The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

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conceal the look OF envy on his voice
as Mr.. Graham denotated.
There were the MacPhersons, also
Old TO Western frst nighters at Ring
ling shows but new to Manhattan. which
heretofore merely has seen the Barnum
q Bailey. The MacPhcrsons, of course,
wore their kilties in their riding stunt,
which also was the last word in riding
stunts. They spoiled tho whole circus
for tho eminent humorist, Mr.. Don
Clark.
1T seems to me-" said Mr.. Clark,
that there 10 an element of a wheeze
in the fact that bare kneed Scots are
doing a bareback act. can't fashion
the wheese concretely IA yet. but l am
going over to Cyril Dempsey's and work
the jollity out"
And Mr.. Clark stayed so long at
Dempsey's working on his blue prints
of the Joke that he never did get back
TO the Garden until the show was over.
And then II was too late.
Tho glories seemed greatest when four
trumpeters In Oriental garb blew pre-
liminary blasts on trumpets with rau-
cousness that drowned out even the
noise OF an overflow audience crunching
peanuts. But the glories became greater
than greatest a moment later when
somebody threw a lever on n packstage
switchboard: what seemed to be a per-
fectly lighted Garden on the instant
flashed into blaze OF glory.
And then came forth all that Mr.. Bar
mum and Mr.. Bailey ever had been abio
to do. plus the greater things that John
and Ar and young Charley could do In
the matter Of opening paseants-a scin-
hrn han ID .xlA
gents bedecked In the fun and feathers
Of the swashbuckling days Of fair
France, elephants aslitter with the glor-
les Of tho Durbar and elephants swing
ing along tandem fashion with gorgeous
cars In their wake four In hand cam
els drawing more cars and--thanks to
some one who remembered that little
children also attend circuses---whito
ponies drawing Cinderella In her coach
OF white and gold. gnomes and fairies
that made Hans Christian Andersen and
tho Brothers Grimm come to life again.
the witch that swept the sky with her
broom and all the beauties OF childlore.
even the German fairy tales that are 30
lovely that they have no place in Prus-
sinnism.
Elephants in White spats.
The fifteen performing elephants
trotted out then, their toenails white
washed like the rocks which guide a
motorist UP the dark driveway of q
Westchester county roadhouse. SO
many Barnum and Ringing acts spilled
into the arena before the elephants had
quite retired that In a moment not only
the air above the three rings and two
''plaforms' was fully occupied. but
three other aerial "acts''--probably
overfiows from the Ringing show
were occupying simultaneously odd cor
ners OF the Garden.
The best dog performer the Garden
has seen came forth. The greatest bare
back rider. irreverently known az
"Poodles" Hanneford. accompanied by
all his family. flashed into view. Lady
butterflies futtered through the air,
while other ladies, wearing aigrettes
that even the e1travagant Flo Ziegteld
need not have been ashamed OF on an
opening night, whirled about In the rings
below.
Miss Bird Miilman. who has been APP
pearing on the Amsterdam roof all win
ter. quit Flo nat and came into the tan
bark arena to hear herself announced
by the imaginative Lew Graham as
''the-e-e-e-e emp se-s-s-s-s OF the-e-e-e
bad fall at the opening performance.
which wasn't her fault. but the tumble,
which landed her on her head and neck
and would have killed any ono else, did
not interfere with the snappiness Of her
subsequent performances.
And there was Signor Bagonghi, n
star OF the Barnum aggregation. and the
Clarkonians, stars OF the Ringing show.
and so many other stars Of both circuses
that even the temporary absence Of
Miss May wirth. who didn't get in from
Cuba In time yesterday to appear, was
overlooked, almost.
Which leaves something for the audi
ences who will gather at the Garden
tomorrow afternoon and night and for
weeks thereafter to look forward to.
For not only will all OF Mr.. Barnum
and Mr.. Bailey and Mr.. John and Mr..
ALI and Mr.. Charley Ringling's shows,
rs seen at the Garden yesterday. be on
hand. but also will Miss Bird Millman
and her solid gold baskets be among
those present.