A DETERMINED DOG.

359

he was the object of some wretched design. By and by the time for his removal arrived. Thomas patted and coaxed him, but Nelson resisted all friendly appeals, though he permitted Thomas and a couple of other servants to lift him into an open light cart. The coachman chained his companion to the seat, and away they started for the show. When just on the borders of the family estate, Nelson suddenly leaped upon the coachman, pulled him down upon his back, and seized the reins in his mouth. The horse, a quiet, steady beast, continued the even tenor of his way, and Thomas, in a wholesome fright, dared not interfere with the dog, which continued to exhibit ugly signs of desperation. Failing to stop the horse by means of the reins, Nelson, plunging to the full length of his chain, seized the horse's tail, and by this time Thomas, coming to the front, turned the horse and drove home, unmolested by Nelson, who, however, regarded him with a watchful and threatening eye. "I knew he'd never go, sir," said Thomas, "he never meant to go,” and he did not go.

360

CIRCUS-PERFORMING CHILDREN.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

About Circuses and Pantomimes.-Children as Acrobats.-Barbarous Treatment of a Little Girl by her Trainer.-Cruelty of a Father to his Two Performing Children.- Excitement in a Philadelphia Variety Hall.-How Children are Driven to their Tasks in Circuses.Death in the Ring.-The Clown's Dying Wife.-Leaping through a Hoop into Matrimony.-The Cost of a Circus.-Behind the Scenes in the Circus.-How Engagements are Made.-Circus Clowns and Stage Clowns.-Pantomime.-An Evening of English Pantomime.

I am no admirer of the circus; but especially do I abhor seeing children in the ring.

I have said that the sight of a child-actor on the stage excites my deepest sympathies-because it does not seem to me as if any child could naturally like the life.

This feeling is intensified in the case of child-acrobats and circus-performers; for, if it is unnatural to see a child go through a part on the stage, how much more unnatural it is to see a child performing the perilous feats of the acrobat!

I know that boys who go to circuses are apt to be fired with the desire to convert the limbs of trees into horizontal bars, and to make a trapeze out of an old rope in the barn; but the frolics of an active child, imitating that which tickles its little fancy, are a very different thing from the making such performances a daily labor.

No schoolboy, driven unwillingly to school, ever hated his books as the child-acrobat hates his toilsome and dangerous feats; and, to their shame be it said, those who train children for the circus and the variety hall are often guilty of the most brutal and cruel treatment of their little protegees.

I remember a case of this sort which took place in Cin

SHAMEFUL EXHIBTION.

361

cinnati, and was made the theme of indignant comment by some of the newspapers. A circus owned and managed by a celebrated clown was exhibiting there. The clownproprietor introduced a little girl to the audience, saying that she would exhibit her skill in riding. He stated that the horse was somewhat unused to the ring, and if it should happen that the rider should fall, no one need entertain any apprehension of serious accident, for the arena was soft, and injury would be impossible. It was surely an unhappy introduction for the child, and calculated to fill her with fear and doubt. The child whirled rapidly round the ring two or three times, using neither rein nor binding strap. She stood on one foot, then changed to the other. After this, she was called upon to jump stretchers. Had her horse been well trained, the feat would have been no very difficult one. But she became entangled in the cloth, and fell to the ground under the horse's feet. She was placed again on the back of the horse, and compelled once more to try the feat. Her fall had not given her new confidence, and she fell a second time. Evidently much against her inclination, and in spite of her trembling and her tears, nature's protest against barbarity, she was tossed again to her place. But her nerve had gone. She was utterly demoralized. Judgment of distance, and faith in herself were lost. Again she attempted to execute the leap. Again she fell to the ground, this time striking heavily upon her head. She rolled directly under the horse's feet, and only by a sheer chance escaped a terrible death. The audience-more merciful than those within the ring-by this time had become thoroughly aroused and indignant. Cries and shouts were heard from all quarters: "Shame! shame!" "That'll do!" "Take her out! take her out!" came up from every side. It would not answer to disregard such commands, and with a smile the ringmaster went to the