The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-24
HERE'S A GOOD THING
BY the stroller.

What, no. the carnival"
My attention was attracted to the
froegoing exclamation emanating from
a stilted Individual, sandwich man
New Workers would call him. Not the
least noticeable thing about the lanky
indlvidual-lanky because he was
perched upon stills of such length
that they lowered him high above the
heads of others, was a plug hat or
deer" which but accentuated his
elongated appearance. A crowd of
considerable proportions had pressed
in SO close around him that naviga-
ton of the stilted one was out of ques-
ton. He was fortunate in being able
to retain his equilibrium.
Curiosity impelled me to cross the
street and satisfy myself as TO the
why and wherefore of the spectacle.
1t did not take me long to learn that
the sandwich man" was drum ming
up patronage for the World at Home
shows, which are holding forth at
Broad and Robinson streets.
Having nothing IN particular to do
and seeking advertisement, l followed
the crowd. 1t seemed that everyone
was enroute to the carnival grounds.
The cars were pretty well crowded. so
/ hailed a passing "jitney' and was
The first thing that attracted my
attention was an inviting Welcome
in electric letters which beckoned me
in / was surprised when | discovered
that there was no entrance fee. /
should have remembered reading In
the papers The announcement that the
midway was free. Most carnivals
charge merely for the privilege of en-
tering the grounds. The World at
Home shows do not
| Although The hour was early
! possibly II thousand people had pre-
! ceded me. Every one had entered
I fully into the spirit of the OCCASION
I and tabloid mardi gras spread IT.
| self before my gaze.
! White news print costs too much
| to unfold to Virginian readers all that
! transpired during even the short time
II was within the enclosure. Suffice II
to say that any one in search OF
amusement is amply repaid In time
effort and money spent in visiting the
/ World at Home shows.
, One OF the moving snirits OF the big
show met this chronicler with a hearty
handshake and conducted him through
several Of the side shows and other
| attractions Perhaps the most inter
esting of these excursions was trip
through Underground Chinatown,
which Ia almost as good as visit to
New York city's Chinatown. and which
recalled memories of Mott street, Third
avenue and Bowery.
THE House of a Thousand Won
dcrs." although the title perhaps is a
little misleading, is well worth a
visit, nevertheless. Here one sees
'Mysta." Il mite of maid, as pretty
Is a picture. squeeze herself into "a
cabinet through which are passed a
dozen or more swords until 1t seems
"a II one of more must pierce the body
Of the little lady. She energies from
the ordeal, however, unscathed and re-
ceives the plaudits OF the crowd. In
the same enclosure are "Spidora, the
splder girl; Haieebis, who demon
states the Turkish torture cross" and
Leach, the human picture gallery. or
tattooed man
A side show of freaks offers a two
snake "enchantress." bohemian glass
blowers and an emaciated cigarette
"fiend."
Then there is a down South" plan
tatfon exposition, Rhoda Royals ami
NAL circus. a quartet of shapely and
daring water nymphs, Hagers auto
drome with It's death -defying, hair
raising motorcycle riders, a circle
swing, a carousel, wheels of fortunes,
@ane and knife racFs, baby stands and
the thousand and one things that go to
make up midway, not forgetting tho
hot dog" pink lemonade and peanut
stands. Even the "elefunts" are there.
You could do whole lot worse than
take n trip to the World at Home
shows.