Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ... JOHN MORRISON, POET, MUSICIAN, AND TRAVELLING SHOWMAN, BY DONALD J. JOLLY. CHAPTER III. Opening Of The New Circus--Mr. John Delaney's Feats--Donald Mackintosh, The Would-be Equestrian--His Remarkable TransFormation--Mr, Ord The Hero Of The Evening--Tam O'shanter And His Grey Mare Meg--Delaney As " Cutty Sark." Within half-an-hour after the doors were opened the circus was crowded in every part. The first seats were tilled by the shopkeepers and gentry, the others by the well-to-do working people, and so great was the demand for the standing room that it was with much difficulty the ring-master could prevent them from overflowing into the performing area. It was indeed a grand sight--a perfect forest of genial happy faces, and the circus itself looked beautiful, as everything was new and unsoiled. The glare of the paraffin lamps, the beautiful trappings of the horses, and the glistening spangles of the performers, made up a scene that appeared to my unsophisticated eyes like a glimpse of fairyland. The usual buffoonery between the ringmaster and the clown opened the proceedings, and every joke that was "cracked" elicited rounds of laughter and applause. The first equestrian performer for the evening was Mr. John Delaney, who went through a remarkable performance of mounting and dismounting his horse in every possible way without the use of stirrups. After this performance Charles Walker, John Nicoll, Daniel Lindsay and' myself, all did extraordinary feats in horsemanship, and though the saying so will perhaps be considered egotistical, still love for the truth compels me to affirm that a smarter set of men were never brought together in any circus. They were all very clever at their work, and I am not sure if the present generation of...
