Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1896 — A Yankee at a Circus. [ARTICLE]

A Yankee at a Circus.

“I attended Barnutu's circus at New London, Conn., a fe\y days ago,” remarked a traveling man at the Palace yesterday, “aud bad the pleasure of sitting beside one of those shrewd, practical old Yankees that we read about aud seldom see. I expected to Bee hint enthusiastic over the performance, but he wasn't. After a woman had glyen a beautiful exhibition of bareback riding I asked him what he thought of It. “ ‘She could ride a heap rodre comfortable an' run a durn sight less risks o’ breakin’ her neck on a side saddle,’ Bald he. “Then a man gave a bareback exhibition on a trained steer. The animal cavorted around the ring with the man for several minutes, aud then he threw the brute and stood with one foot on Its head and the other on Its side. “ ‘Mighty good way to spile a good beef crlttei** commented the old man. “Next they showed horses in a thunder storm. The stage thunder commenced to roll,and the affrighted horses huddled together In the center of the ring. Then came flashes of lightning, and they scattered as If terror-stricken. It was a very petty exhibition of well trained animals, but the old Yankee was disappointed. “ ‘lt’s all wrong,’ declared he. ‘No one ever see thunder come afore llghtnln'. The llghtnin’ alius comes first.’ " —San Francisco Post.