The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-17
HELP! THREE YEARS
WITHOUT A CIRCUS!
TOWN COUNCIL COMES TO REsCUE-oF'-
fF-Rs INDUCEMENTS TO TENT SHOWS
Bf CUTTING PRICE OF LICENSE IN
TWo-WE ARE WAITING AND
LONGING,

we haven't had circus In Manassas for the
taste three years We a real circus.
"here one has to carry water for the elephant,
or sen the cook stove. pry open the children .
tin bank. or let the laapdrv wait aro,har We s.L
to get in
True. the monotony has been relieved by 9TH
er xmas OF circuses, whore people make mon
Keys OF themselves and all that but the genuine
oid-time circuses. that our fathers used to In
vent excuses to take us to. have passed us by.
iarbinger of Spring.
HoWois one to know that spring is come when
mere IL not circus poster in sight? OF course
uie caiehoar tells us that gentle Bpringtime IL
with US and those of who are gradually cool
ing on with the march of years smell the
fragrance OF the fields and woods, feel the
~ahth OF the sun. and a faint tinging OF the
fancy that our thoughts turned to with annual
precision when We were younger
BUT that is not the true sign of the advent
o. spFliS. spring never comes until tho first
tanning circus posters adorn the back fences
ana side OF barns hypnotizing you. while the
boss wonders II you ever coming to work
or women folks begin worrying the express
train from Alexandria whistles in.
Lmre of Circns Poster.
but You are an esthete and the appeal Of
eievates you above all material things. The
tiesh-pots worldly ambitions. fame and wealth.
all are forgotten in the celestial pomp and
glory pictured before your enraptured vision
S.Iaphic creatures beautiful ladies' wondrously
attred, float through the air, while Apolionio
gentlemen with their hair brushed down siicker
feats on the trapeze or turning pole. the
backs OF prancing steeds with careless grace
and 1aunty abandon that anyone with any So
ciai ambition whatever initiates the next time
he Is out in company.
Garry Water for Elephants
One Is wont to recall now. when a younsster
he slipped out OF bed before daybreak to zee
the circus come In and unload. and how he
secretly hoped that some day, II he coudn t
travel with a show, at least ne would be able
to chew tobacco like the sta drivers The
latter ambition often is more than realized. AZ
ter the boy has packed water all morning for
the elephants and cameis waste and he 10
Vhsman after polishing the zebraA stripe with
a hunk OF bologna gives 1t to the kid to eat
Some OF those menagere people awfully
good to little boys who help them.
Crave Red Lemonade
But why recall the happy, bygone days Of
chiidnood when recollection brings sadness by
comparison We want to crowd our few re-
naming years this terrestrial ball with all
the bliss we can find. We long hear the
circus band play, to the red wagons in the
gorgeous street pageant laugh with the
funny clowns al they capers in the saw
diloauent language of the side-show speiler,
feed the elephants with peanuts and drink some
moro of that red lemonade
Long for Circus.
We haven't had circus In this town In the
last three years. But Will have this
summer the city fathers, the members of
our board OF aldermen, will know the reason
why. AT a meeting Monday night they cut the
cost of the license in two. from $40 to $40
and let US all hope that some enterprising circus
into welcome that will "fl long-felt want
in this community, and tho cash box of his
tented exhibition" with coin of the realm
Manassas Democrat