THE HALLOWE’EN CIRCUS
“Here’s your hot peanuts, only a penny a sack,—right this way, ladies
and gentlemen!” a shrill voice was calling.
“Ice-cold pink, yellow and purple lemonade!”
“Coney Island popcorn! Hot Crispetts! Ice-cream candy!”
“Walk up, ladies, and see the only living Wild Man of Borneo!”
“Tickets this way, ladies and gentlemen, to have your fortune told!”
Pandemonium appeared to reign in the big Gym. On buying an entrance
ticket for one cent, one secured the privilege of beholding this
remarkable scene. “Show Day in Podunk,” the committee called it. Most of
the girls, costumed either as performers or patrons of the show, took
part. A few faculty wives, with Miss Randolph and the other teachers,
had received invitations and walked about leading some staring and
delighted faculty children.
One end of the big gymnasium had been curtained off and made to look as
much as possible like a circus tent. A few booths and stands, and
several small tents for “side-shows”, constituted the rest of the
scenery on which the long-suffering janitor and his assistants had been
hammering and fixing all day. The committee had spent much time and
thought on the plan and had pressed other girls into service to help
with placards and posters.
Cathalina came hurrying in as if afraid she would be late. She wore a
yellow sunbonnet, a bright red shoulder shawl and a deep pink calico
dress which dipped decidedly in the back. By the hand she dragged a
curly-headed boy in knickerbockers. “Naow Tommy,” she said loudly, “I
can’t take you to ev’rything, so be a good boy an’ you kin see the
animals an’ the big show!”
“O, Maw, there’s some ice-cream candy! I want a balloon, Maw! Gimme a
nickel! Aw, Maw!” and Tommy tugged at his mother’s hand. Tommy was
Isabel, of course, whose blue shirt-waist and purple tie matched the
gaudiness of a plaid velvet cap. She hung back whining, as Cathalina
tried to guide her obstreperous child toward the main tent.
Lilian, who had changed her plans, was a farmer in blue jeans, heavy
boots, loose blouse, red bandanna handkerchief and a large straw hat.
She brought in a large family of boys and girls, the boys in overalls or
knickerbockers and the girls in every variety of dress.
There was the balloon man in ill-fitting attire. His balloons were quite
popular and were to be seen bobbing all over the room. “Toot” went the
whistle. Girls dressed as children blew out paper snakes or other things
supposed to be dear to the childish heart. Some bought “come-back” balls
or supplied themselves with squawkers with which to make night hideous.
Country beaus threw confetti at coquettish lasses, fearfully and
wonderfully decked for the occasion, or took them to have their fortune
told. A patent medicine man sold a lotion which he loudly proclaimed as
warranted to take off freckles and sunburn “while you sleep”. So popular
was this, although it called for the quarters, that the supply gave out
and he was forced to sell the prescription, a real one, supplied by
Evelyn Calvert’s Southern Mammy.
“Madame Zitani Will Read Your Past and Foretell Your Future.” So read
the sign before a little tent. Inside was Eloise, sparkling in a bright
scarlet dress with laced bodice. “Lady, I never saw your face before,”
said she to Cathalina, who, with the never satisfied “Tommy”, had
entered the tent, “but cross my hand with one simoleon and I will tell
your past and reveal your future.” Giggling girls stood around while
Eloise took Cathalina’s hand, soft and not much like that of the
hard-working lady she represented, and made up an extravagant tale of
woe.
“But you will overcome all your troubles, have money left you and soon
have nothing to do but ride in your automobiles and aeroplanes!”
Cathalina had assumed a wondering expression, nodding her head in assent
to every remarkable event of her past life as related by the solemn
Eloise. “Listen to that Timmy,” cried she.
“Come on, Maw, I want to see the Fat Lady and the Boa Constrictor.”
Just then a terrific drumming was heard, and from a side door appeared
“Susan’s Band”. Grace Barnard as drum-major lead the way, with all the
motions appropriate to that office and some extra antics. The members of
the band wore their regular “gym” bloomers, of which a great many were
in evidence tonight, with military coats and hats. These one of the
girls had borrowed from her brother, a student in a boys’ military
school across the lake. Strains of familiar songs and marches were
vigorously produced on combs with all the skill which attaches to
playing upon that difficult instrument. Accompanied by the clashing of
cymbals and drums (which, to tell the truth, sounded much like a
combination of spoons and dishpans), they marched to the entrance of the
main tent and were evidence that the performance was about to begin.
“Ten minutes to see the animals, ladies and gents, before the gr-reat
performance commences! Two rings! The famous Slinger Brothers on the
trapeze! Only three cents admittance! There will be two performances,
one right after the other,—so don’t all try to get in at once, please!”
This last was added in an unprofessional tone as a necessary precaution,
for with the entrance of the band, it looked as if the entire house was
starting to the show. The herald was supposed to be one of the
proprietors of the circus, Mr. Barnum, in fact; but the shade of the
real Mr. Barnum would have been much insulted if he could have beheld
his representative. Checked black and white knickerbockers (adapted from
an old suit skirt), a dark maroon velvet coat, white vest, red necktie,
green kid gloves, blue spectacles, a fierce black mustache, silk hat and
a cane, were striking features of his outfit. Girls and teachers had to
look twice before they recognized a quiet girl of the upper class, who
had been known chiefly by good work in the classroom. Her dark hair was
turned straight up under the silk hat and gave a bobbed effect.
“Come, Mrs. Goodman,” invited Miss Randolph laughing at and with the
startling looking showman who could not keep his face straight, but took
off his hat and bowed low to the ladies as they approached. “Let us see
what kind of a performance the girls have.”
