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Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
The rage for short dresses
A song which Mme. La Mode is at present much engaged in singing is:
"If your foot is pretty, show it".
[OK I can’t resist sharing one verse of this wonderful 1857 ditty "sung by W.N. Smith, the great bone-player of Bailey’s Circus"
If your foot is pretty, show it,
No matter where, or when;
Let all fair maidens know it:
The foot takes all the men:
The face, so fair and lovely,
May charm the gazer’s eye,
But if the foot is homely,
He’ll quickly pass you by,
He’ll quickly,--He’ll quickly,
He’ll quickly pass you by.
See the rest of the lyrics at the Library of Congress’s American Memory site].
Dresses are growing shorter and shorter in front; to that extent it is almost as impossible not to know what sort of hose a lady wears. I cannot speak enthusiastically of this fashion. A woman’s charms are hightened [i.e. heightened] by their partial concealment, not their full exposure, and the poet who sang of a lady whose name I forget:
"Her feet beneath her petticoat
Like little mice stole in and out"
or words there or thereabouts, would perhaps have considered the lady’s feet regular full grown rats if he’d had a square look at them. [;-) ] And modesty - how about that? I remember at the time the short skirts, disclosing the very tops of boots, were worn in Paris. Eugenie, the lovely Empress, and Napoleon III went to pay a state visit to the sovereigns of Austria.
When Napoleon and Eugenie arrived at Vienna, they found Franz Joseph and the beautiful Empress Elizabeth awaiting them at the railway depot. Eugenia wore a delicious little short costume, in which she looked "ravissante", of course, but the Empress Elizabeth, unaffected by the latest French mode, wore the usual long dress of women. Eugenie sprang into the imperial carriage, making a display so lavish and beautiful of sky-hued hose of symmetrical proportions that such another would have secured an engagement to any ballet dancer on the spot, and then the lovely Elizabeth gathered up her skirts and placed her feet upon the carriage step.
Instantly Franz Joseph drew her drapery from her hand, and passing it closely about her, exclaimed "Take care, your Majesty, you might show your feet". Rather a smart speech, but I have often wondered whether such underhanded or underfooted slaps at guests were considered the correct thing in the Viennese code of gentility.
There’s no telling what Franz Joseph would say if he could see some of the women who prance up and down Long Branch piazzas. Might show their feet indeed! They do. And more. The first glance at these women with skirts so curiously short in front gives one an erroneous impression. Who says there’s danger of the American population fading out before the foreign cohorts’ prolific hosts, when __? Oh, no, quite the wrong tack - that’s the way they wear the dresses now. pardon, Madame! (Olive Logan’s Long Branch Letter).
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Foreign
Victoria Anderson, a rope dancer [tightrope walker], 23 years old, who once performed in Barnum's hippodrome, fell from a velocipede on a rope 80 ft. high during a performance at Berlin recently, and was killed.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
News of the week
Tom Thumb has a rival in Admiral Tom Trump, a Dutchman of 26, who is 6 inches shorter than the American dwarf and weighs but 26 pounds. He is very intelligent, and speaks 5 languages fluently, English, French, Dutch, German and Italian.
[See more in the Aug. 23, 1875 article entitled "A rival of Tom Thumb" in the New York Times Online Archives].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
A balloon in a thunder storm
A balloon in a thunder storm - Prof. Samuel A. King, the Cleveland aeronaut, who succeeded Donaldson as the balloonist of Barnum's hippodrome, made an ascension alone in the Cloud Nymph at Burlington, Ia. the other day, and had quite an exciting time up in the clouds....[Long article follows].
[See Google Books' "The balloon: noteworthy aerial voyages, with a narrative by Samuel A. King" for a description of this voyage.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 16, 1875
Hampshire County items
A Bengal tiger, belonging to a menagerie, going to New York over the New London Northern railroad Mon., broke loose from its cage at Amherst and created considerable consternation. He was returned to his quarters by the keeper before doing any damage beyond considerably stirring up a zebra in an adjoining cage.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Centennnial circus
[Illustration of a daredevil lying atop the back of a racing horse under a bigtop tent]. A genuine, old-fashioned circus is coming! Melville, Maginley & Cooke’s Centennial Circus and Thespian Company, will give 2 of their unique and pleasing entertainments at Greenfield, Wed., July 28. Doors open at 1 and at 7. Performances 2 and 8. A galaxy of stars will appear at each entertainment, among whom will be many artists well known to the amusement loving public. For description of entertainment see posters and small bills.
At 10 a.m. the elegant Band Chariot, drawn by 10 beautiful dappled gray horses, magnificently caparisoned, and bearing thereon Joseph Wither’s Celebrated Brass Band, followed by the Ring, Trick and Manege Horses, ponys [sic] and mules, will enter the town, passing through the principle streets, and discoursing the popular airs of the day.
