The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-09
MANY HEAR LILLIAN Rustic
SWISH or HER SKIRTS 4 SENSA-
TION ar SOCIETY CIRCUS.
Hut for Her Earnes EndesvOrs the First
Night Of the SHOW st Rocknway Beach
Might Not Have Come on Until Morn
ing --Deveryt to he min Leader Tonight.

~ NOCt -
with the dishes in her little cottage down
Far Rockaway way last night and had re-
filed the lamps she hurried over to Rock
away Beach without even taking time TO
rinse the soapsuds or kerosene oN her hands
30 that she would be on the job promptly
at the Rockaway SteeplechaselPark at 1880
O'Clock TO see that he amateur circus for
tho benefit of the local Catholic church
got a flying start.
In fact Miss Russell and a number OF other
jealous church work rs down there that
included Messrs. Jim Corbett, Kid Broad,
Lew Fields and Mrs. Fields and Mrs. Fields's
guest, Miss Connie Ediss; Mr.. Scrappy
Tommie Murphy and others OF transatlantic
renown were the life Of this the greatest
show on Long Island.
I'm simply silly with enthusiasm over
this circus exclaimed Miss Russell last
night before the performance as she Wake
all the way around the outside OF the big
top in the gathering darkness, pulling hero
at a guy rope to see that all was shipshape
and again hunting up a sledgehammer to
give the tent z a rap or two to drive
them into the sand more firmly. Il sup
pose it is because it brings religion and my
profession 70 closely together" she con-
kAuC l1oihtihB ttOtith Oh f
ing her fair brow with the gingham apron
which h had forgotten to remove in her
hurried ri ght out the kitchen door.
Inside the big tent Manager Maurice
Tobin. all doodied up in evening clothes,
had assigned Lew Fields to look after the
ham sandwich stand. Mr.. Fields took
charge OF the ham sandwiches gracefully
without stopping to inquire the nature Of
49, -.~l- - A-xNsAI 40 anlt A
night fell the breeze that had been blowing
away from Mr.. Fields and then over the
heaps Of wrapped sandwiches and so on
out to sea shifted and turned around When
the wind shifted 40 that Mr.. Fields was TO
the leeward OF the ham he began to think
t over. All Arverne was beginning to ar
rive by this time and Arverne began 10
think IL over, too. So Lew jumped his
contract and went back to the dressing tent
to make up for his monologue.' But the
incident had given him an additional line
for his weberfeld;an jests. IL gave him
a chance to say something about Connie
Ediss's warning to him. Lew. you're 20 the
leeward.' Leewsrd is pronounced "!ew-
ward" by nautical folk, you know, and
well, heaps Of folks fell of the seats,
First OF all there was a gorgeous parade
about 7 o'clock that needed the combined
efforts Of Mounted Cops Johnny Uminger.
Dan Henry and Eddie Lynch and Bike Cop
Jim Flood TO clear the way for. Young Mr..
Louis Magnolia. bareheaded, negligee shirt.
sleeves rolled up over sun peeled arms,
khaki riding brooches and boots. was master
OF ceremonies and rod his saddle horse up
and down the line OF clowns and things to
zee that the parade kept out of the Atlantic
Ocean. Prof. Dicks band blared the start
ing signal and Lillian Russell waved the
paraders her blessing and cautioned them
to come back soon.
"Tn watch things till you return" Miss
Russell cried rea ssuringly from the main
entrance, and she started back into the
tent to get the ~stepladder 20 that she could
light the flares aroun the arena. Connie
Ediss borrowed a clam rake IN the mean
time and began to smooth down the FUR
rows in the sawdust 80 that the circus ring
would he nice and comfy TO fall on wher
the show got it's stride, Lew Fields was
strengthening out his packages Of sand
wiches-this was before the wind shifted
aided by a bright little boy named Yankele
Somethin g-or from Arverne and was
distributing other sandwiches among specu-
lators TO be cold out In front OF the tent at
only a slight advance over the regular
price.
You know I'm TO have a regular part
Tomorrow night. !" said Miss Russell proudly.
Il don't know what I'm going to do. but
I'm going to do something. Connie. dear.
have you any good sized nails in your
purseT Thank you. Lew. when you get
a chance climb up here and give me a
hammer. But ] suppose il will be a sons.
or something. though ] might drive one OF
the chariots in the races Or
why don't you your troupe OF eight
performing automobiles their stunts put
through'- suggested Lew. 1T a swell
act iss-by chimminy. there goes the
hammer" And MIR. Fields. who had been
shining up the centre pole to hand a
hammer TO Miss Russell, who was trying
TO fasten some strearners OF baby ribbon
to the top Of the pole with safety pins. had
to slide all the way down and then begin
the climb all over.
But I'll nave to cut short a dinner party
that I'm giving tomorrow evening. Miss
Russell resumed later when the paraders
returned and she was climbing up. on top
Of the band wagon to carry down the bass
drum and a neat pair OF trombones. ITS
to be only a little party, just Mr. lust
one other person and myself. but Jess-but
this person does SO object TO being hurried
jesse Lewisohn!" yelled Lew Fields sud
denly in a sing'song, tantalizing way, Lew
had been trying and trying TO think who
Miss Russell meant and suddenly It had
Russell bashfuIly. IT isn't he al ali,
smarty." And so several people arrived
this time to buy tickets, and then
more came, and so IL went.
The parade circled the arena with Miss
Elfreda Schroll, riding a bay horse, in the
lead. Jacob Adler. the Yiddish tragedian.
was ~ringmaster. and tonight he will give
up his whip swapping position to no less
A Parsonage thar the Hon. William Stephen
Devery. who once had a job on the police
force. There we're bareback acts and mid
Dir stunts by a number of professionals and
here WAS n three round go between Messrs.
Broad and Tommic Murphy. while Miss
Russell cried -Oh. goodie, goodie!" and
other expressions from her place of
on top Of the stepladder near the
Mr.. Jim Corbett did his familiar mono
and Miss Antonio Bellon psraded
as Laughing Lou" with a standing
offer that the person who could make her
cry would receive a prize Of 500. 900. Little
Frances McGrath, who has spent our of
twelve years touring the country with
Joe Welch's company. did some heavy
drama that caused Lillian to say ~enviously
that she wished she had gone into the legit
EARLIER, too. and Miss Mary Mccarthy and
Irene Beck did a sister song and dance
act IA a starter for the grand concert after
l. IL -k-