The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-22
BY MARION BARTEL.

SellS-ElOtO circus and, 1t Is said, the
most highly paid circus performer in
the world. He sat in a folding camp
chair before d small tent, the Hanne-
ford dressing room. Frank Brade1,
press agent for the circus, leaned
against a pole throwing in com-l
ment now and then. The famous
clown is a handsome man, smaller
than average. black haired and dark
eyed. He spoke with the broad "a" of
an Englishman.
I'm an American only by adop-
tion," he said. 1.-The Hannefords are
English, you know. I was born in
Yorkshire myself. You see, I've been
in the circus business since 1 was six
years old. My father owned a circus,
the Hanneford circus. and we traV-
eIled around all over England and
ireland. We had travelling wagons
that were all fitted up almost like
Pullmans- My father had a beautiful
one. huge thing, wonderfully fitted
You know the roads in Ireland are
all walled in, leaving only a narrow
lane. and so this wagon of fathers
couldn't get thru generally. You
so father finally got a canvas wagon
with steel rails sticking out on either
side This wagon would go on ahead
of the circus. Enthusiastically, of
and then fathers wagon car would
come along. Each of US had one.
had one and my sister had one-you
see, it wasn't like buying an automo-
bile. You could buy them for very
reasonable prices"
Hanneford said that his name is
properly pronounced Hanny-ford. It
is spelled with an ''e'' in the middle
also, not an "a" as most people spell
it.
It's n Family Affair.
There aren't so many of the orig
inal Hanneford troupe right now" he
said. MY mother was hurt a little
while ago and had to stop for awhile.
My wife went back to New York last
week too
You ought to see their baby.
Gracie-the cutest little girl. She
rules the show when she's here"
This is her picture" and Hanne-
ford handed over a picture of an ador-
able baby OF about a year and a half.
She was blonde and curly-headed and
mischievous. 81 guess she's going to
| make a circus rider, too, the way she
acts. There's a big horse over there
that she calls hers, and she sits on
his back as long as We'll let her, even
goes to sleep up there, and she's al
ways wanting to buy candy for him.
If she does go into circus riding, she'll
be the fifth generation OF Hanneford
in the business
"I don't want to stay in this bust
ness too long" he said. what want
to do finally is to go on a farm. My
lfather-in-law has a beautiful farm in
Connecticut, and ] think that when
the public gets tired of me, I'll take
up farming there"
YES, when he can't find any more
vault room for his money" Braden
said derisively.
"A man is about thru for riding
and that sort of thing when hes
around forty. Lots of the circus peo-
pie go into farming after that, but
they don't always stick with it,
What do they do with their winters
when they're not working in the
circus?'
"Oh, some of them stay at home,
but most of them go into vaudeville.
That's where most circus people come
from in the first place, anyway. = T.
have been playing in the Winter Gar
den every winter now for some time.
They want me back this winter, but
L haven't had a vacation in six years,
and 1 guess maybe I'll be lazy this
time"
He shook his head scornfuily when
he was asked If circuses ever had
fights between the audience and the
circus hands the way they used to in
the old days.
Moo. I've been in the business
since was a baby and I've never seen
one yet. but" he smiled, they happen
in the story books, SO they must be
true"
"OId time stuff" Braden comment
ed. Now how'd you like to go over
to the dressing rooms? I'll put you in
charge of the wardrobe miStess and
she'll take care of you"
The dressing room tent was a little
distance from the big top" divided
into two canvas rooms, marked on the
door flaps Gents and Ladies'" In
between the two was lane. where the
wardrobe mistress was busily patch
ing a jingly suit with the aid of a
hand-power sewing machine. A vi
vacious little blonde Austrian girl. her
a rapid-fire conversation with her.
She was introduced as Mitzi, and made
a funny little bob of a foreign courtesy
before she dashed off again.
The woman's dressing room was
filled with girls. dressing for the
spec" as they called the grand en-
trance. Everyone is required to take
part in ''the spec" except a privileged
few, like the Hannefords. Some were
washing in pals of soapy water that
stood by each wardrobe trunk. Lines
hung along the tent wall, filled with
all kinds of clothing. A girl was
asleep in the cover of her trunk. A
beautiful little Japanese woman with
shoulders and arms of delicate sym
metry, leaned over her mirrow.
she Is stronger than most men,"
said the wardrobe mistress. 'She's
in a wrestling act That little Spanish
girl down there is awfully strong, too
shoulders"
a tan, regal woman was introduced
as Miss Leclare. 1T isn't my own
name, but I've gone under it for so
long it seems almost as If it were."
she said. Circus people don't as a
rue have stage names now the way
they used to do" She was a friendly,
pleasant woman. who rode an ele-
plant in the spec" had a dog act,
and substituted for Poodles Hanne-
ford's mother in his riding act.
The circus presently began Braden
had secured a wonderful seat for the
reporter, right in the center. and in
common with everyone else. she near
" dislocated her neck trying to see
everything at the same time.
la "a aIa