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About Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1896-1898 | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1896)
AT" X V: V 'if OH, YE FACES. Faces, faces, Crowding city streets mid places, 'Bright Willi hope, aiiij love, and laughter, Dark will) passions of despair! Oh, the story of the taw; AllK'l fCe, dctlloll fUCCS, Faces, facis everywhere. Oh! the beauty of the fares, Sunny locks and fairy graces. Little wuudcrlug gleams of heim'n Ixmt among the ways 0' men. Ohl the brightness of the faces. Maiden faces, childish faces, Beauty in H forms ul"1 I'l"""-'. Sojourner and denizen, Ohl the pathos of the faces, mil,i,l hones n nil dark disgraces. When the awe' robe U potted, and the White oui Htained with ami Oh! the story of the faces Women faces, youthful faces All the harp-chords strained and broken Ere the anthem could begin. Oh! the pallor of the faces. Flying from the cold death places; Seeking, in the shouting highways, Respite from the hell within. Oh! the sadness of the fuivs, Mother faces, widow faces, Haggard with the toil and watching. By the night lamp, pale and thin. Oh! the horror of the faces, Hcowllngs, frowns, anil dark menaces, Sodden with a thousand vices, Hideous with the brand of Uain. Oh! the terror of the faces, Felon faces, traitor faces. Plague spots on the fair creation, Nightmares of i fevered brain. Faces, faces Crowding cily streets and places 'Faces smooth with youth and beauty, Faces lined with age and care, Oh! the story of the faces. Of the glml and weary faces, Of the faces everywhere. Chicago Inte1 Ocean. ANITA CORTEZ. It was young Morgan's first appear ance on any stage. The city editor (wanted a two-column article on "Mrs. Bluebeard from Behind the Scenes," and Morgan wag given the assignment. Tho press agent Introduced to the 'stage, mnnnger, who grunted a response and then turned his attention to weight Iter matters. The singe was dirty looking; some scenery, hacked up against the wall, appeared garish and cheap not at all so soft and beautiful as when seen from !tbe front. A chorus girl brushed past i Morgan; she wns plastered with rouge and had two heavy black lines painted lunder her eyes. Her lashes were thick I with some black stuff and yet from his seat In the parquet the other night ho 'had thought her beautiful beyond com pare. The piny bad already commenced and the comedian wns capering n round the atago with the soubrette. A crowd of men Incused In brans armor leaned against a stone painted wall, while some chorus girls gowned ns peasants, were chatting and laughing a few feet away. "What tho devil are you girls gnd dlng about over there'" came the voice of the stage nmnngcr. "I've told you a hundred times to sliiud In that second entrance and wait your cue there. I'll line the whole crowd of you If 1 have, to tell you again." ' Tho girls moved In 11 nmtter-of-fiict sort of way to the en! ranee designated, One of t lie girls, a llght-hnlrcd little thing, stuck her tongue out when the Htago niaiuiger's back was turned. 'Crlpps Is an old crunk," she said. The other girls laughed. Young Morgan took a long breath. Ho wns ncctistoint'i! to profanity down at the ollleo, but then there were no .women there. A burst of music and the girls tripped on the stage, just an the comedian, panting and perslring, came tumbling off. "I'm going to cut that dance to morrow night, Crlpps. It's too much exertion for u warm night." "Cut your whole business for all I care," answered Crlpps. "It's not my reputation you're making. The whole blooming show can go to the devil us far ns I am concerned." The comedian yawned. "(Jot 'em again, Crlpps?" was nil lie said. Six girls came Jostling olT the stage. One of them stumbled against n bit of projecting i cenery and tore a rent In her gown. "Who's got a pin? Who's got A pin'.'" she shouted. Crlpps heard her. "Tore your dress, did you? That'll cost you a dollar help yon not to be so cnreless, too. Take the dress to Mrs. Ward after this scene and tell her to mend It." "I couldn't help It, Mr. Crlpps. I hurt my sldo against the scene, too. I've got enough to put up with without being tlned." "Can't help how the devil you did It," .wns Crlpps' unfeeling rejoinder. "You girls come off that scene like a pack of frightened sheep. Take your time. Xo lxidy's chasing you. Here, Ondsby, mind your lights! Quick now out lights down with thnt drop! Shove that wing around more so-so flint's enough. Don't take all night with thnt table. 