Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1896 — A Yankee at a Circus. [ARTICLE]

A Yankee at a Circus.

“I attended Barnum’s circus fit New London, Conn., a few day's ago,” remarked a traveling man at the Palace yesterday, “and had the pleasure of sitting beside one of those shrewd, practical old Yankees that we read about and seldom see. I expected to see him enthusiastic over the performance, but he wasntf. After a woman had given a beautiful exhibition of bareback riding I asked him what he thought of it. “ ’She could ride a heap more comfortable an’ run a durn sight leks risks o’ breakin’ her neck on a side saddle,’ said he. “Then a man gave a bareback exhibition on a trained steer. The animal cavorted around the ring—witir the man for several minutes, and 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 er i t ter, ’ cbm men ted the bld 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 Ting. 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 lightnin’. The lightnin’ alius comes first.’ ” —San Francisco I’ost.