The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-10-20
A GALA DAY.
Fifteen Thousand People With
in Our Gates Last Fridayi

LaSl Friday was circus day in Rich
mond. The Barnum & Bailey Greatest
Show on Earth, came on schedule time
and gave one performance in the after
noon on the Moberley lot north of the
city. pulled stakes and was speeding
over the rails towards Knoxville by nine
o'clock. 1t is a thing now of the past
But to many, it was a revelation, an
inspiration, and will be Joy forever.
In the lives of many, it will linger a
pleasant memory until the shadowy
hand of death draws the veil of night
across their vision.
Early in the morning the great crowd
began to gather. They came by the
train loads. by automobiles, in wagons
and buggies, on horseback, and on foot.
Long before the parade, which was
given at IL o'clock, a. m Main street
for four blocks, and all around the
Court house square, was one seething,
surging mass of humanity; and there
were people galore everywhere else
about town. 1t was conservatively es-
timated that fully fifteen thousand peo-
pie were within our gates, not counting
home folks"
The day was ideal. and the vast
crowd was happy, smiling and con-
tented one. A number of extra police
men and traffic officers were on hand TO
keep all vehicles moving so the streets
would not become congested, and the
force is TO be highly commended for
the efficient manner in which it handled
the great throng. There was not a
bobble-not an. accident to mar the
pleasure of the day. Considering the
great number of people here, there was
little disorder. Those who became Of
fensive in any manner, were snatched
from the crowd by vigilant cop and
placed in the cooler" there to await
the dawn of another day.
When the doors of the great circus
were thrown open, thousands were
lined up and passed into the tented
city, which was great, grand and won-
derful sight to behold The show was
a marvellous production. There was
too much for the human eye to see at
one performance; too much for the
mind TO comprehend. There we're sew
en- rings, and every act and feat was a
marvel within itself, and amazed and
electrified the happy throng. The me-
nagerie was complete with wild beasts
and rare birds from all quarters of the
earth, and source of unlimited interest
and pleasure. There were nearly fif
teen thousand souls beneath that tent
who went through the menagerie and
witnessed the splendid and magnificent
performances. II resembled an old
fashioned William Jennings Bryan
crowd.
Our merchants did a nice business
and thousands of dollars were circulated.
The show put many dollar in circula-
tion in our city that would have been
spent elsewhere. We have heard some
old tight wads" and a few who pass
as sensible men howl about the great
amount ef money the circus people look
out of our town. There was more
money left in our town than was taken
away. The country people and people
from neighboring towns and counties
paid the bills, and not US. But some
men who can not control every dollar
that is spent and add it to their boarded
gold bewail the fact that some other
fellow gets dollar. Fie, on these hu-
man hogs. What pity they did not
die with the cholera when they were
pigs. The laboring man-those who
toll and spin-those who till the soil
and garner the crops, are entitled to
some recreation. The boy and girl
back on the farm-the bone and sinew
, of generations to be-who rarelp ever
come TO town, but work early and late,
are entitled to some recreation and
, amusement, and so is father and moth
er, too Uncle Bob, Aunt Kate, and
cousin John. Deprive them of all rec
reation and pleasure, and you crush
their spirit and damn their souls.
Friday whole families were here.
spent their hard earned money and
, took in the show. They were enthused.
5 thrilled and charmed, and will go back
D TO work refreshed-Ihere TO mediate,
to dream, and to converse in the days
to come of tho glories of the departed
S day. Thirty one years ago. lacking just
three days, the writer then a bare
footed boy dowu on the farm, saw this
same show, and it has been oae of the
I pleasant recollections OF his life Posi-
I bly, many a boy here on last Friday,
. thirty years hence, will, with fond
d recollection, recall the delights of the
/ past.
!, To the tight wad' and Crouch. we
would say: % Go and hide yourself
: There should be no place on earth for
\ you. "All work and no play makes oil
Jack dull boy" 1t is false economy
to dwarf the human spirit to hoard d
few paltry dollars. So. let US have a
N few circuses, even if it does cost lit
tie money, for it brings JOY 70 thous
ands of hearts and homes. And, remem-
Der, ''old top" you don't live but once
and you can not take your boarded golC
gold with you Father Time says, .'Com,
and go with me- Agood, hearty laugh
is worth all the boarded gold in christ
endom. And the circus is the nursery
of laughs. Let's have them.
III \