The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-04-07
on, But THEY'RE BUSY NOV AT CIRCUS WINTER QUARTERS


CINCINNATI, o., April IT,
"The circus IL coming"
Won't be long now before this
magic word will 60 from mouth
20 mouth among city boys and
boys and grownups all
over the country.
But, In the meantime, the cir
Gus people are having the busiest
time of the year. They are fit
ting up the big shows for the
road. The different winter quar-
tiers look like bargain counters or
homestead allotment sections on a
warm days.
For a circus has to be made up,
and drilled and rehearsed and re-
touched and repainted-just like
an actress or an orator or anybody
or anything else which has big
public appearance ahead. 1
The lions have to be drilled.
The keeper has to find out If
they'll let him pose In their cage
this summer, or Whether they've
gotten hungry for human meat
through the winter. He is using
the whip and the goad and the red
hot poker now.
The elephants have to go
through their stunts. They may
have some trouble remembering
that they're supposed to walk
through town, each taking hold of
the next ones tail, and to sit down
at a table and drink water out of
a bottle, and to walk on their hind
legs, and teeter-totter on a six
inch plank, and to push a barrel
around.
The horses have to be re-
hearsed. The painted lady who
rides them bareback and jumps
through hoops, and rides now on
her feet, now on the back of her
neck, must be sure that they will
do just the right thing under all
The clowns have to practice|
their jokes and antics. New
jokes, II they've got any, or the
old ones touched up by the circus
publicity man. They can be found
falling over each other and being
swatted from behind with barrel
slaves at the winter quarters.
The acrobats try out their
teeth. They can be found swing
ing around all over the winter
quarters, dropping into nets, CATCH
Ing each other in midair. On the
day of the opening. they must be
letter-perfect. A slip means death.
And everywhere is paint. Paint
and gold leaf-the circuses almost
keep up these industries. All the
must get fresh coats toI
hide the stains of travel and ac-l
cident and jostlings. A circus
must glisten like Spotless TOWN.
before the opening.
The Roman chariots are beingl
The animal cages
the big, gorgeous ones which go|
in the parade-are getting their
gilt coat by the bucketful. Every
thing which the public Is to see is
being painted.
The carpenters are busy, too.
must be ship-shape.
rhe lions cages must bel
Lions always look
JcttoT DcHlHu Lue oars Luau RAM |
bling through q crowd of women
Ind children.
The caliope is being polished
Up, likewise the caliope players
Doubtless even nowl
ne is making the day beautiful
With Love Meh, and the World,
etc.," and "Drea-a-m-ing."
The lady bareback rider doesn't
wear any white satin tights with
fluffy half-skirt. No spangles in
sight, either. She's got on a drab
1ress, with boomers or q black
knee skirt. Also shoes, run over
! little at the heel.
The ring master-he whom we
know in his evening clothes and
and frock coats in
,veralls--yes, you can't call 'em
else.
The lion tanner has a sweater, a
louch hat, and halt
No satin tights in gold
nd scarlet at this season of the