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pssssssssisasm PEEr Into the clrcuii Ik sure to bring the tender-
Afoot visitor surprises, yrt not of the sort he ex
pects. The world of the fin-tin, which In wreathed
"JTJTJ" with halos of glory by the boy, and blackened
Jji75gfc and " sicklied o'er " by the blase Imagination of
3i$pO. the man, Ih neither the glitter and gold of the
one not" the barren barbarity of the other.
It la a cross between the two, and the time to ce the qual
ity of ita nature la in a morning visit, when the lights are out
and the nun la up, and the clrcua world Is In Its morning neg
ligee. It la then that the small boya begin their visits
To their glorified Bight nothing within the sacred tent la
without Ita charm: and they peer through its boles and under
lis edges at breakfast time across to the three long tables
where executive staff, performers, men, women, and children
are gathered about the owner and his associates
.
Trained as Children.
Nearly all the performers have been born to the purple, and
some of them come from families which have been on the
road for three and four generations, so that when they begin
their training at 2 and 3 years of age they bring to their first
lessons all the incentive and adaptability of heredity. The
first outside training is In the development of daring, the ex
pansion of the lungs, and the hardening of the muscle. Only
when the acrobat Is young can he learn when to holu on and
when to let go. It Is Instinct for a child to catch at something
when he feels himself falling, but the circus child must ac
quire the instinct of catching only at the right Instant and of
turning at the right moment.
The first athletic wrv.-k of a tumbler Is Jumping from a
springboard and getting 1he uncanny sensation of sprttiKlng
through the air. After this comes a somersault, technically
known as the stock somersault, where there Is a revolution so
slow that the spectators scarcely realize that It has taken
place. The tumbler springs Into the air and turns over slowly
with practically no exertion.
Then comes the "tuck" preparatory to the real somer
sault. Both legs are tightly grasped half way between the
knee and ankle and pressed closely together while simultan
eously the muscles of shoulders and back are brought Into
play, acting like the balance weight of the wheel to help him
in completing his revolution. He must wait to take his tuck
until he has sprung as far In the air as his legs or the force of
the springboard have carried him; If he goes too soon he will
fall, and If he waits too long he Is sure to be thrown, and tn
either event to break his bones.
To do all this requires a nicety of calculation, as do also the
distances for Jump, turn, and fall So that from necessity he
Is by no means an unintelligent man. but understands mathe
matics and geometry pretty well, and often knowa enough to
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Invent his own apparatus, whose size, shape, and strength
must all be calculated with great precision. He needs withal a
remarkable degree of presence of mind, nnd, as old circus men
aver, he Is often horn with a mentnl balance which becomes
not only a habit, but an exact science, and If. one of the per
quisites of an aerial artist who essays the feats of the flying
ting. '
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Take Great Care of Bodies.
All this means clear, high thinking, and plain living, and
a physical life that mov? with the precision of clockwork.
He is well and plainly fed, nnd forbidden drugs and liquors on
pain of Instant dismissal. Profanity also In rome circuses
brings a ticket of leave, ami there Is a story of a famous cir
cus owner who heard one of bis drl-ers speaking unpunish
able words to a troupe of children. " Oo get your pay, and
don't come to the lot agrln!" he shouted to the derelict, and,
leaping to the wagon seat, took charge of the horses himself
for the rest of the Journey.
The ropewalkers, whether of the tight or alack rope fra
ternity, do not scorn the assistance to balancing that a small
Japanese parasol, or a fantastic fan, or some other graceful
object lends them In rendering their picturesque poses with
finish and ease. To the onlooker these added paraphernalia
may appear purely as ornaments, or more probably as artistic
extras, which not only enhance the spectacular effect but
demonstrate the performer's greater skill. In reality they
play a leading role of the utmost seriousness, and have saved
many a wlrewalker from losing his poise and falling perhaps
to his death.
Dislike Mechanical Aids.
Generally, however, intrepid ni.d.clr promenadera of wire
threads, and all the tumblers and tricksters of the circus, dis
dain all handicaps to the full flow of their during, and put
no bridle on their courage. Nets and mattress, s are used, but
so absorbed are they in the enterprise In hand that they act
ually do not know whether the safety appliances are In place
or not. A useful device that has saved many bones and necks
from wreckage. Is the drilling of the horses to music. In
every giod circus the horses go with the band, and stop with
the band, and in time of accident the director calls halt to the
musicians: and If the chariots are racing round the ring In one
of the most perilous of circus movements and some one has
come to grief the halt means life really rescued from the Jawa
of death.
Most of these recklessly brave women and girls are of do
mestic instincts. As soon as their starry skirts and biasing
bodices are off for the day, they work on sewing and fancy
work for their families in some far away home; not on their
circus fineries, which are In the keeping of the circus " moth
er " and the sewing tent of the Institution. Sometimes they
ask to bake a cake, and If the chef of the circus kltchea vetoes
their request they beg the use of some kitchen In the town
where the circus happens to be. buy their eggs and milk, and
pay a neat rental for the stove which they need, In order to
give expression to thtir femininity.
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