The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-18
European Tent Shows 100
Years Behind Yankee Idea
-0ne Ring, One Top,
Two "Center" Poles
and No "Privi-
leges."
All. t. Ringing in h Show World.

ALI. T.. Ringing in the Show World.
The circuses of Europe are good to
o upon. We would perhaps say
they were a hundred years behind the
times compared to our ideas. Possibly
Michael Angelo, Beethoven n Dante
would be called back numbers, too,
measured by some of the OF
modern painting, musical composition
and literature; nevertheless their work
lives on and with eyes, ears and intel
lect the world enjoys and wonders at
the things they wrought.
1t is so with the circus of the con-
tinent. 1t is r~idiculously old-fashioned,
unprogresstve, unpretentious and at the
same time delightfully."- charming and
II ring, around which a enchanted
audience radiates in exact circles on
comfortable seats n happily blends
itself with the performance. To inn
prove and moderniZe this show would
be to spoil its quaint charm, to rob it
of that peculiar and sympathetic union
of audience and performers: q sort OF
fellowship between entertainer and en-
t%ertained, which makes each strive to
render to the other the pleasure OF mn-
tual good feeling and appreciation.
Harmony Prevails Throughout.
This kindness Of audience to artist
and artist to audience might be likened
w "a oeoAN ASiIS - AAAo
circle of Intimate friends where each
listener considers it his duty to applaud
the effort to amuse, where m1rth
bubbles before 1t has occasion to ex-
plode and kindly eyes watch the speak
er in anticipated pleasure. The audi
ence is a friendly circle asking not
"what have you prepared for us?" but
sin what feast are we invited as friends
and we'll wishesr to join YOU"
The one-ring circus prevails In Eu
rope in all it's charming simplicity. Ihe
European round top tent is not, now
ever, SO c%har1ningly simple. 1t has Two
center poles. This may sound like a
riddle to the American circus man. yet
1t is a fact. 1t seems strange, at first.
to see a round tent With a perfectly
circular arrangement of seats. the ring
in the exact center n no pole rearing
up from the middle. | even asked MT.
Behrens, nag of the Norton Il.
Smith show, the size of the middle
piece. 1 have forgiven the smile of the
two proprietors at the question. They
are both Americans and of course knew
that 1 would expect the center pole In
q round top to be in it's right place In
the middle OF the tent: instead OF the
latter resting on two poles 25 feet away
from their proper place. 1t really looked
foolish until was put wise"
The European MANAGE is welded to
the round top, but not to the center
pole; for he would very wisely see it
outside OF the ring instead Of inside,
80 he has contrived to have a round
tent made with two poles so placed
that As or SO feet of the tents center
assure the relative position of a middle
piece to the poles, leaving the rings
Inincumbered.
Ton Days in a Small Town.
Whatever we may think of the bust
ress-getting organization OF the Euro
pean circus. it is impossible not tc
admire its artistic arrangement and
design and 1T seems that it meets the
business conditions as they exist or