The curtains were parted for them as they paid over their pennies, and
they entered a space where there was sawdust scattered upon the floor
with a little hay and a few cages made from boxes. Three remarkable
elephants were swinging long trunks about. “Don’t lean on me so hard,
please,” whispered the front section of elephant to the rear section.
“My back is ’most broken,” was the reply, “and I’m nearly smothered!”
“Make a breathing hole here, and I’ll try to stand it if you can’t help
leaning all your weight on me!”
It was not all joy, apparently, to be transformed into a circus animal,
but “anything for Y. W. and a little fun”, as the girls said. It was
just as well that all the cages were labeled.
A semicircle of seats, in two tiers, had been made of boards nailed to
boxes, somewhat insecurely, it seemed to the ladies as they climbed upon
them. “I can’t tell which is more amusing,” said the professor’s wife to
Miss Randolph, “audience or performers.” She waved her hand as she spoke
at a row of supposed small boys on the front circle. They sat with open
mouths, or passed sacks of peanuts and popcorn to each other.
“The girls are pretty good at this,” replied the principal. “Those two
clowns coming out are Collegiate Seniors, Maxine Burton and Gertrude
Mather.”
“Now, Titus,” said clown number one pompously, as he placed his hand
upon a large wooden box in the center of the sawdust ring, “do you see
this incubator?”
“Yes, suh,” replied clown number two, hideous with red and white paint
and a clown’s suit much beruffled and gathered.
“And the egg that I now put in?”
“Yes, suh.”
“In exactly two minutes after I turn the crank, the whole process is
complete and the chicken will appear. This incubator is the greatest
invention of the age,—by Thomas Edison, ladies and gentlemen!”
Faint jeers and one quickly suppressed call of “chestnuts” came from the
front row; but the ringmaster started in the direction of the “small
boys” and the disturbance subsided.
“Br-rr-rr! Br-rr-rr!”
“Now I open the door, like this,—”
“Oooh-oo-ooh-oo-_ooh_-oo-oo!” With a great flapping and crowing, an
immense rooster of decidedly human characteristics hopped out and
flopped around amid loud manufactured applause, while clown number two
pretended to faint and was carted off by two circus hands on one of the
trucks used by the janitor for trunks.
A few more rather silly imitations of circus jokes followed, for busy
girls could not be expected to be too original; then the elephants were
announced, by the ringmaster, who wore a black velvet riding suit. This
elegant gentleman cracked a whip and strode around in true histrionic
style.
“Any little boy or girl who wants to may now have a ride on the
elephant. These are the most docile elephants in captivity!”
In came the elephants, led by a deeply dyed native clad in a silk turban
and a flowing kimono appropriately draped. They came slowly by
necessity.
(“Now, when I step with my right foot, you step with your left, and then
it will look natural.” Thus spoke the first section of elephant.
“Well, how can I do it? It joggles so!” returned rear section.)
“Now, what little boy will come first?” asked the ringmaster in honeyed
tones.
One of the fattest little boys in the front row came ambling shyly out,
his fingers in his mouth.
“That’s nice, Johnny; which elephant do you want to ride on?”
The nearest elephant reared around dangerously, so Johnny pointed to the
next one. That also began to caper, if elephants can be said to caper,
while rear section, peeping out, said to front section, “That’s Mabel
Smith; I couldn’t hold her on my back a minute. I don’t know how much
she weighs. Why didn’t they think to take some of the real little girls
for this!”
“They wanted to be in Tom Thumb’s party!”
Owing to the press of school duties, this scene had not been rehearsed
with the elephants, but to their relief, a strident voice from the
audience called sharply, “Johnny Jones, come back here! You know it
ain’t safe to ride on elephants!” A lady apparently of the deadly
variety came stalking forth to lead away her venturesome offspring.
“O, yes, ladies and gents, it is perfectly safe!” the ringmaster assured
the audience, whereat Cathalina brought little “Tommy” into the ring.
Now Tommy forgot that he had been warned to ascend carefully, and
inspired by the occasion, placed one hand on the back of the elephant
and vaulted lightly and easily up.
Crash! The elephant fell in, Tommy and all!—while to cover the confusion
the band hastily marched from the side to the front and played strains
from “Teddy in Africa”, with the appropriate bangs and explosions.
Meanwhile the sections of elephant were reunited and Tommy, covered with
sawdust, was dusted off. There followed a really fine exhibition by four
of the most graceful gymnasts in the collegiate classes. They went
through the different feats learned by long practice under the “gym”
teacher, and added the bows, waves and smirks of circus performers.
The little girls, of course, had longed to dress up as grown folks. It
was Cathalina’s bright idea to have them appear as midgets. They came on
next and proved one of the most popular features of the evening, a
surprise, for in the earlier part of the evening they had sold lemonade
and popcorn and were dressed as butterflies.
Next and last came a trained pig performance. The clever girl who
managed this brought in all sorts of jokes upon the girls present. The
pig proved to be a remarkable speller! It had been intended to have a
lion taming act and a rope-walking “stunt”, but, alas, it was necessary
to get through by bedtime.
Hilary, who had been in the band, declared her voice ruined by the
efforts of the evening.
“O, Cathalina,” yawned Isabel, as they all ascended in the elevator, “I
wish I ‘_wuz_’ somebody’s little boy to be put to bed!”
“I’ll do it, Tommy,” offered Cathalina, who was herself ready to drop.
“Thank you, my dear young ‘maw,’ but you will go straight to your downy
couch. Goodnight, ladies!” and Isabel ran clumping in her heavy shoes,
like the boy she looked, down the corridor to her room.