day. As they
have no immediate need Of much money