davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-11-01

Mrs. Lottie Udall of Johnson was a
visitor in town Monday.
Earl Slayton, student at the
U. V. M, spent Sunday at his home
here. T.
Miss Bertha Foss has been spend
ing several days with relatives in
Stowe.
Mrs. C. F. Tillotson was in Bur-
lington the past week, when she at
tended the State w. c. T. u. conven-
ton.
The village has laid duplicate
line of pipe across the river some 25
rods above the present line from the
water reservoirs, as a precautionary
measure in case the old line should
be washed out during high water or
broken by the ice going out at any
time.
The condition of Mrs. Minnie
Steele, who has been i'll for some time,
remains practically the same.
Mr.. and Mrs. H. r. Farnham and
children spent Sunday at the home
of Alton Wheeler in Waterbury.
Miss Presley of Walden spent the
weekend at the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. Arthur Knapp of Richmond
street.
Mrs. la George of Burlington
spent part of last week at the home
of her brother, c. D. Kendall, of the
Wolcott road.
Mr.. and Mrs. H. Waite and grand
daughter, Miss Dorothy Waite, went
Saturday to New York for ten days
stay with relatives.
Mr.. and Mrs. B. A. Palmer and two
children of st. Johnsbury spent Sun
day at the home of Mrs. Palmer's
sister, Mrs. w. NJ. Sargent.
Albert Kendall, 12-year-old son of
Mr.. and Mrs. c. ID. Kendall of the
Wolcott road, fell from a high beam
in their barn on Sunday, sustaining
a compound fracture of his right arm.
X-ray pictures were taken Monday
and on Tuesday he was taken to the
hospital for treatment.
Mr.. and Mrs. c. T. Morrill, and
Miss Loucille, and son,
Donald, ard Carroll SillOway were
visitors in North Wolcott Sunday.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-11-01

Mr.. and Mrs. r. C. Wallace, Mrs.
George SaXby, past president of the
S. of V. auxiliary; Mr.. Butterfeid,
commander of the James M. Warren
Pest; Don Sanders, commander of
the S. of v; DR.. George L. Bates,
commander of the American Legion;
Mrs. Percy Sweetser, vice-president
of the American Legion auxiliary
Mrs. Emma Spear, Mr.. and Mrs.
C. A. Spiller, Mr.. and Mrs. James
Eaton, Mr.. and Mrs. A. r. Campbell,
Mr.. and Mrs. Adelbert Warren, Mr..
and Mrs. Walter Ward, Mrs. Lizzie
'Gile, Mrs. Edna Billings, Mr.. and Mrs.
D. j. Montgomery, Miss Susan Dow
ner, Mr.. and Mrs. Maurice Greene,
Mrs. Ruth Mould, Mrs. Fanny Greene
were among the members of Coral
Chapter, who visited Riverside Chap
ter at Hardwick, Wednesday evening,
at special meeting.
Miss Ramona Barrows is conva-
lescent after several days illness.
On Wednesday evening a recep-
ton was given by the James M. War
rem Post, w. r. c., at the home of
their President, Mrs. Annie Wallace,
to the Post, S. of ", their auxiliary;
American Legion and American Le-
gion auxiliary. There were about IS
present. The guests were received
by following: Mrs. w. III. Skinner of
the Woman's Relief Corps, extended
greetings to the different organia-
tions, after which the following inter
esting program was rendered: char
acter song, Frederick Whelton;
French dialect reading, Leonard D.
Smith; flute duet, Miss Dorothy
Waite, Willard Sanders, accompanied
by Mrs. A. w. Waite. After the
the guests were invited to
the dining room, where refreshments
of fruit salad, Parker house rolls, as
sorted cake and coffee were served.
The American Legion boys then
rendered several songs which were
most thoroughly enjoyed.
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
Merely a Little Sidetight
On Circus Ethics

Circus people aren't cruel, however. Just
because they could accept the mans death and
not feel the least sorry about it does not
mean that they are without human feeling.
have never seen any people who would go
further to help q man who is sick or in trou-
ble They are the most human people in the
world and the most generous. But for caste
and ethics there is nothing this side ef India
which can beat them. # you offend, zoe are
snubbed cnully-snubbed out of the
business, or down the scale until you can get
sn engagement only in some fifth-cass show
That is why remarkably good performer is
found sometimes in a bad show; he is an out
cast, probably, who has offended.
The highest class is composed Of aerialsts
and equestrians who have been in the circus
since childhood and whose parents and grand
parents have probably been circus people
Lion tanners come further down the scale
since they are likely to be-just as I was
people who have been drawn into the gane
from the outside world. The fact that was
P. 7. Barnuns grandnephew gave me some
standing, but not nearly SO much IS if my
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
Lions Hdue Personalities
Same as People

