The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-05
C|RCUSPEOP
LIKE To TALK
SHOP
Spend Leisure Moments Under
Big Top When They Could
Seek Other Pleasures.


NEW YORK, April 5.-Did you
ever pause to wonder what circus
people do to amuse themselves
when they are not leading lions
around or hanging by their eye
brows on a trapeze?
They do just what everybody elst
does-stick around "the outfit" OF
talk shop" or seek some recrea,
ton very little removed from
work.
Take the Nelson family, for in
stance, now appearing with the
combination Barnum and Bailey
and Ringing Brothers big show
at Madison Square Garden.
There have been three genera,
ttons of Nelson's who earned their
livelihood under the big top. You'd
think Arthur Nelson, the father
and Mrs. Nelson and the six un
usually pretty daughters and lit
tie Paul would be fed up" on the
none too fragrant atmosphere, the
blaring brass bands, the snarling
animals and the other less alluring
angels of circus life, which, il
seems, would long since have lost
its glamour for them.
They Like IL.
Several days before the big show
opened here recently you could find
Pa, Ma, the six daughters and the
boy ranged around the reserved
seat" section, enthralled by the in.
trepid tiger tanner, whose surly
charges. after several months OF
inactivity, were very much averse
to going through their PAGES.
do you know" the elder sister
asked, that an elephants eye mag.
miles 1000 times and that that's
the reason the trainer can handle
EN-? You can imagine how big a
man looks to an elephant"'
She guessed the tigers eyes mag.
nified considerably, too.
The circus is born and bred in
the bones Of the Nelson family
which, they proudly assert, is the
only real family" in the business
the rest of the so.called families
being made up usually of relatives
far removed. But the Nelson's
grandparents and great.grandpar
ents were all circus people, they de
clare, and there is no other pursuit
they would care to follow.
Theol, young and pretty. who
does flip-flaps" from one end OF
the show to the other, has two
hobbies-but they are so closely
allied to the circus business that
to an outsider they would seem
more like work than recreation.
Rides Horseback.
IT like to ride the high school
horses during my off period in the
afternoon" she confided, land ]
like to swim, too"
One might think that turnins
"flip-flaps" several hundred feet
across the bare ground would bt
ample exercise for any attractive
young lady, hut not so; Theol il
all for athletic pastimes. A siste,
made 1t clear that Theol is realIy
an accomplished horseback ride,
and that, in addition to her achieve
ments as a 'lady acrobat" she car
take her turn in the sawdust rims
with the best OF them.
The family has been with lever,
circus on earth" and has Travelled
all over America, Australia, New
Zealand and innumerable othe,
countries, the girls said.
They speak the language OF the
circus poster-rather. inclined Il
observation-disclosures they are per
meated through and through witt
the spirit of the thing. They love
their work and are as enthusiastic
about it as any kid in knee pant,
who has to sneak in under the TEN
or carry water for the elephants in
order to view the spectacle,