The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-18

the other side. 1t is small. On an aN-
etage Is to 80 wagons embrace the
motive equipment OF a railroad show,
and one OF two of these wagons con-
wagons are not carried on cars owned
by the circus as a rule. but on socalled
company cars" Messrs. Smith and
Behrens, for instance, put in the entire
season of 1908 in Switzerland. They
were 10 days in Lausanne; a city of
about $4,000 persons. We would call
this a one day stand. yet their show a
profitable engagement. If they had
left cars standing on the racks in this
and other cities where long gag
ments We're made, there would have
been more lost in depreciation, invest
ment and track rental, tina the differ
ence in transportation could possibly
ave been. Neatness, good lights. and
wardrobe and a really lhgh class show
are characteristic of this as we'll as
every one, or almost every one. of the
numerous shows 1 saw on the conti-
G
The smallest Of these shows en-
braces, usually, in it's program, several
really high class acts, but With these
are sandwiched filters. clown n Aug
ust stunts, second acts, and. generally,
a prize riding contest by amateurs
from the audience. h last is made
much of. and seems to be highly p
preciated by the audiences. A prize of
money is offered to anyone who can
ride standing on a padded horse twice
around the ring.
Never Do Stunt.
Fol safety n mechanic is employed.
The mechanic is q double safety de-
vice protecting the rider from a%cciden-
tai injury n the managers cash &C
count, for, IL by any chance any leaden
footed contestant SHOULD show ability
to maintain a standing position twice
around the ring, he is promptly ierhed
off his feet before the end of the second
lap. This is seldom necessary for the
candidates sprawl about in the air in
the most ludicrous and ~lauGhable po-
s%itions; they sail. swim and claw the
air in frantic fashion, circling over the
horse, at his side, back Of him and on
his head, and are finally landed safely
in the middle of the rings where the
clowns add to the hilarity of the oc-
casion by stuffing sawdust down the
candidates necks. For a finish an en-
ploye of the circus, supposed to be ar
outsider, enters the ring, has the me-
chanic adjusted and oun the horse,
AT Altoona, Germany, in the Strasbur-
ger circus, l heard a woman scream tc
her companion, "Ach Colt, er hal die
hosen NerblalZt." n sure enough the
cente seam in the rear of her trousers
had separated and showed a long rent
filled b. a N-shaped piece of cloth
liza III I oC vi III 10ii ~ -
as his whist shirt bosom. Re dropped
to his knees and grabbed the pad be
fore him, which gave him the posi-
ton of an Ara at prayer. No one
noticed the devotional attitudes; instead
they roared with laughter, and 1, know
ing they We're prop" pants and thai
the piece of shirt pattern vas secure
ly sewed into the trousers, was con-
vulsed with laughter as l caught thu
c%ontagion of hilarity that swept The
crowd.
Talking Clowns a Feature.
The talking clown is also q feature
of the continental circus. Both thu
tent shows and the more pretentiou!
circuses in the big buildings give hin
and his August, ample time and OPP
p%ortunity to exploit their Jokes. On
of the most common of these, n Il
be seen with at least half the ten shows
is a 'soaker." Here is the play in
sort of literal. yet somewhat liberia
translation of the Germans:
Enter clown and August.
Clown: August! Look once a tim,
here"
August: Yah, vas hast du?"