CHAPTER XXII.
A CIRCUS IN THE ATTIC.
How to Make the Horses and Other Animals, and How to Make the Costumes.
In all mimic circus performances the boys of a generation ago were sadly handicapped by the want of horses; sometimes goats and dogs were pressed into service, but these animals flatly refused to allow the youthful circus riders to mount their backs, and as substitutes for horses proved good for nothing but the creation of confusion.
When
The Goat
was supposed to canter around the ring, he had a way of standing on his hind legs and coming down head-first, which utterly demoralized our ring-master, and even caused the clown to do many “stunts” not down on the programme. The dog would wag his tail and bark in a manner very unlike a true circus horse.
It sometimes happened that one of the performers was the proud owner of a real live pony. Alas! even a pony had its objectionable features, for however willing the animal might be to climb the stairs, for reasons unaccountable to us, our parents put forth such strong objections that the pony had to be left out of the show.
Since the Writer’s Circus Days
the safety bicycle has made its appearance, and as a consequence every boys’ show may now be supplied with circus horses which the boys can ride, and which will neither butt nor bark; furthermore, parents will not object to the presence in the attic of rubber-shod hoofs, which make no noise.