Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
Copyright, 1907, by Tody Hamilton.)


have met many distinguished pub
lie men. Some of these have uncon-
sciousy amused me while they were
being amused. Considering them as
a whole however, they have inspired me
with this principal thought-that the cir
Gus is indeed great leveler of all dis
tinctions.
In all ages and forms of its existence the
circus has been the only amusement that
appeals to and satisfies all classes of hui
manity. All other amusements cater to
certain more or less limited classes.
When President Roosevelt and his cabi-
net. his family and their families, drop
official and social cares for the circus,
they are doing merely what the Roman
emperors and their associates and ladies
did thousands of years ago. The Roman
senators did exactly what our senators do
today-only they went more often and
stayed longer. And the seats were harder
they were stone.
I thought something like this when I
sat on the rim of the great ancient am
phitheater at Milan, Italy, recalling the
day I occupied a circus chair with Presi-
dent Grant under the big tent at Wash
have been thinking of Grant at the time.
Perhaps because he was the greatest
Roman of them all-silent. grim. demo-
cratic and at that time the popular idol.
The only time I ever saw Grant laugh
was that day at the circus. And what do
you suppose it was that excited the mer-
riment of man who seldom even smiled?
The trick donkey. You know every circus
used to have donkey. for riding which
once around the ring a reward of s. was
the standing offer to outsiders. OF course,
no one but his trainer could ride him. If
he couldn't buck a stranger Off he'd SIM
ply lie down and roll on him-heut go he
wouldn't.
1t was something as old as an almanac
mother-in-law joke. Grant had probably
witnessed it when he was boy; therefore
he laughed heartily and in this .he re-
newed his youth.
1t was a turbulent time politically yet
he came to the show alone. He was never
attended anywhere by that cloud of secret
service men and official funkies now
deemed necessary to the presidential dig
nifty and safety. There were no circus,
boxes or chairs then, and the President
sat among the spectators on the same
Kind of seat that they occupied.
Some years afterward 1 met him at the
show Unexpectedly, and he asked me
many questions. chiefly as to our methods
of transportation. Like most military
men, he NAs interested in the problem of
the moving of such vast amount of para
~hnr Ito nd vol. to-,
and precision from place to place, by day
and night, with never hitch in the pro-
gram. He was also an ardent lover of
horseflesh and seemed never to tire of
brilliant riding and the performances of
trained horses
He strayed under the horse tent one
day in Washington, the inevitable stub
cigar between his straight lips. The boss
hostler was considerably flurried and sent
a stableman for me-
s'Say, Mr.. Hamilton" he painted. half
out of BREATH between his run and excite
ment, 'Old Grant is down there and the
fDcSs wants u u."
L)found the hero of many battles, ac-
aSmpanied fly the boss stableman. ex-
aiming the legs of splendid Percheron
IA gave me the slightest perceptible nod
aud removed two inches of an extinguish-
ed cigar.
Reminds me of the first horse 1 ever
boushtfshe said. II always had long
in<>Sye for a fine horse, you see. AS early
as my tenth year 1 leased my father to
get me q horse. neighbor of ours
named GeorGe Brown had one which he
was WHINE to part with for 5000 and
wanted it,
Look here said my father, I'm not