Lions are as different in their personalities at
people, and each lion must he handled accord
ing to his disposition OF the hundreds have
worked with, 7 have never found two that you
could treat alike. Any greater generalization
On the subject Of lio|S is bound to be false; snd
the same thing stands for their trainers.
There is general idea that trainers are
brutal, that they mistreat their animals to
make them obey On the other hand some
people who are just as sentimental believe
that all trainers use love and kndenss. Both
are wrong. have seen plenty who, it seemed
to me, went into the game for the sole pur
pose of venting the brutality they were afraid
to take out on other human beings. Some
times they were abomnably cruel. And
have never seen one of that type who stayed
in the game for more than two years with
out getting killed or terribly injured.
The big circus wont have such men. For
one thing. animals are expensive and they
cannot stand bad treatment; and, for an
other, brutal trainers are so despiscd by other
performers that there is always bound to he
trouble in the show Real circus people love
animals TOO much to have any respect for Z
brute of a man.
One day / Was standing on the other side
Of the tent when trainer of that breed en-
tered 4 cage and, for no reason at all, struck
at a honess with his whip. He had been
warned that even the slightest touch of the
whip would drive that particular animal al
most crazy, but ne wanted TO show what
daredevil trainer he was. In fash she
downed him and sank her teeth into his neck.
Seconds passed before person stirred to his
aid Undoubtedly he dead before any
# us could have reached him; but we all had
the same thought. 1t was Just what we had
been expecting for days, and none Of US
broken-hearted when it came. For my part
turned my back and walked away, leaving it
TO the punks TO pull what left Of him out
cf the cage.
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

Continued on page teD
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

II IS not considered i disgrace TO Kill an
animal when you are in real danger-unless
1t is your own stupidity in getting into such
a postion-but if you let your nerves mas
ter yon and Kill when there is any other way
cut, your career as a trainer is over News
travels rapidly in the circus world, and no
owner wants a trainer who is a killer. T
knew one woman 10 kill three leopards within
a few weeks with no other reason than that
she lost her nerve | have never had TO kill
but there nave been tines when my trigger
finger has pressed pretty heavily
The lions acted as though they belonged to
madhouse that performance. One OF them
sprang at me as ! entered the cage and went
back snar!ing, at the end Of the bar The
noise he made aroused the nerves Of the
Others, and it took me at least five minutes TO
sooth them by talking to them and patting
them. Strangely enough il was not I they
resented, but each other. Since the accident
20 the previous trainer they had not been
in one cage together, saw at once that
the greater danger was general free-for-a
fight Of lions rather than an attack upon me.
The punks stood by with bars ready to jab
and prod if fight started, while walked
about winning their confidence
When | felt they were calm enough
passed the music cue to the bandmaster who
struck up the tune for the act. Instantly a
change came over the animals, and at my COM
m&nd they took their places obedjently They
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

were so well-l nnered that l decided even
10 DO the carpet act" which l had told the
owner I would cut from the performance until
| knew them better
The carpet act'-thc lions lie down side
by side and the trainer lies across them
is dangerous because the trainer is in
bad nosition to defend himself Before he
can ~ 10 his feet, one lion may get his claws
into action.
They lay quietly upon the floor and let me
take my place on top Of them. was no sooner
in position than l saw the tail Of the lionesa
at my feet twitch quickly, just as the tail
Of house cat tFvitches when it spies mouse.
BY the strange teepathy which animals have,
her uneasiness was transmitted to the others;
and all down the line tails were moving nerv-
Ouslv.
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

