Chapter XIII · THE CIRCUS (continued 2)

Tuesday, May 25, Cincinnati, Ohio—William Beecher called to his home in Philadelphia by a telegram announcing the dangerous illness of his mother.

Frank Morgan has his leg broken accidentally while skylarking with some friends.

Saturday, May 29, Louisville, Ky.—Weather warm. Big business. Capt. Cook Smith, the Kentucky giant, presented with a gold-headed cane by the chief of police, John Whalan. [Dimensions of the cane are not stated in the diary.]

Saturday, June 5, Evansville, Ky.—Weather warm. Magnificent attendance. Robert Eddy, an attaché in the cook department, accidentally killed by falling between the cars. His mangled remains were sent to his former home in Chicago.

Monday, June 7, Vincennes, Ind.—The boys distinguished themselves by assisting to extinguish a burning grist mill located near the lot. They are thanked by the owner of the building.

Saturday, June 12, Dayton, Ohio.—Mr. Hyatt orders in the “red seats” again and they are filled with well-pleased thousands. Weather propitious. James E. Fay leaves to attend his grandmother’s funeral. A 100-yard foot race between Joe Mayers and W. Spedden for $5 a side is won by the latter.

Monday, June 14, Columbus, Ohio—Charles Rench, one of the Stirk family, is surprised at the evening entertainment. He is called before the vast audience and presented with a magnificent gold-headed cane by his Columbus friends. Mr. Henshaw eloquently made the presentation speech. George Sherer is injured while unloading, his knee being thrown out of joint. The kind-hearted drivers come to his rescue.

Saturday, June 19, Steubenville, Ohio—Good business to clear weather. Dick Sands, the champion clog dancer, receives a slight paralytic stroke and is carefully attended to by the ladies of the dressing-room. Detective Cooper captures four notorious pickpockets.

Friday, June 25, Youngstown, Ohio—Rain in the afternoon and an “adventure” with roughs in the evening prove that our canvasmen are not afraid to “work.”

Monday, June 28, Mansfield, Ohio—Subscriptions amounting to $125 raised by canvasmen for a youth who was injured in the Youngstown “adventure.” Reported death of a man alleged to have been in the same. Subsequent investigations by coroner and detectives exonerate our boys from all blame. Detective Cooper adds five more crooks to his long list of “circus followers.”

Friday, July 2, Defiance, Ohio—Clever business. Weather clear. Whitfield stricken with paralysis after the evening concert, and carried to his birth in car 51.

Saturday, July 3, Toledo, Ohio—Whitfield’s condition pronounced dangerous, his entire left side being helpless. He is visited by all the company at the Oliver House, and attended by expert physicians.

The Arabs celebrate a national feast after a fast of thirty days. Sheriff, the priest of the tribe, officiates, and Ali Mohamed, the interpreter, acts as host. Among the number of distinguished invited guests are Mayor Moore, Manager Cooper, and the editors of the local papers.

In the evening Miss Venoa receives an injury to her knee in the ladies’ flat race, which brings to her assistance a doctor from the audience, and firm friends from each dressing room. No bones broken, but a vacation recommended.

Sunday, July 4, Detroit, Mich.—In the evening the company assembled to witness a presentation to Mr. Edwin Fritz, the mail agent of the show. It consisted of a neat uniform of blue, together with a silver shield and badge, a present from his associates.

Monday, July 5, Detroit—The seventy-sixth anniversary of P. T. Barnum’s birthday appropriately celebrated by the company and congratulatory dispatches are sent to the great showman by all interested in his success. During each performance the red, white, and blue colors were worn by each actor and actress.

Saturday, July 17, South Bend, Ind.—The following married gentlemen are made happy by the companionship of their genial better halves: Messrs. Hager, Hyatt, Putnam, Newman, Coyle, Door, and Detective Cooper.

