The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-07-24

And, yea, the sword-man's castle
art.
Once NOR. the circus band toots
forth, =
The bright red wagons wind along;
And be ye south or be ye north,
We listen to the magic song"
Here she comes, feilersis This
announcement passed from boy TO
boy lined up on the curb as Ring
ling Brothers big circus parade. bands
playing and wagons creaking, appear
ed downtown today. Elephants,
clowns. band, snake charmer and
all the rest were there. After several
thousand urchins had tagged the big
procession to the show grounds Il
was pronounced "the best ever
Grown folks were on hand. too.
With little girls clinging TO them.
mothers and fathers became as rest
less and excited as the younger ones
Circus day had hardly dawned
when people began coming into the
city. All railways and country roads
led 10 the blue pennanted canvas
city. All of the railroads brought
In excursions on special trains and
long before the parade reached. down
town. the streets were thronged with
people. The Ringing Brothers have
always, kept their promises and their
loudly heralded street parade was
another proof that their word Is
good.
Was Brilliant Display.
No more glittering and brilliant
display has ever been made in this
city. The parade nearly three miles
in length was one amending array OF
novelties. light and color. The IA.
nous Ringing horses, both IN the
teams and the cavaicades, mounted
By men and women in the gorgeous
costumes made splendid showing.
Pretty and effective pictures were
made by the tableau cars which
were filled with girls in gay garb.
There was plenty OF music and our
old friends, the clowns. received a
welcome equal to congressman COM
ing home with job for every Office
hunter.
The first OF the four trains which
transports the Ringing outfit from
place to place reached the city
shortly after dawn. As fast as
the sections arrived they were shunt-
ed on to the sldings. Here the UNI
loading took place and q continuous
cavalcade of wagons. red and golden
chariots and all the rainbow trap
pings OF Spangletown wendell ifs
way from the tracks 20 the show
grounds. &
Youngsters Were on Hand.
Scattered groups of youngsters and
those grownups who are always Peter
Pans when the circus comes 10
town we're on hand when the
first train arrived. They watched
and marveled at the swiftness and
precision OF the unloading process.
There was neither lost time nor
motion In getting the show equipment
from the cars TO the grounds The
grinding brakes Of the incoming trains
seemed as signals. The interior Of
Of the sleepers was astir In a
twinkling. Men stretched their limbs,
and tumbled from the cars. A 81
gantc task awaited them. but they
were ready for It. With scarcely
an ORDER so wen were these trained
I'm their duties, hundreds jumped :. to
their places and at once became
parts OF that engine of life. each
going about his appointed work with
out hesitancy or doubt
Then came the procession through
the streets. And there was that
peculiar something about the neigh
ing OF the horses, the deep thninp
OF the wagon wheels and the clanking
OF the harness which every comniii-
nifty longs TO hear at this season Of
the year and which infects one
with that lndescribable longing for the
interior OF the white tents which,
for want OF a better phrase. is
called "red wagon fever"
Scene at Show Ground.
At the show grounds the scene
was one Of methodicai turmoil. Men
emptied huge wagons and began pitch
ing the dining and cook tents. One
mammoth. affair on wheels opened,
SIS sides and. beholdi there was a
tweive-foot range which 20 minutes
later had been fred, and was alive
with sizzling chops and bacon. Another
wagon disclosed a donkey engine
boiler that was quickly emitting steam
which. carried to immense, caidfons by
means OF pipes. was merfily boiling
potatoes or turning cold water and
Java into piping hot coffee. In the
meantime. the white OF the dining
tents had risen ghostiike against the
night sky. vast tables had been laid
with cloths and service. and pfestol
all the people OF the FIRST train section
were seated for all the world like.
some gigantic picnic party.
Ground Alive With Men.
At dawn this morning. the grounds
we're alive WITH men. The niena-
gerie's top had begun 10 go into
the air and likewise the mammoth
main tent. which measures $50 feet
s-L1.arf - L<ttt~t LII lite f4<.s4l