Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1916 — CIRCUS LIFE HARD? [ARTICLE]

CIRCUS LIFE HARD?

Well, Miss Gladys Gorman Is an Art* ist’s Model, and She Represents the Third Generation. It’s the circus that is the question of the hour, at least for the kiddies —and who is not young again on circus day? The broadspread and flaming announcements have, no doubt, prepared you for the advent of the big Cail Hagenbeck-Wallace circus; with its many spectacular allurements, not the least of which is to be its “gor geous” street pageant the opening day of the show. The numerous and stretching white tops, a veritable city of canvas, as one is, assured, will appear in Rensselaer on Saturday, August 5. Your circus man is always plentifully supplied with promises, as well as adjectives, and what he, the Hagenbeck-Wallace man, does not put forward as a fascinating preface to this first-of-the-season “carnivals’’ is not to be found in the literature of circusdom. It is to be bigger, better and more stupendous than ever, of course, and with an equip ment new in everything but the timetried and time-honored title. Among the chief equestriennes is to be found Miss Gladys Gorman, a young woman of real renown as a horse rider, her circus forebears dating back as far, almost, as our old friend Sleary of Dickens fame. There are to be scores of other daring equestrians, with still others who are to show the amazed on-lookers every feat ever presented within an arena, and some that have but recently been accomplished under canvas. Although Miss Gorman is about as big as a “minute,’ she is recognized as one of the most beautiful circus riders in the world. She is small of statute and weighs exactly 90 j pounds; she stands foqr feet six and .wears a No. 13% child's shoe. Miss Gorman is the daughter of Josie Damont, the rider, and Phil Ludlow, the clown. For three generations back on both sides her ancestor , have been circus performers. During the winter months Miss Gorman is

an art model and noted artists have given her the title of the “prettiest circus girl.” The Carl Hagenbeck-Wallace circus represents the expenditure o’ $3,v00,00". The employes with the show number about 1,000, in addition to 10S advance men. The big show travels three of the longest trains ever used by a circus organization. In the daytime 22 tents, which cover 14 acres of ground, are used to house the tented city. A galla, golden, three-mile-long street parade will be seen on the downtown streets at 10 a. m. the morning preceding the first exhibition. Doors to the big show will be opened at 1 and 7 p. m. The performances.. begin an hour later.— Advt.