The Holly chieftain., 1908-03-06
THE MODERN CIRCUS
Vast and Dazzling, 1t Is Really a
Very Simple Affair.
AN ANALYSIS OF A BIG SHOW.

eeUe Main perts, Aerial. Ground,
Gsssserisa s~d Hippedrors. to
Whlsh Az Glss Is IneidsntaI-rhs
Astual csse asd Press AaSnt Fiaurs,.
Wht1s the performance Of the big
modern circus u truly dazzling and
eoufusing' TO the average visitor, an
analysis viii show 1t to be very SIM
pie AFFAIR.
Tbs performance proper consists Of
four parts-aamely. aerial ground.
equestfian and hippodrome. Every
thing sass u Incidental or adjunctive.
The menassfis. freaks curiosities.. etc.
make up tho remainder Of what we
can ''ths show"
If one win examine the programme
Of the circus performance carefully, it
will be seen that the ground acts al
ternats with. say. jockey act. an
serial act, an equestrian act, another
ground act, another aerial act. and 10
on for the entire performance.
The performers are mostly foreign
ses, Japan furnishing the most Of any
particular country. France. Italy and
Germany give us the most Of the ath-
letic artists, while England and Amer
ics produce ths equestrians. But the
japanese furnish fully three-eighths OF
the whole entertainment.
The natives Of Nippon have never
been squalsd by those Of any other
country for tricks Of the feet and
hands The Japanese, however, are
never found on the programme ~
equestriana. trApeze artists or clowns.
With the6s parts eliminated they may
be said to give the greater part Of the
performance. Cut the equestrian and
trapeze acts ard the Japanese win be
found In almoet every number.
A single Japanese troupe Of i've or six
membera, costing from $3.50 to $500
week. win thus furnish the most of the
entertainmeut As every circus goer
known. the japanese are especially
skillful In every feature Of juggling,
balancing BY hands or feet, manipulate
ing Of iobjects. wire walking. ETC.,
which they hare carried to such de-
gree Of perfection that, their acts are
! unapproachable BY the people Of any
ethef nationality.
The hrst Japanese performer In this
country was a small boy who came
with the first japanese embassy to the
United etates i,
His performance created q perfect
furors Of enthusiasm. and he attracted
more attention than the novel embassy
itDsn. Little "All Right will be re-
msmbered. though the embassy and Its
important mission has long been for
eeeten.
The name was acquired from the cir
cumstances that the words ''all right"
were the only English words the child
knew at the time. and he used to sing
tAem out In his shrill treble as he nn-
ished what was then deemed re-
mafkable feat, to the intense delight Of
The audience.
30 popular was ths little chap that
his advent was followed by several
other little "An Rights" from the same
curious country beyond the Pacific un-
N tie japanese performers here BE-
cane an old story. VI
Ths chief reason for the overwhelm-
ing preponderance of foreign talent in
ths American circus lies in the practi-
cal exclusion Of children from the
stass and ring In tie United States.
Do many Of the states have laws for
Kidding the public appearance Of chill
d1sn under sixteen that theatrical man
asses hesitate to. produce any play
with q child In the cast. A acrobatic
fsats require early and severe training.
thsl American 10 practically cut OF
fron this way Of earning living.
!. II present conditions when Little
IVA In "Uncle Toins Cabin" has be-
come old enough to marry little "All
Risht" would be an impossibility, for
not only do these laws prevent the
training OF American children for the
stage and ring, but they prevent the
appearance in this country Of some of
tie most famous family troupes Of Eu-
Fsps. ft I'll nj. I'D
Abroad the show career Offers bet
tse means Of advancement than the
trades, and poor parents frequently ap-
prsntice their children to those who
train them for the stage or ring. In
tAis country We generously send them
b the cotton mills o. the mines.
The American circus performer has
gradually become restricted to the
equestrian act, and In the act Of riding
b or she Is not excelled, even by the
English, though the latter nation has
produced some nne eQuestrians, hauts
scols and daring bareback riders.
Mme- Dockrill. wife of r. H. Dock