1 lint Is a quick change, not a funeral! (Jet out of the way, you fool reporter! I'ush that chair on the stage. Now up lights up lights for the love of heaven, nnd be quick about ll!" And up went the lights as suddenly as they went out. and Morgan heard a burst of applause from the front ns the "Exter ior of the King's rnlace" gave way In fifteen seconds to "A Boom In Blue beard's Castle." The girls were rush ing up the narrow wooden stairs for a change of costume armored knights were running past him toward the stage the orchestra was playing a wild fanfare the stage manager was look ing at bis watch and grinning triumph antly. "Made the change In four sec onds qulcked time than last night," be said. "Have yon pin, please " Morgan turned. It wns the girl with a tenr In her gown. The reporter gave her n pin. "The stage manager Is no, gracious to-night," he siild. ' "Sumo ns usual," she answered. "Ho doesn't ch.inge much. That's his du ligh ter over there"-11 rid she swept her nrin vaguely toward a crowd of girls who were sitting on a (light of red steps. "The one with a pink ribbon In her hair?" asked Morgan. "No, that's the comedian's wife Mrs Winters, '"ho girl with the yellow tights Is Minnie Crlpps. She and the comedian's wife are thick as thieves. They don't love me and I don't love them. Some day I'll get even with them Mrs. Winters first, though." "You're Spanish?" asked Morgan looking nt her lustrous hnir and her dark Spanish eyes. "Yes, my mime Is Anita Cortez." "1 remember you now. 1011 do a Spnulsh dunce 11 round n dngger stuck in the stage." "Yes. nnd If It wasn't for that dance Mrs. Winters mid I-oh, well, I'll tell you after the show. Ooing anywhere after the show? No? Well, the cur tain drops at 10:.'4 o'clock and It takes nn about twenty minutes to get out. I'll meet you In the Indies' saloon at the cafe around the corner nt ll:-0 o'clock. I hnve to go up stairs und dress for the second act now. When I come down I'll show you my dagger. It's a beauty, full of Jewels, and I can throw It fifty feet and bit a bull's eye. There goes the curtain down on the tlrst act. I m late." And she darted tip the stairs. Then there was pushing and sliov lug nnd hauling nnd hoisting as the contless scene shifters began setting the scenes for tho second act. The or chestrn lender came through a little door that led up from under the stage. Crlpps caught sight of hiin. "Don't give nu encore for the opening bonis to-night, Bettertoii. We're four minutes late now on the tlrst act. It's twenty-one of ten." 11 right," answered the orchestra lender. "There's n One house out front." Then, after a pause: "Say, Crlpps, I don't want to Interfere, but thnt Cortez woman is (lifting with ev ry man In the house again. She's got my first violin daft. He mnde two dls cords Just because ho can't keep his eyes off her." 'I warned that Cortez minx two weeks ago that I'd fire her. The two weeks are up to-ulght and she goes. guess she knows It, too, for she's been looking ugly confound her!" He pull ed out bis watch. "We're ready for you, Bottorton," nnd as the orchestra leader disappeared through the little door Crlpps called upstairs: "All down for the second net!" A few minutes later the curtain went up on the second act. Crlpps was swear lug, as usual, and a sensitive chorus girl wns crying because be had merely called her a ."waddling hog" and had threatened to line her If she didn't walk with her bend up In tike air aud not down on her chest, "ns If she was rooting for walnuts." The act was half over when Morgan saw Anita Cortez coining down the wooden steps. At ho foot of the steps stood the come dian's wife. Hay Winters. Her back ,'ms toward Anita. In 11 second the dancer laid drawn n dagger from her belt another second nnd she took a quick look around. No one but Mor gan observed her; she saw that he was oklng ut her, nnd so she threw u kiss him. Then, like a flush, the dagger cw through the air ami iiuricu ttseir to the hilt In May Winters' back. Simul taneous with her shriek came 11 cry from the dancer, ns she deliberately 11 milled down the steps, lauding on top of the wounded woman. With the Ulckness of lightning she pulled the agger from the quivering flesh and sprang to her feet. My (iod," she cried. "My (lod. ripps, come here. My foot slipped on be stairs aud the dagger Hew out of my bands, wounding May Winters, and ih, my foot's sprained and there's my lie. And with 11 limp slie hounded on the stage and throwing the dagger, dripping with blood, point downward, she danced around It like n wild thing; bile the audience, moved by her fren ', rose and cheered ngaiu nnd again her tempestuous and whlrlwlud-like entrance. Behind the scenes a different part wns