mother and father had been acrobats or
eouestrians.
In Che big show, circus life is perfectly well
ordered and almost puritanically moral; but
in the smaller shows, wretched little troupes
which go ''wildcatting' from town to town,
you can expect anything. Regardless Of that
LETT the big shows because dreaded the long
years which would have 80 go by before j
rose TO chief trainer. ] wanted to be my own
boss Immediately.
felt that had learned enough about cat
animals to handle them alone il | had
chance, and in my third season l struck
ont in answer to an advertisement in a. thea
trcal paper. The show TO play Rich
mond and l in New York--broke
hopped steel chariot'-a coal car--in Jer-
sey City and started southwark rs After Jew
hours was Joined by another man an affable,
iight-hearted chap, who said that he was "on
the bum It was Jack London,
He was going no place in particular and so
ne came with me to Richmond, where we foun6
that the circus had not vet arrived It was
small show, making short jumps and pick
ing up IT'S audiences were the picking was good
IN the mean time London and ] had been ioined
by another fellow who was not of the tramp
variety. He didn't tell US much of his story,
but we learned that he was lawyer and that
ne had been mixed in some scandal which nade
him decide TO pull up stakes and leave home
Among the three of us we didn't have d
cent, SO We struck out for the municipal lodg-
ing house, where we were fr.mi gated. bathed
and provided with nightgowns which felt as
though they had been made OF burlap. This
was a strange world TO the lawyer and me-
but London knew the ropes and showed US how
to get along. Next morning [ went out TO
look for some job 10 keep me going until the
show arrived and the only thing I could find
Vas that Of window washer. But London
pointed OUT that the weather was warm aud
the sky was blue, and that starving 60 death
was unheard of. SO | gave the job TO the
lawyer. He was glad TO get it., for Londons
philosophy was 800 strange to him. The last
/ heard of him was that ne had entered bust
ness IN Richmond and was prospering
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

pose Of its own The whip is used to prod the
animals and hurry them along into position
for the tricks. Occasionally, but not often
in my opinion, at least--it may be necessary
to strike with the lash end. It has been my
experience that the lash Of whip enrages
the animals without making them more obedi-
ent Many animals become madly infuriated
at the least touch Of a whip. and that is usually
traceable TO some brutal trainer il the past.
On the other hand, / have seen Chose who
would become positively doglike al the sigh
Of it. a piece Of ordinary hemp rope often
has g remarkable effect upon them, because
most Of those who We're not bred in captivity
were caught in the jungle with rope traps 1t
will subdue one, and nfuriate the next.
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

The steel bar, about three feet long and
light enough to be manipulated easily, is used
either to beat them back when they are try
ing to spring to ram down their throats
Their mouths are tender and quick jab is
likely to take their minds off an attack. The
explosion Of g blank cartridge accomplishes
the same thing. The noise and the smell of
powder will defect the thoughts of an enraeed
eat animal for just that fraction Of moment
which the trainer must have to escape from q
light place. The bullets are reserved Of
course, for actual killing when it is a case Of
the beasts life or the trainer's
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
Tackting q Pack That Had
Just Killed Their Trainer

FINALLY the circus came and / reported Il
was worse than had expected, but they had
& Iafly good troupe of animals, which IVES all
! asked. signed the contract q few minutes
before the afternoon show started, and the
owner insisted that | give a performance i'm
mediateIy. | was provided with a uniform and
prompt sheet 10 show what tricks the
hons were TO perform. Behind the cage the
owner Of the show stood ready TO prompt NE
and see how | managed the animals
Before | entered the cage had few words
with one Of the punks. It was the old fellow
whose words / quoted. He told me that the
last trainer had been a orunkard and that he
had been killed by Of the lions two weeks
before. Since then no one had been inside the
cages, and the beasts had not been put through
their tricks. 1t was dangerous enough work
under the circumstances for any trainer to
try full performance, but I didn't mind that
for was confident could take care of myself.
In these small shows, the owner doesn't con-
slider it any great loss to have trainer killed.
In TACT, it is a distinct gain because it is pub
lcity which draws a crowd Audiences are
bioodthirsty. They like to feel the tingle Of
impending tragedy. To know that q trainer
has recently been killed, and that another NAV
he killed before their very eyes, adds to the
sport. Sometimes used to hate the audience.
Especially when I heard people talking among
themselves, pointing out the animal which
killed or manned my predecessor and speculat-
lng as to my chances.
At this performance. when for the first time
| entered the cage full Of strange animals, |
carried whip. steel bar and q revolver In
the revolver ] had three blanks and three
loaded cartridges. Each weapon serves a pur-
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
Not All the Circus Beasts
Are Kept in Cages

