The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-02
CIRCUSCOMES TO GLADDEN.
 MULTITUDES Immense Crowd Sees "The
 Greatest Ever" This
 Afternoon THOUSANDS WATCH BIG FEATURE PARADE Day Fair and Bright for Home Coming of City's
 Best Known Institution

Oh! The elephant Re was there,
 And so was the white bear.
 The Pony and camel and that's
 For even in State strode. the Giraffe tall.
 Yes, and even more than that for Bridgeport's pride came into it's own with the early dawn when the Bar mum and Bailey Greatest Show ons Earth came not to winter here but. to conquer, and even down to the lowest ranks, there was the pride of display which in the great parade bore evidence in the manner that an irnals were made to walk and equeg- tr1ennes jauntily sat on their horses.
 The weather was propitious and old Sol Shone, down upon a mixed and happy throng which gathered from far and near at an early hour, that they might get choice positions along the line of march, and stand for weary hours in expectation ,of the coming gigantic and gorgeous pageant of pagan and Christian worlds
 It was a motley, yet happy throng which lined the principal thorough fares through which the stately pro- cession marched. There was the ru- ral citizen whose spruceness of ap-s pearance almost reeked with the moth-balls in which his clothing had been pressed since the last big event. His hardy helpneet stood beside him, carefully guarding the flock of chill dren whose anxious apprehension kept them unceasingly in danger of losing their places or getting run over as with big eyes they craned their necks and tugged at their mothers guarding hands striving 70 anticipate the coming columns by peering into the dim vista Of the distance.
 There was the mechanics off for the day in his natty and modern-cut clothes, the butcher, the baker and grocery-boy, filled with the spirit of the occasion. Parked in vantage points in the side streets were the cars of the well-to-do, with hand somely dressed women and children, the little ones longing to be with their more lowly-bred kind upon the curb. while from the windows of the larg- CT office buildings the businessman l of the community and his steno-# I graphers, clerks and friends glanced downward to see the passing throng; even the roofs held their quota. For l it was a surging mass or people who gathered in the heart of the city to do honor and homage to a Made in Bridgeport product.
 Even the local storekeeper forgot for the nonce to criticize the authori- ties who det the circus come to town to take away it's money, for it was realized by all that here it was not the usual take away but that it meant long months of expenditure in the winter quarters of the. great cir GUS. And the joy was not all upon 1 the sidewalks for in the parade itself, far from the usual nonchalence and irksomeness of the daily plodding through countless thousands of strangers, was the feeling This is My Home Town and every eye upon the duslxy Numbering animals and the Igaily caparisoned horse. or upon the stately gilded coach was striving to find loved ones in the great jam.
 Even the slouching gum whose existence is almost eliminated by the lynx eyed vigilance of the modern Ecircus travelling detectives, forgot to take advantage of the agricultur1StS he felt to see that his wallet still rested in the hidden recesses of his coat. For he knew that to rob the friend of a performer in Bridgeport ment merited chastisement of all his profession when the fact became known.
 And before the parade was herald
 ed by the advance riders on their wiry active mounts, the little ones had plenty to keep their eyes popping, for the pin-wheel, popcorn. and bal loon vendors, with canes and flags to vary the montonoy were a con stant source of wonderment, and when Willie broke his gas-filled uubber bag there was uncle or aunLle to buy him another.
 While the gilt and gaudy trapp1ngs brought open-eyed wondern1ent to the youngster there were grey-h heads in that crowd who were glad of the e1- cuse to take the little ones" anH their interest was identical, for the l circus appealed to them as of yores l and in their minds they pictured the 1 great "P. T.'' as he once rode tr1um-s phant in spIendor through the self same streets. To their minds eye came the Stone Murray shows which 1 once wintered here, and even the l Coops one ring circus which even pre- ceded the greats how of today. And I passing over three generations of cir cusdom some of the older spectators l could recall the faces they once knew
 as with smaller parades the same feeling of pride existed in the Home l of the Circus" l At the corner of Fairfield avenue
 and Main street were the pride of the l local force, Keeping back the young eters and helping the aged across the street Al Goulden. once with the l big top.' directed traffic from the 1 center, Capt Began with the aid of 1 Captain Redgate in citizens clothes. Sergt Walker and other policemen held the pressing line in check, and kept the coast clear even when
 breWe wagon passed and the thirsty crowd were regaIed by the sight of squirting fountain of beer from 9 leaky keg.
 ] Later as the parade swung around
 lcontin,1ed on Paga 2l