Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20

MIGRATING morning ride and that 1t was some
thing to wear beautiful costume for the crowd
to admire.
Comforting, for a harried acrobat or horse
back rider, trying to wash tights clean shoes,
fix riggings, mend clothes battle or accomplish
other odd tasks before the buge blew to mount
DARADE had few compensations, but often it
led to an unexpected thrill. Once 1 was
riding a cage filled with BEARS along with
half a dozen other girls and it upset on a piece
of sandy road at the far corner of the show lot.
It turned over slowly and we all followed the
turn of the cage and did not get thrown of, but
the bears did not like us scrambling over the
bars They were not friendly at all, and we had
to do some quick moving to keep from being
clawed It was noisy tangle; the driver was
swearing, the bears were bowling, we were yell
ing and the elephants were coming right be-
hind us; but nothing at all happened. And
we did not go in the parade that day!
One thing people never fail to say about the
circus is true. They say that the circus is one
big family. I think of nothing that will
describe 1t any better than just that. An inn
mense family, who eat and sleep and dress and
live together season after season in the close
confines of the tents and railroad cars. Hun
dreds of people from all parts of the world,
all nationalities, all beliefs, bound by one COM
mon bond--the show.
From the advertising placed by the cars
ahead to the tearing down of the tents when
the performance is over, the show is the thing
The departments of advertising commissary
and admissions, the side show, the menagerie,
the big top the wardrobe and concessions, all
exist only to promote the big show. HoStlers
and grooms, property men, candy butchers,
light and chandelier men, walters and cooks
for the cook house, truck drivers. wagon max
erS Sailmakers for the canvas of the tents, black
smiths, water wagon men, seat men and canvas
men, exist for the same purpose. The center of
activities is the back yard, the space surrounding
the back door of the big top, where the show
goes in and comes out. Nothing must be al
lowed to mar the show, nothing must inter-
fere with it. nothing must stop it.
It starts with its glittering tournament around
the track in the big top. Tournament is as
carefully drilled and presented as any act in
the performance. Its members acrobats,
clowns and riders; its places are assigned at
the start of the season and are maintained
throughout, unless accidents prevent.
About a half-hour before the show is to
start bugle call is blown. Just before the
performance begins, a second call is blown
The equestrian director blows the whistle that
actually sends the show into the tent. When
the show has been delayed in getting to town
the three signals follow each other closely, and
there is a mad scramble to get ready.
One such day a surgeon, the guest of one
of the staff, was going to watch the show from
a seat placed beside the band leader. He
strolled out of the back door to watch the
gathering when the first bugle blew, and stood
beside the leader, who told some of us after
ward about the conversation. The manager of the
show came out of the back door with his watch
in his hand, approached the leader. and said:
do you think they are ready in the dressing
room? 1t looks like rain, and we are late now
in starting"
"Oh think So" answered the leader; they
have had Is minutes, and they all know we are
late. Shall we have the second?"
Yes, let's get it on its way
two short quick notes, which mean, Hurry
up" And this is what the surgeon later told
the leader:
what you folks call the back yard was to
my notion very small and crowded. When the
bugle blew, into that space poured-yes,
poured-from all the dressing room tents and
some of the wagons, men and women and an
imals, wild hurrying mass brilliantly clothed.
Almost instantly the whistle blew, the band
formed and entered the big tent and after it
came the rest of the procession. Men and
women ran to their places under the very noses
of camels and plunging horses and huge ele-
plants, trumpeting their nervousness. An
original beauty climbed into palanquin swung
between two jerking camels and called out;
Somebody hold these two ships of the desert
so can assume my languid air.
THE king-I knew it was the king because
he carried his crown in his hand-dashed
wildly out of the dressing room and mounted
his prancing steed, adjusted his false mustache
with one hand and his crown with the other,
aided by two grooms. He caught up with his
queen and entered the tent with truly royal
air. Men I'm armor ran with spears and shields,
women dressed as butterflies and flowers plotted