being played. The Mounded wom an was carried Into a nearby dressing room and til" stage curpeuter hud sped up the street for a doctor. Winters, the comedian, was stanching the How of blood with his cap. The womnu was unconscious. "She did It oil. purpose," said Crlpps. "That fall of hers was a regular stage fall you can't fool inc." "I don't think it was done purpose ly," said Winters, unsteadily. He bent his bead and the tears slowly rolled down his cheeks and fell on the pink tights of the hurt woman. Crlpps walk ed softly to the door and went out; he whistled softly to himself. The doctor arrived Just as Crlpps came to the door again: "Hurry up. Inters your cue. "By heavens, Crlpps. I can't sing a topical song now." "It's your bread and butter out front there. Your wife's In that room. You can't help her by staying. Better look after your bread and butter." Winters dug his nulls Into the palms of his hands. Crlpps half led, half push ed 111 111 toward the stage. "Your band's full of Mood; wipe It on the wings as you go past," be said, quietly. And so Winters went capering on the stage aud sang and laughed and made the audience almost wild with delight, and the doctor in the dressing-room looked brave and tried to stop the flow of Mood. After he had sung three verses he darted from the stage and was In the dressing-room. .Vulla Cortet was help ing the doctor. I'm very sorry abont the accident, Mr. Winters," said the dancing girl, calmly. "I've lost my position by It. Crlpps hns discharged me." Winters looked nt her and set his teeth. She looked at him und smiled. "Accidents will happen, you know." THE CIRCUS AND and she slgl.ed. "Can I be of any fur ther assistance, doctor?" "I think not," he answered. She walked to the door. "Oood-by, Winters," she said, without turning her head. Noiselessly she opened the door. Wluters dropped on bis knees beside , his wife. "Weil?" he Interrogated, look- The Clrcim. lug up at the doctor. , Tradition keeps the memory "Unless there's an Internal lieuior- old one-ring circus green. It rhnge. she's nil right. I think, though. 1 "the pie that mother used to i UNDER THE Bid TENT ITS MARVEL OUS ACCOMPANIMENTS. 1 The Trawling Show In City mid Country-Scene When tho gatloii Htops for a One-Day Hliowmeii us Uenefuctom. Allure rltuud- of the !h like make she'll (mil through. Have some one laud many a patriarch who visits tie ring for an ambulance. She'll be better shows that come along occasionally at a hospital than at home." Young Morgan walked Into the Indies' cafe nt the saloon around the comer. Anita Cortez was sitting at' a table. She looked handsomer off than on tho stage. "You're late," she said. "Yes." he answered. "The manager kept me here making me promise not to use the story It would hurt the show. And so I promised, though the city edi tor would kill me If he knew I hud the story 11 ml didn't use It. What will you have to drink?" "I'm not hungry," she answered. "Another thing 1 didn't ask you here to eat and drink. I want to tell you 11 story. Once upon 11 time that's the 1 way nil nice stories begin, you kuow : oh, but this Isn't n nice story nt all, so j It must begin differently. Once there j wns a dancer, and she Joined a bur-; lesquo company. There was a man In ' It, a comedian, whom she knew somo 1 years before. But they had certain ren- j sons for not allowing other people to j know this, so he treated her as coolly as she treated him that Is, when any- j one wns looking." j "Ah, I see now," snld Morgan. "No, you dou't, my dear boy. Let me continue, ilils comedian was mnrrled to one of the chorus girls had been married, recently, too. This hurt the other woman's pride, for the man had sworn his love for her long before he had met the pretty blonde. But she didn't want the man now. She was too proud and she had also outgrown her liking or loving, cnll It what you will. See that table by the door? Well, three days ago the comedian came In here af ter the inn tlnoe. Theother woman well, I was the other woman wns sitting at that table alone. No one else wns In the room. He came over to me and begged me to leave the company. His wife was Jealous of me. Women grow Jenlous Intuitively. I refused to leave the company. He got on his knees to beg me. Just then entered bis wife. She ninrched up to the table, called me every vile unnie In the calendar, and before I had an Inkling of what she In tended to do she slapped my face. I wns ou my feet In an Instant, but Win ters came between us aud got his wife downstairs. I swore I'd be even with her, nnd I have been." "But," snld Morgan, "If you'll pardon me saying so, don