The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-10-05
CROWD GIGGLES
90 MINUTES AT
HUMBUG CIRCUS
More Than Thousand People
Visit Tent to Laugh and
be Frisked.
PORTERFIELD PLAYS
MILE. HORSERADISH
Makes Hit as Daring Bareback
Rider-Haman Has
Jackass.

The Humbug circus, given under the
auspices of the Elks Lodge on the
Whitelaw lot last night, had all that
a real circus has, except the aroma.
Twelve hundred people grinned, then
giggled, and finally broke into hee-
haw- that lasted until the show was
over. 1t was ninety minutes of con-
tinuous laughter.
Emil Thilenius, disguised as wom-
an and clad in a rec, polka-dot mother
hubbard dress, and another Elk, made
up as a stage characterization of the
farmer, stood at the entrance to the
tent. and escorted the visitors to their
tseats. These two Elks started the
laughter, which became almost an cpl
demic before the circus was over.
DIR. John D. Porterfeld was among
the participants who made the big
gest hit. He was "Mlle de Horse
radish, the daring bareback rider. u
His makeup Of a woman pleased the
audience and he burlesqued his part
well. DR.. Porterfeld wore red tights
with a founcs, or whatever the ladie;
call it, Just above the hips.
The steed was hobby horse made
of wood and was attached to the stage
with a steel beam, two inches in di-
ameter. Mile. de Horseradish display
ed rare ability as trick rider. She
stood erect while the horse was spun
around the stage, and then she threw
herself over the side of the steed. drop
ped handkerchief, and after making
two revolutions of the stage, recovered
the kerchief. Mile. de Horseradish
hurled kisses at the audience at the
conclusion of each feat.
The only adverse criticism heard of
DR.. Porterfeld was directed from the
left grandstand Some unidentified
lady was overheard to say: "Her
figure is slightly bloated." This re-
mark was not impaired to DIR. Porter
field until he had concluded his act
Elmer Hannah, the Hottest man in
Cape Girardeau, made a hit in the
role Of a clown. He was custodian of
an infant iackass. which Mr.. Hannah
carried around the ring. He then
placed two links of sausage in the ba-
by iackass's mouth and twisted the
animals tail, thus giving the audience
a bird's-eye view of a sausage MILL
Magnus Dempsey, one of the clowns,
became i'll during the middle of the
performance. A horse doctor was sent
for, but none responded. Finally an
other clown, with carpenter saw, an
automobile pump and hall thermom-
eter reached the scene. After testing
the patients temperature, he applied
| th-pump. This was fastened to a rub
Der bag, secreted Under the clowns
belt. The bag was inflated to its ca
pacity and it exploded. The physician
then made an incision in the chest with
the carpenter saw. After Mr.. Demp-
sey appeared to be rapidly breaking
away from his lower extremities, the
doctor announced that the trouble had
been located. With a pair of ice-tongs
he lifted out an old hen, which squawk-
cd eXcitedly for moment and then
ran from the stage. The chicken took
refuge near DR.. Schuchert, the band
master, where it remained Throughout
the performance, and pecked itself. 1t
was reported that the pullet was full
of chiggers.
Charles Blattner, as an inmate Of
the Turkish harem, made pronounced
hit.
John Herbst was made up as "Liz-
lie, the pot wrestler and as he swag-
gered around the ring, the crowd |
cheered him literally.
Capt. Fl. W. Bridges was the chief |
of the Humbug police force. While |
he wore much coloring matter and
enough whiskers to stuff a mattress,
he possesses certain points of interest
that are not easily obscured, and it was
through these that his friends were
able to identify him., But he made a
good policeman.
Gus Hanny and Arnold Zoelsmann
we're Ben He and Ben Her, the daring
chariot racers. Mr.. Hanny drove
span of rabbit mules, but he was able
to pass Mr.. Zoelsmann in his chariot
drawn by two horses of dapple gray !
F. w. Rick, the Frisco roadmaster,
made an excellent clown and proved to
be an acrobat of. much ability. He
performed on the high pole with the
agility of a professional. Several of
the clowns showed real cleverness. Il
Alvin Freeman, the tight-rope walk