In the eve. will be produced the Grand Military and Historic drama of "Putnam, the Iron Son of ’76". In this great equestrian drama there will appear 100 men, women, Indians and horses. The battlefield will be a most exciting scene, and the Sword Combats on Horseback, the hand-to-hand fights, the escape of Putnam, the rescue of Kate Putnam, and Grand Tableaux, brilliantly illuminated by colored fires, will be the grandest scene ever beheld in this country.
Admission 50 cents; children under 10 years of age, 25 cents.
Remember the dates: Greenfield, July 28; Shelburne Falls, July 27; Northampton, July 29. A.M. Nathans, General Agent.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Centennial Circus
Melville, Maginley & Cooke’s Circus [James Melville, Ben Maginley and James M. Cooke] is to exhibit in Greenfield on the 28th. We clip the following from the Ogdensburg Daily Journal: "Everything about it as clean and trim as can be, and the ring-show is the best that can be presented in a given time. the stars are the Melvilles, Kate Keys, Mr. Rowland, Mr. Donald, Mr. Robinson, and Messrs. Cooke and [Tec-valla?] the clown...Miss Keys is the most dashing and fearless lady rider in the profession. But the stupendous feats of all are performed by Rowland on the flying trapeze... http://www.circusina...dies/public_show/747
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Shelburne Falls
The Base Ball Club boys [i.e. Baseball Club boys], having rented part of the Arms Academy lot, seem to think that they ought to control it; and that if the Trustees rent it to a circus, they ought to have the rent money, at least.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 5, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
A few weeks since, a man attending a circus at Richmond, Vt. had his pocket book, containing $1600 in bonds, $3000 in notes at hand, and $200 in money, stolen. [OK, why on earth would he bring this type of stuff to a circus?] A peddler stopping at the hotel found it in the morning near the wagon of the advertising agent of the circus, and supposing it to belong to the agent, without examining it, placed it in the boot of his wagon. The agent drove to this town, being several days on the road, without discovering it. After his arrival here, in opening his boot, he discovered the pocketbook, and examining it, discovered the owner and telegraphed to him at once.
The owner came, found his bonds and his notes all right, but the money had been taken by the thieves. The owner happened to be one of those generous men we read of, and returned home without thanking the circus agent or even paying for the telegram he sent him.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 7, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
A man was smart enough to pass a $10 counterfeit bill at the ticket office of the circus last Mon. The treasurer soon recognized the "queer", however, and going into the tent spotted the man who passed it and made him fork over the legal tender.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 7, 1875
Remarkable story of one of Barnum's curiosities
An old man has just died at Troy, N.Y. who had a most remarkable criminal career or showed extraordinary depravity in claiming as his own, crimes that others have committed, while on his deathbed. He was noticeable for the absence of hair on both his head and face, and he said he was the person exhibited, some years ago, by Barnum as "Vancouver, the no-haired man of Vancouver Island", though he was born at Sharon, Litchfield County, Ct.
/ After being with Barnum 7 years, he said he began a life of crime, and he had had 8 wives, 7 of whom are still living. He said that he had been concerned in 300 burglaries since he left Barnum, 3 of which were attended with murder. He had been arrested 115 times, and served many terms in prison, ranging from 6 months to 2 years. He was an accomplice of Dan Noole in the celebrated bond robbery of 1869, and, being tried at Buffalo, was sent to Auburn State Prison for 5 years, but after 2 years was pardoned out. He was of the gang that robbed the St. Catherine's Canada bank, and made out an alibi, when tried, through the testimony of a woman supposed to be perfectly trustworthy, but who was an accomplice in the robbery. The plunder was $20,000 and a large amount of bonds; the latter were buried in Delaware (N.Y.) County near the Ulster County line, where they are yet, for aught he could tell.
