Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-24
Frederic Haskin's Letter
THE MAN WITH THE WHISTLE.

in every boy under the American
form of government. regardless Of
the calling which he chooses.
At the age of Il. Agee. an orphan
boy out for himself, crawled out Of
. box car In . little town in Kan
sas, and hurried through an atmos-.
phere that was below zero to <he
back door OF 4 farmer, where he
asked for food. and work. The
farmer gave him both. and there
the boy lived for = year. chiefly on
the back of a horse herding cattle.
Then q circus came to Superior,
Neb., 20 miles away, and all the
farmer boys took day on and
rode over. The glamOr OF 1t APP
pealed to young Agee as 1t has to
many another lad. He sought out
the particular Ringing of the seven
brothers who ran this show, find
ing him in conversation with the
mayor of Superior, who was an old
friend. He asked Ringing II he
wanted to hire any men. TO be
sure the applicant was less than
five feet tall. and weighed but 80
pounds. Ringing asked him II he
knew where there were any. men
wanting jobs. Agee said that he
was one, that he was q rider, that
he could outride anything in the
show and that he was ready for
work. The old mayor spoke up and
said that Johnnie was a right like
ly boy-and he was hired.
But he wasn't given a chance to
ride. He curried horses for nearly
a year. Then, one day, the man
who rode the champion jumping
horse OF the world came to grief
In practice, he was riding the horse
at high hurdle and the animal
instead Of taking it, planted his
/ feet and stopped short. The rider
went on and landed hard on his
head. Picking himself up slowly
and painfully he walked out of the
tent and has never been heard Of
since.
The act had to go in an hour, and
kgee volunteered to ride the jump
/ ing horse. He made good and sc
started the phase Of his career Of
horse training which ended witt
that famous stunt OF e. horses in q
single act. built into a pyramid
travelling in different ways, and al
directed by the little man who sa'
on the top of the pedestal.
But while young Agee was work
ing as a "rosinback," a name ap
piled to the stable hands because
they put rosin on the backs of thu
horses to keep the feet of the bare
back riders from slipping, he wa
nursing the ambition to become /,
trapeze performer-and he wa.
practicing. So, when q member o
a certain act failed to show up TO
work, the youthful Agee volunteer
ed, and again made good. Thu
another phase OF circus work wa
mastered.
| Then there came stretch Of sew
e-al years in the habiliments Of
clown: after that he worked as al
animal trainer. and finally assume,
the responsibilities of the big jol
Of the man with the whistle.
Last wear the big circus Of Bar
mum & Bailey, and the equally larg
organization of Ringing brothers
a were combined. into one show
Ringlings took over the task @
synchronizing the combined shows
and John R. Agee was given tn
whistle. He had been &c years O
the journey upward, but he ha
worked all the way and had fairl
won his place.
During last season the combine
circus played Superior. NeN OF
man Ringing hunted up his ancien
friend. the mayor. He took Age
with him and asked the white
bearded patriarch if he remembers
this boy. The mayor did not, Blu
was told that this was Johnni
Agee, whom, 26 years before, h
: had recommended as a right likel
boy. and who was now one of tn
kings OF the circus world.