6 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 



ropes and wires for the aerial acts and laid out all 

 the paraphernalia for the ground acts. While we 

 were doing these things, the canvas-men were 

 stringing the seats. Then we had breakfast. 



When the parade returned, there were cages to 

 be placed in the menagerie tent and the parade 

 properties to be prepared for shipping. By the time 

 that work was finished, the crowds had arrived for 

 the show and we stood by to handle the tackle of 

 the various acts. At night, after the show had 

 started, we began taking down the smaller tents 

 and stowing the properties just as fast as they 

 came from the "big top." Then, when the show 

 was loaded, we took one last look over the lot to 

 be sure that nothing had been left behind. 



No, we didn't care much where we slept just 

 any spot where we dropped was good enough. 



My greatest interest was in the animals, espe- 

 cially the elephants. In my spare minutes they 

 were mighty few and far between I talked with 

 the keepers and learned from them many things 

 about the care of animals. When we went into 

 winter quarters at Columbus, Ohio, the head animal- 

 man agreed to let me stay as a keeper. 



The next season I went with the Adam Fore- 

 paugh show; then with the Frank Robbins show. 

 I learned the circus business from the ground up 

 and I was rapidly promoted. In 1883, I joined R. 

 W. Fryer's show as head property-man and trans- 

 portation master. It was a responsible position, 