t you think she was Justified In slapping your face?" Anita Cortez laughed. "What n guileless boy you are!" she snld. "I'll tell you another story a shorter one. Suppose a man marries a woman nnd In six months tires of her nnd leaves her to stnrve. Then suppose he marries another womnu a yenr or so afterward. Wife No. 2 finds her hus bnnd with Wife No. 1 nnd slap's No. l's face. Now, legally, if there was any slapping to be done the first wife should hnve the right, wouldn't she? Well, the first wife didn't slap she stabbed. Will you kindly help me on with my clonk?" Footlights. and camp on n corner lot or the village. ! green recalls a resemblance to the cir cuses that were rare, but delightful, I when he was 11 boy, The clown, the ! ringmaster, the bespangled lady rider, : the Intelligent donkey, the tumblers, ! the trick elephant, the ferocious lion, j the marvellous freak side tent all , come and go with the season, practic ally unchanged, yet new to the young generation, and fascinating as ever to the old fellow who so unselfishly at tends every show that comes along, "for the children's sake," uud for the memory of past days. If you cultivate the proper spirit you j TUE CLOW.N'8 HEST FRIEND. can have an excellent time at the clr . cub, even the little one-ringed one, and i that spirit is the broad one prepared to applaud nnd enjoy; the Intention of work, Then comes the arena work. Tho principal acts lend. The riders do the common things with the grace of long practice, and as Champion So-and.-so leaves the Hug he stops to talk a mo ment with the tripping beauty who Is about to essay the trape.e. The trn pe.lsts move to slow music by the band, which consists of n half dozen very few become adept. Nor Is it any small task to keep In proper sub jection the conflicting interests and In clinations of the swnrni of specialties, freaks, performers, aud the like, who form an Integral part of every show. They are nlwnys quarreling nliout nothing, nnd require constant manipu lation to prevent them from causing "WE WERE COMRADES." uniformed musicians stationed by the entry. The children, who make up two-thirds of the audience, cheer ns the daring people In fleshings "skin the cat" and perform other wonder ful feats thirty feet above ground. Sometimes two slsters or brothers, rare ly three of a family, poise themselves on the burs. The horizontal bar acts, the tumbling over the backs of stoop ing men, the jockey riding and the trained pigs, dogs and horses make up the rest of the program. The advent of the big tent of the big show, with Its marvelous accompani ments. Is, of course, nu event that comes to the rural districts somewhat Infrequently, but It Is appreciated there ns nowhere else. The city, with Its free shows. Its constant excitement. cannot find the novelty lu one of these exhibitions that appeals to the village disturbances that would Injure the suc cess of the organization. It was an old showman who snld: "As much KnCCATINO THE MONKEY. lira Ins are required to keep a set of. freaks in order as to govern an em pire." He wns not far wrong, for the Jealousies and bickerings of these peo ple go on forever. THE SHOW FULL OPERATION. The Kiss Kccleslastic. At a fashionable wedding party, Just ns the happy pair were about to start on their wedding tour, the pretty little bride was thanking the clergyman who had made her and her choice one; on which the reverend gentleman, who was an old friend of the family nnd a bit of a wng, said: "But, my dear, you have not paid me my fee." What Is It?" snld the bride. 'A kiss. Won't you pay it before you go .' "Of course I will," she answered, blushing and laughing, nnd she did. A severe old maiden lady, standing by. was terribly shocked at such levity, aiul worse, as she thought It, on the part of the Jolly divine; but everyone lse, the bridegroom Included, smiled nt the Incident. As the old maid, a lit tle later, was about to drive away from the door, she put her head out of her brougham window nnd snld severely, ns the parson among others bade her ldleu: Well. Mr. Clergyman, how about that ecclesiastical kiss?" "Not now," he answered. "I will give It to you another time. So very public here!" She disappeared. The guests roared, and the parson scored. Loudon Tidbits. having a good laugh, the resolve not to pick flaws. You will find the rid ing lively, the dresses smart aud daz zling. Looking at It with wondering little Johnny's eyes, you will get your full money's worth. These small cir cuses set themselves up In a night, wherever there Is room for a two-pole tent aud two long tents for perform ers and animals. Narrow