New-York tribune., 1910-02-13

road carving its people and allit~ parapherntIIa
70 the towns where it was billed to appear THIS
Is a story Of that time
The show arrived IN a Missouri town on a
SATURDAY. in the summer Of 1>1l. 1t Was the
first railroad circus 10 visit that section This
NAV have had something to DO with the crowd
that came in from the farms The little town
for once IN its history was ~wamped with hu-
manitV and vehicles
1t was circus weather "a rare day in June.
The free pageant, the parade had Just ended
Chariot~. rutrldcr~ IN tInSel. Gagged wild ami
mals. and the military band had returned L.
the pavilion ON q bit Of prairie that abutted the
railroad track.
The. crowd that had watched the spectacle
lid not follow 1t t. the show ground This waS
unusual It turned back To- "a little house at one
end of the principal street. The house was the
scene Of d double tragedy \ man had shot his
wife and then killed himself. They were COM
par4tiycIv unknown IN the community. having
recently moved 10 the town. The man had
been e day liborer- His WIFE had attracted no
attention IN her ncighborhood-
When the bodies were discovered they lay
IN the spread of a bed But for the few
SplptchcS near the pillow the spread wJS as
white as the daisies that grew near the window
Both were. dressed in their best They had pre-
pared themselves for the circus There Wa a
bunch Of flowers at the WomanS waist. There
was a white rose in her HAIR. ON the Htte bu-
rcau in front Of the mirror was an enve!op- On
the face of II WAS SCrdWled IN dW AWetTd CIllT'S-
For more than IN hour the throng which had
turned from the parade when It was over gath
cred in knots about the house. They seemed o.
be heSitating as 10 the proper thing to do, for
they were the sort of people not accustomed u
tragedies. At last, however. one Ittle dgErega-
ton turned and Stroled toward the tent by the
tracks Others followed. All went To- the circus
When the afternoon performance was over
the people from the country returned tp tAtir
homes Between the end OF the afternoon per
T., Nc and III hon TOR
night Il report was circulated that a percentage
of the night receipts would be gwen for the
burial of the victims of the tragedy
No one stood sponsor for this singular report
People IN small towns know nothing of show
benefits. But if it had been otherwise this re
port would have caused comment. for a circus
benefit Is an unusual thing except IN great
cities. and IN these It Is rare
EVERYBODY who could went t. the circus
II that night Whether the report prompted
the citizens To- turn out. or whether they were
prompted bv that 1ndctinuble something that
takes hold Of everybody when there Is Z, CIRCUS
IN town. Is not known The motive has no
place in this story. Besides, the report was not
true
The next day was Sunday. Long before
church people were ready for the siuttudrIC~.
long before the bells in the white ~tccplcs had
sounded. the circus was packed ON flat cars aui
IN freight cars. with the coaches for the talent
attached. and the train stored ON I'd switch.
ready To- pull out the following morning for the
next town. The owner of the show WIS Not q
chur,hmau. but ne never travelled ON Sunday
When the show had 10 journey IN its own teams
over uncertain country roads IN the old DAYS,
Sunday the same rs any other dav- but
the railroad circus liv bv on the Lords Day
The "0Ii Man and his star performers
were quurtyrcd IL the only hotel worthy OF the
name in that town Among the stars were "a
handsome fellow. the most graceful man that
ever sat a saddle. and the principal clown. who
had a SdwduSt name. The latter WIS q man ut
culture and travel and had taken tu tent Lltc
tor his health and To- see the world
1t WAS an unusual funeral that occurred that
SUNDAY afternoon from the scene of the tragedy
ut the ddv before For the most part the at
tendance WIS composed of strangers The two
,ottins were concealed. except for their outlines.
hv a protusiou Of flowers. The contributors
lid not live in the town. There were No de
signs Just heap of Ill that couIi hc oh-
tanned on short notice. Ne minister ct the
town had been asked e. come and none WIS
there But a stranger read the service tor the
dead that Is written for all IN the Episcopal
Book of Common PRAYER y woman whom ~
one in the town would have known sang
'' Abide. with Me" The cuttiu~ were carried Co