Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-03
old AND YOUNG join HANDS
AND SELLS FLOT0 PERFORMERS
FURNISH LAUGHS AND THRILLS

Sells F1oto circus took Watervile
by storm yesterday starting at II a.
NJ. with one Of the best parades OF
its kind ever seen in the city and
ending UP with two performances in
the afternoon and evening. Amid
the blaze Of banners, the blare Of
bands, roars of ravishing wild beasts,
mixed with the hoarse cries of bark
ers and gatherings Of monkeys, the
crowd drifted in a stream to Pray's
Field where the big event OF the
season was staged. Thousands Of
people, young and old, came to Wat
erville yesterday for the circus and
needless to say everyone was pleased
with the show. The parade as in
other years proved the biggest at
traction. This was featured by the
fine horsea and wild west riders. the
herd Of 8 elephants, the large cage
containing a monster hippopotamus.
three bands, one OF which was a
clown band and the excellent cxhi-
bit Of tigers and lions.
Main street as early as 10 A. NJ
was IA mass OF automobiles parked
in every space available and on all
side streets where the line passed.
Special police handled traffic at all
corners in "a most credible manner
gle accident being reported. After
traversing several side streets, the
big line OF brilliant wagons emerged
into the main thorOuEhfare Of the
city about 1l:30. Small boys and
girls giggled with delight when the
big team with the tigers passed
along and one big fellow. who had
found Waterville a bit quiet and
had decided to take a nap while on
his brief journey lay across the cage
with his tail hanging out through the
iron bars. The most daring Of small
boys were quite DESTROYS Of pulling
the tail but somehow the appearance
of the big beast lying quietly in his
cage must have cast a bit Of doubt
in their youthful minds and so he
was unmolcstcd, although one ur-
chin did remark that The got so
near he could feel the fur"
The clown wagons and clown band
wagon made many a weary heart
beat faster especially when some of
the painted horriblcs would cast a
sickeninG smile to a group of elder
~ ladies ana say in the sweetest
% tones Hello Girls.
But the real fun started Mt 2:15
when the Sells Floto band common
Ccd to play for the beginning of the
show TO thousands I'm the big tent
The circus is n three ring and after
the first spectacle which introduced
the entire company in a long and
elaborate presentation. rich In color,
moving and with powerful pageant
features. the three rings became the
center of interest where several hun
drcd nets were given from trained
animals to tho most brcatlAcatching
trapczc stunts.
The educated horses. perhaps were
the most thrilling entertainers of the
day. To the tune of waltz medleys
rendered lay the band, these beautt-
tul animals swept around the rings
IN most daShng manner. stopped
Mt their riders commands, bowed
then lay PROSTATE on the grass and
finally raised their forward legs and
performed amazing dance steps.
They were all numbered and were
mixed about in the rings then at the
snap of the whip they found their
place I'm consecutive fashion and at
the last chord was played every
horse was in his place. a beautiful
sight in which the horses were the
main attraction was the high jump
ing acts and bareback racing at the
close of the performance.
No less interesting were the daring
acts of the trapcze performers, who
gave several acts that have never
been seen before here. one was Cs-
pccially worthy of mention was an
act by one of the ladies, in which
she turned several Somersaults in
mid air blindfolded and wrapped in
a eunuysack. Many other features of
the circus were stunts and novelty
acts by clowns, Eymnasts, tumblers,
slaCkwire walkers, elephants and
camels. Sells-Floto may host of its
herd OF elephants for eighteen Of
these majectic beasts range in size
from one of the largest in the world
to one of the smallest and everyone
shows where treatment has been
spent by those who train them.
And the lions-well those hand
some beasts should not he forgotten