IN changing shows 81 this Tine exps''a
TO be better of, buy I discovered soon en"G.
that | had taken a bad step. The cre-'
joined was one Of the worst in my entire e.
perience. The animal troupe was better tan
the average, but have never seen a more
beaten, crestfallen. despiea6le crowd o. Pe'Ps'
The owner o1 the show vas brute and .
slave driver, who KEEP ms performers III ~,
OF dept bondage from one END OF me SeaS0A
the other. For the most parT MS pe9p.s sr' snd
ou'caS1S Whom ne mad pi1heo up ~a0rs mI-s snd
mere, anu a swarm q t"9sp ..inv +he IA
s"'no4eFS fo,'oWed 1ne snow .!S,t'+ - sf+v wears
80 nae ',ie 0-i :,+o existence
ago before me Dig SHOWS '4"'' '-,'
I joined in answer 70 an aaVeI'iSs'''S.'s s
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
ShoWfns on "Untomaoie"
Lion Who Is His Boss

1t was time 70 move. and commenced to
talk to them in q low tone. Every nerve in
my body was alert TO catch the first move
ment Of one OF the bodies under me, and very
cautiously pausing whenever the tails began
20 signal danger worked MY way to my feet.
1t must have taken three minutes The
audience cot it's moneys worth. for every one
knew | was IN danger. The whole tent was
quiet, except for the band, which was playing
the carpet act lullaby few notes off kew
With this show there was an "untamable"
hon whose cage l had to enter. The "untam
able act as it is known in circus language.
isn't by any means SO dangerous as it ap-
pears; but it is spectacular and the audiences
like it. 1t is simply case of showing the
beast that you not afraid OF him, and of
being on the alert TO break his attack. That
is far different from handling half-dozen
or more animals when an attack may come
from any direction.
III entering the cage used a chair in place
Of the bar and whip, and I had my revolver
Of course. The lion crouched TO spring as 7
came through the door, and showed the cha;,,
in his face; then he turned to get distance.
ard he made another ATTEMPT firaa .
blank cartridge at him. After few minutes
That was all there was 10 it, He knew re,
fectly well, after l Tended him OF the frs,
time, that | was not his meat.
! came near running that .'ultamahe ar+ ~
because the lion and l got to be such good
friends that he would forget to give his SHOW,
of fcrocity. The owner came to me and told
me to be more of a performer and less Of
hon tanner; and after that l used to make
lyy
on the door of his cage. When that didnt
work l would open the door and make one Of
the punAs pretend to enter Then the liov
would get roaring mad. and make the whole
tent shake with his believing. The great
difficulty was to keep him mad long enoueh
to get him in the arena
There are tales Of wiring the caoos rr;.l
electricity to shock the lions and make +ben,
roar, but | have never seen such q shin,
done, nor known any one who has seen it. II
is easy enough to make them nervous without
going 20 such pains.
Another untamable lion I 'workedn 1ato.
was one VINO had Killed his trainer in the West
Inc accident was the scandal Of the circus
world. 1t was known that he and his wifa
had been quarreling, and people said that she
mad either dared him to get into the cage one
hlehI "hel ne was drunk or opened the door
ana showed HIM in. At any rate they found
hlm there the next morning, and the lion had
almost devoured him.
When went to work with the show h;s
wife was handling the 1eopards and I was
engaged to do the lion act Women, bv tbe
way, are far more successful with leonards
than men. In fact, I have never seen nar
who could conduct a leopard act smoothly
THIS particular lion illustrates point y,
handing animals better than any other hava
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

- ~.
any one | know. He begins as an
animal punk, and trusts for the best. #
an animal doesn't get him first, he gets ex-
perence; then with experience and plenty OF
nerve he can say he is q lion tanner and there
is no one to dispute him except the lion.
"If you handle EN-, you're a lion tanner, and
= YOU get killed--you amt" was the way one
Old punk who had seen hundreds of them go
into the cages, and not a few Of them come out
IN pieces. expressed it to me-
As an overworked and underpaid punk, my
duties were 70 clean cages, cut up meat, feed
and water the animals and make myself gen
erally handy during rehearsals and perform
ances. Feeding the animals was the worst
part of it, for it meant cutting meat which was
generally so old that it sickening 70 handle
and then hours carrying buckets Of the stuff
10 the cages.
In the first circus joined there was no
chance for me to become acquainted with the
hons, because the trainer was jealous Of the
beasts and would allow 10 one but himself to
handle them so I jumped to another show
soon as ] saw q chance. It was repetition
Of the same hard, dirty work, but [ stuck i:
out for that first season Then came an op-
portunity to 90 with the Robinson Shows as
assistant trainer and spent my second sea.
son there.
An assistant trainer in q circus has direct
charge Of the animals, under the supervision
OF the chief, of course. He sees that the punks
do their work, that the animals are well cared
for. supervises the loading and unloading OF
chem assists in teaching them tricks and
stands ready to conduct the performance If his
chief is unable TO appear. That year with the
Robinson Shows was the busiest OF my life, for
7 was working every minute Of the day and
most Of the night, and I was learning more
about lions than ever imagined there was to
earn.
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
Making on Odd Friendship
That Saved q Life