Friday, July 30, Champagne, Ill.—Scorching weather does not interfere with good business. After the day show the company in two band wagons and carriages visit the grave of Frank Seymour, a former member of Forepaugh’s band. Through the energies of Mr. George Cann, a former friend of the deceased, the grave was found and appropriate ceremonies were held. Prof. James Robinson’s band played two solemn dirges. W. L. Marsh executed an artistic solo on the 1st B♭ trombone, and Mr. James Bigger delivered an appropriate eulogy. Cooper, the giant, who was also a friend of the dead musician, arranges with the sexton to properly decorate the neglected grave. This touching tribute to a brother professional was favorably commented upon by the press of the surrounding country.

Saturday, July 31, Bloomington, Ill.—After the day performance a number of the gentlemen amused themselves at target shooting with a toy rifle. During this innocent sport Abdellah Ben Said, the manager of the Arabs, was accidentally shot in the neck by Orrin Hollis, and subsequently taken to a hospital. All the doctors’ bills, the salary, and the board bill of Abdellah and his wife were paid by Mr. Hollis. Firearms of all descriptions were prohibited in the dressing room by Mr. Ducrow.

Sunday, Aug. 1, Peoria, Ill.—An anti-swearing society for 30 days is organized. A fine of twenty-five cents for every naughty word was imposed, and “finders were keepers.” Considerable merriment was indulged in by the “can’t cuss club” during the day, and not a few dollars changed hands.

Hassen Ali, one of the Arabs, is assaulted by roughs and in the mêlée his hand broken.

Thursday, Aug. 5, Jacksonville, Ill.—Two clever houses to smiling weather. Orrin Hollis receives word that Abdellah is rapidly recovering. He wears his first smile since the accident.

Sunday, Aug. 15, Aurora, Ill.—At midnight a violent wind, rain, and thunder storm sweeps over the city which totally demolishes the menagerie and museum tents. The tempest continues for nearly two hours and tests the bravery and skill of the employees of the lot. Most all of the cages have to be chained to the ground, and the elephants guarded rigidly.

During the progress of the tornado two whelp leopards were born. R. H. King is held responsible for the following conundrum: “Why was the storm like the city? Because it was a-roarer!” Chestnut bells were rung.

A stampede of the little elephants is promptly nipped in the bud by Mr. Frank Hyatt and C. F. Callahan.

At this juncture a word of praise should be extended to the intrepid canvasmen who never deserted their posts, although danger to life and limb threatened at every moment.

Thursday, Aug. 26, Oshkosh, Wis.—The events of this day are too well known to those who peruse “Barnum’s Budget” to demand a detailed account. Each has his or her individual views upon the subject, and enough has been spoken and published about it. In brief: An incipient riot was quelled by the clever management of Mr. Hutchinson, several arrests were made and a number of attachés discharged.

A celebrated linguist visits the dressing room and tests the memory of Ali Mahomet, the Arabian interpreter, as to dead languages. Ali comes off first best.

The Anti-Swearing society disband.

Mr. Cooper, the giant, receives the sad news of his infant child’s death.28

For some reason, Bailey is never mentioned in this diary of the circus. He may not have been present with the show during that season. But the management of a troupe as large as the Greatest Show on Earth was a job that P. T. Barnum never could have undertaken at his age. If Barnum had not had the foresight to select Bailey as a partner, it is likely that the present generation would never have known his name as a showman. Bailey was able to cope with every calamity quickly and efficiently. When the winter quarters were burned down on November 20, 1887, all the animals were destroyed except thirty elephants and one lion. Bailey ordered a new menagerie by cable, and in six hours he had purchased enough animals to form a better menagerie than the one destroyed by fire. The one lion who was saved was found by circus employees in a barn near Bridgeport. He had been eating sheep, and when the farmer’s wife heard a noise in the barn, she entered. What she saw in the dark looked to her like a large dog, and she began to beat the animal with a broom. The lion was busy with his meal, and he paid no attention to the blows. When the circus employees arrived and told the farmer’s wife what she had been beating, she fainted.