In early days many of the young countrymen would be seized with a
desire to become "actors," as they called the acrobats. This led the
circus performers into the scheme of selling the ambitious wights
something to make them limber. A big trade of this kind was carried on
by selling an oil made from very cheap grease, the innocent victims
being thoroughly convinced that they would come out full-fledged
"actors" by the use of this lubricant. Frequently some young fellow
would apply for the position of student to the clown. When he presented
himself for tuition, the paint prepared for his make-up would be mixed
with grease and thoroughly rubbed on his face and limbs. He would then
be dressed in an old pair of tights and made to enter the ring, where
he would be ordered by the ringmaster to "act up." He would be so
embarrassed at this demand that he could not speak, whereupon the
ringmaster would lay the whip upon his practically naked limbs, telling
him that it was the only way by which to learn the acrobatic art.
Another trick was to toss the students to the clown in a strong blanket
of canvas. I can now point to an ex-member of Congress who was thus
tossed until sore and exhausted.
Among the various performances on our circus program one feat was that
of placing a large stone on a man's breast, as he lay on his back, and
then striking the stone with a sledge-hammer so as to break the rock.
The audience was invited to furnish a man to break this stone, and
although one would naturally suppose that such an act would hurt the
performer on whose breast the stone rested, he would, in fact, receive
no shock whatever. But one day, while exhibiting at a small town, a
drunken countryman, in attempting to break the stone with a
sledge-hammer, missed his mark entirely, and the poor fellow received a
blow that nearly killed him. He was obliged to lie in bed and have
medical aid.
The following day we were compelled to move on to the next town, as
advertised, which was a keen rival of the village we were just leaving.
Our principal actor being unable to perform, we came near being mobbed,
for this rival town did not relish the idea that its competitor had
witnessed features which it could not see. All our remonstrances were
in vain; and we were finally compelled to allow the injured man to quit
his bed and actually go through the performance. These rough countrymen
would certainly have kept their word had we not complied with their
wishes, and it would have fared very badly with us. However, the sick
man went through his part as well as he could, and received the full
approbation of the audience.
From this town we proceeded to a large Indian encampment. There we
obtained permits from John Ross, Chief of the Cherokee Nation, and
erected our tents. The government had just made an Indian payment to
this tribe, all the money being in twenty-dollar gold pieces. Neither
the circus treasurer nor any one in the community could change these
coins for money of smaller denomination, and we were almost in despair.
Meantime some of the Indians climbed into a tree, seated themselves
comfortably in the branches, and prepared to witness the entire
performance free of charge. This exasperated me, and, seizing an ax, I
commenced hewing at the tree. Instantly I found myself the center of an
incipient riot, as there was a law in the Territory forbidding a white
person to cut down a tree. John Ross, however, quickly came to my
rescue and saved my scalp by an adroit appeal to his people.
We adopted the plan of admitting the Indians in squads, charging them a
dollar each and taking a double-eagle from every twentieth man. The
Indians seemed to enjoy the performance hugely, but were highly excited
by the tricks of the magician, whom they regarded as a supernatural
being.