Sawdust & Spangles Stories & Secrets of the Circus   By: W. C. Coup

STORIES & SECRETS OF THE CIRCUS

BY W. C. COUP

Herbert S. Stone and Company Eldridge Court, Chicago MDCCCCI

COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY HERBERT S. STONE & CO

CONTENTS

FOREWORD ix

CHAP. PAGE

I. BOYHOOD WITH THE OLD TIME WAGON SHOW 1

My First Exciting Experience 4 The Intelligence of Elephants 5 Fights with the Grangers 6 "Doc" Baird and the Bully 9 Teasing Old Romeo 10 The Story of a Stolen Negro 12 Horse Thieves in the Circus 15

II. THE PERILOUS BUSINESS OF STOCKING A MENAGERIE 18

Beasts at Wholesale 20 The Professional Animal Hunter 21 Striking into the Interior 22 Hunters' Life in the Jungle. 23 Why Baby Elephants are Hard to Capture 26 Across the Desert with Captive Beasts 29 The Adventures of Specimen Hunters 31

III. FREAKS AND FAKES 35

The Burial and Resurrection of the "Cardiff Giant" 37 The Rival White Elephants 40 How the "Light of Asia" Embarrassed the Lecturer 41 The Wild Cave Dweller of Kentucky 44 The Two Headed Girl's Three Headed Rival 46 Missing Links and Dancing Turkeys 49 The Salaries Paid to Freaks 50 The Love Making and Merrymaking of the Freaks 51 The Exposure of the "Aztec Children" 54 An Adventure with a Circus Shark 56

IV. MOVING THE BIG SHOW 59

The First Attempt to Move a Circus by Rail 61 The Spartan Habits of the Old Timers 63 Seven Heartbreaking Days on the Long Road 64 Performing by Day and Traveling by Night 67 On a Runaway Circus Train 69 Panic Among the Animals 71 A Single Track and a Broken Rail 73 The Bronchos' Charmed Life 75 Old Romeo to the Rescue 77 An Unexpected Midnight Bath 79

V. THE PRAIRIE FIRE 86

A Chance Meeting with a Great Man 96

VI. BOOMING THE BIG SHOW 104

Novel Advertising Features 105 The "Devil's Whistle" 106 "Spotters" 108 Rivalry in Exploiting Opposition Shows 112 Costly Rivalry 113 Idle Bill Posters 116 The Courtesy of Editors 118 Jumbo's Free Advertising 120

VII. PARADES AND BAND WAGONS 124

The Fifty Cent Rivals of the Ten Thousand Dollar Hippos 124 A Skillful Appeal to Public Sympathy 126 A Silent Parade from Albany to the State Line 128 The Fluctuating Level of Circus Values 130 What it Costs to Ride with the Band Wagon 132 Requirements and Cost of the Circus Horse 134 A Page from the Invoice Book of the Big Show 136