blue seats lad, who ordinarily leads a quiet life. Yet the latter Is critical. He knows a genuinely good show when he sees It. The procession must be up-to-date, the menagerie must contain real wild beasts, the ring specialties must bo new, or nt least artistic nnd Ingenious. A peep behind the scenes. In which he discerns the lady rider practicing for a Mnzeppn ride; the leading horseman A FAMILIAR SCENE. Many Times Its Weight. A noted entomologist who had been writing ou the wonderful feats of streugth as exhibited In the beetle fam ily tells the following: "I selected" (he saysl "a common black water-beetle, weighing four and two-tenths grains, nnd found that he was able to carry a load of shot In a small bag. the whole weighing eight and n quarter ounces, or exactly eight hundred and fifty times the weight of the Insect. f a man weighing one hundred and fifty pounds could carry as much proportionately he could shoulder a forty-five ton loco motive and then chain a train of cars together and take the whole lot across the country at the rate of five miles an hour." are forced Into duty as steps. The single, gilded wagon of the outfit fur nishes a stuffy cubbyhole for the ticket seller, and the small crowd pushes against the closed end In the good old way until the window opens. But then one docs not see that lightning work by TRAIMNO THE LIOX. Complimrnt of the Road. Tired Tatters Yes. sir. pard; It pays ter be honest Weary Wragg'.es I know, now, Tat ters, w'y ye'r to dirrn poor. LouIstIIU Truth. ambidextrous men that one has seen at bigger shows. There Is a difference between taking care of 20.UH0 sales af 130 cents and selling a thousand tickets at dime. ' The children gaze In amazement at the dazzling cavalcade of fine gentle men and beanteons ladies, and do not recognlxe In the men of bright feathers the hustler of "props" Ut the ring teaching his boy to accompany him in a daring flight; the trainer educating the monkey to turn somersaults; the ringmaster painting spots lu his fav orite charger, all these give zest to the real finished entertainment, and the youthful spectator enjoys every act. from the hoop performance of the be spnngled girl rider to the antics of the educated pig. Few people, however, who se the grand aggregation of curiosities and varied talent displayed by a first-class circus have any Idea of the trouble ind labor of bringing such a display into working order and starting it out in the spring. The more Important animals, such as lions and tigers, must of neces sity be genuine, and, of course. If thej survive the winter are ready for the spring trade. There must also be a real giraffe, for even the Ingenuity of a showman has not yet succeeded in con triving an imitation of a giraffe that will pass muster with even the most guileless small boy, and a bogus ele phant would be quite as difficult to palm off as a manufactured giraffe or hippopotamus. Then the business of handling a great ggregatlon of men, animals and curi osities Is of Itself a specialty, In which 'J le amount of money required to put a first-class show 011 the road Is enor mous. In -some cases hundreds of thou sands of dollars ure laid out in animals. In wagons, tents, in advertising and other expenses before a cent is realized. This of Itself Is n matter of no small consequence, for a bad season means financial ruin to all concerned, and a succession of rainy days so seriously reduces the receipts that even n strong show may be crippled. At any mo ment the manager may be summoned to suppress a Urst-clnss riot in the freak department. Add to the business and financial cares the dissensions that constantly arise within the organization, and be tween its various members and out siders, the possibility of something go ing wrong at any moment during the performance, the chiince of a snake getting loose or n lion escaping from his cage, or the gorilla striking for higher pay during the hottest part of the sea son because his clothing of hide and fur Is too warm for comfort, and the manager's lot is far from being a happy one. But he gives the world a deal of LEARNING TO RI11E. pleasure, such as It is; if the season is good be makes money; for months h and bis are-the admiration of all that portion of mankind that patronizes the circus, and these facts go far to rec ommend him to the hardships A his lot. Lions and Tigers. Caged lions and tiger, pumas and jaguars take no notice f the men and women passing In front of tbem, bnt If a dog be brought anywhere near the cage they shw their savage na ture at once. No woman loves her honey boy when she has a btndacbe. I,