Evening star., 1921-05-08

out later that il was quite an ordi-
nary thing for boys to run away from
home and join the circus. And the
men didn't mind. because the boys
were always glad to do their work
for them. / worked hard and, in re-
turn. the men saw that l had some
thing to cat. That night | slowed
away again in the wagon.
In Buffalo ] was told TO see the
boss-the head property man-and /
went, trembling for fear he was GO
ing to send me back home. Instead.
he told me that l might have the job
Of property boy. which would give me
s25 month. my meals and a place to
sleep-if ] could find one. There were
no sleeping accommodations for the
canvas and property crews: we rolled
up in the most comfortable places we
could find, and we were always so
dead tired that we didn't care much
where we slept.
CINCE those early days in the cir
- Gus I've been around the world
many times. and I've seen all sorts
Of men. living and working in all
sorts Of conditions. but I've never
found a harder life than that Of prop
crty boy. unless. perhaps. it's that of
a Malay prisoner. Sometimes l won
der how ! stood it and why / liked
il. But ] did stand IL and. what is
more. I loved it SO much that l per-
suaded the boss to keep me on when
we went into winter quarters.
The moment we arrived at town
the head canvasman rode to the lot
on which we were to show and laid
II out: that is, he measured it and
decided on the location of the tents.
The men with him drove small stakes
to indicate where the tent pegs were
l.
property gang unloaded the show.
Then we drove the four-foot stakes
for the dressing tent into whatever
kind of ground the lot happened to
have. A man can work up a good
appetite by swinging 14-pound ham
rner for an hour or so before break
fast. but before we started we had
also many other things 10 do. The
dressing tent had TO be spread and
hoisted: then the properties were
the performers to get ready for the
parade Meanwhile the canvas gang
was getting the big top up. Then.
when the parade started. we went to
the big top" and arranged the prop
critics there, made the rings. adjusted
the guys, ropes and wires for the
aerial acts and laid out all the para
phernalia for the ground acts: While
we were doing these things the can
vas men were stringing the seats.
Then We had breakfast
When the parade returned, there
were cages to be placed in the me-
nagerie tent and the parade proper
ties to be prepared for shipping. BY
tho time that work was finished the
crowds had arrived for the show and
We stood by TO handle the tackle Of
tho various acts. AL night, after the
show had started. We began taking
down the smaller tents and slowing
tho properties just as fast as they
came from the big top" Then, when
tho show was loaded. We took one
last look over the lot to be sure that
nothing had been left behind.
No, we didn't care much where we
siept-just any spot where we drop
ned was good enough.
My greatest interest was in tho ami
mails especially the elephants. In my
spare nllnutes-they were mighty few
and far between--T talked with the
keepers and learned from them many
things about the care of animals.
When we went into winter quarters
at Columbus. Ohio, the head anma !
man agreed TO le; me stoy as keeper.
THE next season ! went with the
Adam Forepaugh show: then
with tho Frank Robbins show.
learned the circus business from the
ground up and was rapidly promot-
- In 1ss3. ! Joined Il. W. f'rycr's $