Author: George Conklin

Publisher: Theclassics.Us

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 80

ISBN-13: 9781230389677

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. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ... GREAT BRITAIN AND THE CONTINENT MY first trip to England was made in the fall of 1889 with the Barnum & Bailey show. This invasion of the "Old Country" was the idea of Mr. Bailey who worked out the plans for the undertaking, which was in the nature of an experiment, for no large American circus had ever before been to Europe, and just what its reception would be was problematical. It was a daring venture. If it "took," there were limitless possibilities in the way of success; if it did not, there was not only a diminishment of prestige, but a staggering financial loss to face. We sailed from New York October 20, 1889, in especially chartered boats, and reached London without mishap. Of course our coming had been much heralded in England, but there was a certain amount of skepticism as to our show being any better than the English, a feeling which of course was most pronounced among the British showmen themselves. The feeling was well shown by an incident that occurred soon after we docked and before we had begun to unload. A fellow who was proprietor of a small menagerie somewhere near London came on board, full of curiosity. It was Frank Bostock, later well known in this country, but at that time unheard of, "What 'ave you got to hexcite the Henglish people?" he asked me. "Oh, we've got some elephants, and some lions and tigers, some giraffes, some monkeys, and a lot of other animals, and a first-class circus," I told him. "Why, we've got loyns and toigers and helephants, and all those things over 'ere. You cawn't interest the people with those things, you know," Bostock answered, and Willie Sholes, a rider, who had been listening, broke in: "Never mind, Johnnie Bull, we've got a Yankee circus here, and we're going to show you fellows a...