/ There is a reward of $5000 still standing for the capture of the robbers. The dying man also claimed to have planned the robbery of mail bags at Utica about a year ago, to have participated in the Comstock robbery at Utica, and to know who broke open the Port Jervis bank in 1869, when $50,000 was stolen. He pretended too to give a full account of the recent murder of Mr. Edwards at Cooperstown, N.Y., mentioning the names of those concerned in it, and declaring that the man now under arrest is not the guilty party. The confession was made voluntarily to a clergyman whom he called to his bedside. [Sounds like this man had a bad case of reading too many newspapers!].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 7, 1875
News of the week
John L. White of Boston is under arrest for outraging the person of Emma G. Escabel, the 10 year old daughter of his washerwoman, the girl having yielded to him through the influence of a promised visit to Barnum's hippodrome and a new silk dress.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 24, 1875
Murray's Circus
John H. Murray's Great Railroad Circus will perform in this town on Mon. aft. and eve. Mr. Murray, who always brings us a good show, seems to have outdone himself this time. His troupe is larger and better than ever before, and the performance embraces a multiplicity of attractions. Among the list of performers are enrolled the names of Hubert Cooke, who makes his first appearance in this country in his specialty of "The English Jockey"; Mlle.. Adelaide, equestrian; Whimsical Walker http://www.peoplepla...ct.php?object_id=471 trick clown; Mlle. Eva, tight rope performer; Professor Leon and his three sons, Edward, Alfred and Joseph; Horace and Fanny, Gymnasts; Wooda Cook, somersault rider; Mlle. Louise Cottrell, equestrian; Tom Barry, clown and vocalist; Mlle. Turnour, equestrian; Signor Cottrell, clown; James E. Cooke, rider of 6 horses; Eugene Leech and Clifford Leopold. Mentor's Band will furnish music at each entertainment.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 24, 1875
"A night of delight" by Charles H
"A night of delight" by Charles H. Day [circus press agent].Large article advertising the circus, starting with "Willie was a cripple, and lived on one of the avenues east of the Bowery".
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 10, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Prof. W.H. Donaldson's balloon, the "P.T. Barnum" went up from the Hippodrome in Springfield Sat. aft., made a landing in Greenfield about half past 5, just an hour from the start. The Professor was accompanied by two ladies and two little girls. They came down just in the rear of J.M. Munson's house, C.M. Munson being the man to catch the drag rope. The party spent Sat. night at the Mansion House, and took the Sun. morning train to Springfield.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 3, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
An extra train will run to Springfield next Sat. to accommodate those wishing to attend Barnum's hippodrome, leaving here at 11:10 a.m. and returning, leaving Springfield at 5:30 p.m.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, April 19, 1875
Barnum has laid his plan for his summer campaign
Barnum has laid his plan for his summer campaign. He has had 125 cars built to carry his Hippodrome through all the larger cities in the Eastern, Middle, and Western States. The daily expenses of the Hippodrome alone in New York are about $5000 in the winter, and there will be 1/3 more in the summer. Barnum employs 1800 men, women and children, 750 horses, including 300 blooded race horses and ponies, elephants and camels, English stags and stag hounds, ostriches, etc. Donaldson is to travel with the company to make daily balloon ascensions and his services with the cost of filling the balloons will be $500 per day. The wardrobes of the company cost over $100,000. Next autumn the whole establishment will be moved across the ocean to astonish Europe.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, February 22, 1875
A remarkable case of cruelty to an animal has just been brought to the notice of the society for the prevention, etc. in Illinois. Nelson Coleman of Canton got enraged with a colt 10 years ago, and s
A remarkable case of cruelty to an animal has just been brought to the notice of the society for the prevention, etc. in Illinois. Nelson Coleman of Canton got enraged with a colt 10 years ago, and swore he would get even with the animal. Accordingly he shut him up in a pen 10 x 12 ft. in size and fed and watered him regularly, but never allowed him outside the enclosure. The animal began to waste away, but lived for 10 years, doubtless suffering intensely all the time until there was hardly anything left of him but skin and bones and he had grown out of shape. His fore hoofs reached a length of 18 inches and turned upward and inward till they came in contact with the shanks, while the hind hoofs were worn away neatly to the first joint. The man’s malignant cruelty to the animal was well known to the neighbors, but he was quite wealthy and a dangerous fellow, so they didn’t dare interfere. The agent of a circus company offered Coleman $1500 for the horse last summer but he wouldn’t take it. A court has taken the matter to hand.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, February 1, 1875
A Sicilian girl’s revenge
A Sicilian girl’s revenge - A singular story of jealousy and revenge comes from Sicily. A beautiful young girl named Florina [also seen as Florina Queen of the Lions ], who was the belle of a traveling circus, in which she figured as the lion tamer, had been for some time receiving the attention of an athlete belonging to the same troupe. By some means she ascertained that he was not faithful to her, but had another lady love. No signs, however, of her painful discovery were allowed to escape. She still smiled sweetly upon him. In her own bosom she planned the terrible revenge.
One eve. when the performance had been unusually brilliant - after Florina had whipped the lions and forced them to lie at her feet, she called her recreant lover aside and said to him, "Do you still love me?" "Always" he answered. "Do you know that I should die if you should devote yourself to another woman?" "What an idea" responded the young man. "But I should first kill you" said Florina. "And how would you do that?"
"Thus" cried the girl, at the same instant pushing him violently into the cage of the lions. They attacked the unfortunate young man at once and tore him to pieces, while Florina urged them on with blows of her whip.
- Fri, Feb 6, 2009
