Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-08-27
A CIRCUS BAND STORY
THERE is MUCH CHARM TO THE
ROWING LIFE.
Vance Colvig, Free-F Footed Wanderer
Loves to Follow the Big Red
Wagons of the Circus.

The circus has gone. 1t took will
it its outstanding feature, the band
an organization of first-class musi
clans who. take up the free-footed
life of the "high top" armies for the
pure love of travel, and for the little
adventure they can get from the daily
grind of two shows, parades and prac-
tice. 1t is a restless, discontented
group of amiable young fellows who
seem to have the instinct OF hoboism
covered with the smooth veneer given
by good family ties and education. A
man must have some few OF the finer
sensibilities in his makeup to be a
musician, and it is not so much to his
discredit if he chooses the carefree,
rowing life of the modern troubador.
THE circus bandmen are mostly in
their twenties, most Of them are edn-
Gated either in high school or college,
and many can trace their family con-
nections creditably. There are a num-
ber Of college graduates IN the organ
ization and as naturally accustomed
to dress suit as they are to the
green uniform of the band. The
leader, E. A. Woeckener, has collect
ed and capably trained the band. He
is careful in his selection Of material,
and when he finds really good mu-
sician he can usually interest him In
an AL. G. Barnes contract, no matter
what his previous condition OF servi-
tude may have been nor what his vo-
cation is.
One of these is "Pinto, known
to his family and good friends as
Vance DeBar Colvig, rowing youth
of many talents, and known to thou
sands of people from end to end OF
the United States by his nickname,
awarded in honor of his very freckled
face. Studying himself the box-car
idol, the break-beam tourist and the
society tramp, he has followed circus
band life for many years and has
been taken to practically every city
in the United States and Canada.
Occasionally "Pinto" foregoes the
charms of the wandering musicians
life and says he will settle down.
When he settles he employs his tai
ents as a cartoonist to bring him
living, and they bring a good one.
He is an artist compared to most
cartoonists, and can almost command
a position in that work. His own
story of his last settlement is inter
esting. He was employed last year
as cartoonist on the Carson City
New News, where his little horse,
used as Reynolds uses his tiger, and
called "Pinto's Nightmare" won
him great popularity. Barnes circus
was billed to show in Carson City IN
the early spring of this year. He sat
at his easle, immune to the call of the
big tents and the pleas of his former
colleagues. Along came Mr.. Woeck-
ener, who said: "Pinto, think of the
life; think of the world you see. "
"Ah, Shucks,'' says Pinto, "gimme
contract That's the way it is
with Pinto. His father is Judge Col
Wig, for eight years at Medford, and
at present head of the tax and right
of-way department of the Southern
Pacific, with offices in Portland. The
Judge is well-known in Dallas where
his legal work has brought him many
times. He cannot influence his son to
calm himself, but thinks, as does the
young fellow himself, that he will IL
nally end his roaming by the time he
is thirty years old. Pinto allows him
self that much time, he is twenty-five
now, to adjust himself to normal con-
ditions of existence. Pinto tried for
a number of years to get college
education. As soon as the circus
started out each spring, however. he
would forsake his studies and climb
on the band wagon. Some of those
who knew him i'll college. asked HIM
on Tuesday what he thought he would
do when he was too old to play the
E-fat clarinet, and too old TO WELD
the pen and ink in his present mas
terful style. Colvig looked shocked
at the question. and asked in retort:
What do you think they build poor
houses for?" He attributes his loose
footedness to peculiar disease, over
which he has no power, and calls the
nalady the "niggers itch" Which
i must be to make talented youth,
capable of earning better money at
music or at art, foresake good home,
pleasant surroundings and chance
IN the world, for the charm of the
zig white canvassed arena, and the
oy of waking up, as Pinto puts it,
in a new town every morning, with
of strange faces in sea
about the cars seeking curiosity as
A.. I L..