At night, when the train was r"n'U,'+s T.
along from one town 10 smother as's u.s
talk TO her in the darkness. To me- SAe ,nsa
a fascinating animal 10 work wish' Os.S lid
She was so typical of everything that was ..sssn ~
From the first friendship spranS up hsr
US, and l spent hours with her, either - ,.r
cage or lettering outside, trying to VIII s.+si
over She was one of the animals WHO !.
a whip and I was careful never TO ''.'n s,.,sSs
with it, or even TO motion with H. hs,
I used my hand to guide her ana n1- .,arsd
through her tricks. One reason why S'''''
/Cootin,ieJ an page teNJ e@
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

nnuhicb
alone entities efrom,h
poie""Ft " n YouNc cGch
''e3 "h "v
d the end, about
New-York tribune., 1922-04-23
"Hand!e EN-, You're
q Lion Tanner; Get
Killed, You Ain't''
Ten " Ords Which
Grin,ly Sum Upd Pro-
fessi0n That Has No
List of Unemployed

YOUNGSTER who is learning the art
of animal tanning has about as tough
a. and rough row ahead of him as
srv one | knn,r He haocinc
Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1922-04-27
SPRING WORK IS DELAYED
Few Farmers Able to Seed Grain in
cass County to Start Soon. 49,

Fargo Seeding along the Northern
Pacific in North Dakota as far east as
Valley City, was general, according
to J. w. Haw, county agent leader,
who returned from a trip to Bismarck.
Between Valley City and Fargo the
farmers were in the fields where the
land is high, Mr. Haw said.
West of Bismarck, clear to the Mon
tana line, seeding has been in full
swing for several days, said Mr.. Haw.
Wheat Acreage Smaller.
Visitors in Fargo from the northern
end Of the Red River valley reported
that the farmers are in the fields
pretty generally and that seeding will
be in full swing soon. This weeks
snow was not as heavy in Trail coun-
ty as it was in the south, residents of
that county report 49,
The wheat acreage will be decidedly
smaller in the slope country this year
than last, said Mr.. Haw, but he claim
ed that weather conditions were not
factor in that situation. One of the
main reasons, according to Mr.. Haw,
fs lack of money and seed wheat. He
reported that the government seed
loan plan has been working rather
slowly. Lack Of feed and resultant
decreased horsepower was also given
as contributing causes Of the decreas-
cd acreage to be titled this year in the
western part Of the state.
Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1922-04-27
BREsT-LITovsK TREATY VOID
Berlin and Moscow Sign New Pact
War Claims Cancelled.

Genoa-A treaty between Germany
and Russia has been signed at Ra-
pablo, the signatories being the for
eign ministers Of the two countries,
George Chitcherin for. Russia AMI DR..
Walter Rathenau for Germany.
The treaty nullifies the Brest-Litovsk
treaty and re-establishes full diplo-
matte relations on an equality basis.
The pact cancels all war claims, as
we'll as claims arising from the nation
alization of property.
The treaty signed, it is stated, rep.
resents the conclusion of negotiations
begun many months ago. This action
by delegates to the Genoa economic
conference, in meeting independently
and negotiating treaty outside the
scope of the conference itself, is point
ed out as establishing striking pre-
cedent for the nations who are partici-
pating in the session Of the Russian
problem here.
Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1922-04-27
CHILDREN LEARN U. S. GAMES
Group Play introduced to Overcome
one-sided Tendency. z

Paris = American children have
brought happiness and laughter into
the lives of their little brothers and
sisters in France. The pennies and
dimes which they might have spent
for candy and sweetmeats have en-
abled the Junior Red Cross to give to
the children Of France, in their name,
Is Fairgrounds and innumerable
games.
All the games and recreations which
form so much part Of the lives Of
their little kinsfolk in America are
taught the French boys and girls.
AS proof of their appreciation Of
the generosity of Americas help, the
French themselves have raised fund
almost equal to that contributed by
the childen of the United States and
are planning to establish playground
of the American type in every impor-
tant district of France. III