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Updated: April 30, 2025
"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen!" cried Herbert, just like a real ringmaster in a real circus, "the next trick will be when my Monkey does a flip-flap-flop!" And, indeed, that was a very hard trick to do. But the Monkey did it when Herbert pulled the string, and all the boys and girls said it was fine, and that the show was one grand affair.
At last he exhausted all his resources of low scurrility, ridiculous contortions, grotesque grimaces, pretended aches, falls at full length, etc., till the ringmaster, judging this gratuitous show long enough, and that the public were sufficiently fascinated, sent him off with a final cuff. Then the music began again with such violence that the painted canvas trembled.
Castle acted as the ringmaster this time, and after he had introduced them very much after the fashion of the posters and the clown had repeated some funny joke, the horses were led in and they were assisted to mount. "Don't mind the people at all," said Mr. Castle, in a low voice, "but ride just as if you were alone here with me."
He danced first with a tall lady covered with straw who announced jovially that she was a bale of hay and coyly begged him not to eat her. "I'd like to; you're so sweet," said the camel gallantly. Each time the ringmaster shouted his call of "Men up!" he lumbered ferociously for Betty with the cardboard wienerwurst or the photograph of the bearded lady or whatever the favor chanced to be.
But curiosity and interest in Neale urged her on. "He couldn't content himself in the show business. He was the high-tonedest ringmaster we ever had. I was only actin' the lions and a den of hyenas in them days. But I cut out the hyenas. You can't tame them brutes, and a man's got to have eyes in the back of his head and in his elbers, to watch 'em. "Well!
The performance was delayed half an hour that night to enable the trap to be sprung. Joe and Jim Tracy met a certain train that came in from a large city, and saw alight from it two quiet, unassuming men. "There they are," said Joe. "Now things will move!" And he and the ringmaster were soon in conversation with the two new arrivals.
"I'll put one on orange," called Uncle Daniel, "for the same charity." Then the ladies all wanted to bet, but Bert said it was against the rules to allow betting. "We will take all the money you want to give us," said Bert, "but we cannot allow betting on the races." "All ready!" called the ringmaster, holding his revolver high in the air again. Bang went the gun! Off went the chariots!
He ceased and there was a hearty burst of applause, for it was a popular choice. The prize, a huge box of cigars, was put aside for the camel, as he was anatomically unable to accept it in person. "And now," continued the ringmaster, "we will wind up the cotillion with the marriage of Mirth to Folly! "Form for the grand wedding march, the beautiful snake charmer and the noble camel in front!"
And in the talented aggregation of performers there was of course just one rôle that could have been assumed by General Jackson, that of ringmaster; so to that end he sat on the floor of the barn beside the sleeping puppies and young Tucker and plaited the lash by means of which he intended to govern the courses of his stars.
As for the wild riders from the cattle ranges, they drew into a close group with the ringmaster between them and the gaunt stallion, almost as if the fearless ones were seeking for protection.
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