Good Circus Seats can be made out of boxes eighteen or twenty inches high, with planks laid across their tops.
To give the back-yard a real circus appearance, we always thought it necessary not only to have a ring but also a tent over it and the grandstand, so we gathered together all the old awnings, tents, and carriage covers we could scrape up, and fastening these together with pins or heavy thread made
A Large Tent.—A ten-foot pole was sunk into the ground in the centre of the ring, and ropes were run from the top of this to the fence, after which the tent was fastened to the ropes and propped with poles wherever any sagging occurred.
Bright colored cheese-cloth was used
In decorating the Tent, and for evening performances Japanese lanterns were hung about the yard.
Figs. 266-267.—Ticket Office and Turnstile.
A Ticket Office should be built at the entrance to the yard. This can be made out of two boxes, one set on top of the other, as shown in[ Fig. 266]. Cut an opening fifteen inches square in the front for a window, round the top, and make a guard of wooden strips to fit it. Cut a slot in the counter, fastening a box beneath it in which to drop tickets, and for a cash drawer fasten strips to the under side of the counter, as shown in [Fig. 266], so that a cigar-box will slide upon them. To the top of the ticket office fasten a board cut the shape shown in the illustration, and print the word "Tickets" upon it. These letters may be illuminated for an evening performance by boring holes through them and placing candles behind (see [Fig. 266]).