The Schooner Bay Home for Indigent and Invalid Seamen

The Circus Comes to Town

Chapter 2:

Getting such a large and disparate group settled quickly was always a challenge, despite the New England Excelsior Circus's many years of doing just that. The first thing, of course, was to set up the enclosures for the animals and feed and settle them. Only then could the roustabouts start erectinhg the circus tent and the performers begin to unpack their costumes, the materials for their acts and their personal items. The General Manager would make sure to pay any local fees that might be needed, then stop in at the local printers to pick up the advertising sheets that had been contracted for a month before. He would hand them out and ask to put them in shop windows on his walk back to the circus grounds. By the time he reached the site, someone usually had lunch ready.

The General Manager, Russell Cabot sniffed appreciably at the smells coming from a small tent to the rear of the encampment. Elisabeth Deutsch, "The Bearded Lady" was an excellent cook. Even when the troupe had barely two nickles to rub together, she always found a way to feed them. In fact, he thought, her work as a cook was just about as valuable as her appearance in the circus's side-show.

He saw that the roustabouts had the frame and the rigging for the big tent set and he called a halt to all the comings and goings so that everyone could sit down and enjoy their meal. They would finish erecting the tent by the end of the afternoon and bring in the seating and then set up the ticket booth and the refreshment carts. At the same time, some of the performers would take the horses and dogs in their finery and parade along Front Street and First Street. Jugglers, the clowns, the man on stilts and the fire-breathing woman would accompany them, giving the people of the town a lttle taste of the show. They would stop in front of the main dock and the Ring Master would give a little speech inviting the crowd to buy tickets.

"Gather round! Gather round, my friends! The New England Excelsior Circus has come to your fair town! We are here to entertain and astound you, people of Schooner Bay. Come see the horses, the lion, the elephant and of course our trained poodles!" The dogs ran into the crowd at this point, dancing on their hind legs among the laughting people. "Be astonished at Elisabeta, the Bearded Lady! Giggle at our clowns, watch in awe at Gregor the Greatest Juggler in the World! Hold your breath as the di Livorno Family Tightrope Walkers dance high above your heads! Be astonished by Princess Pocahontas, The Fire Breather! All for ten cents admission for adults, five cents for children under six! Annnnd, don't forget the ices, popcorn, cotton candy and candied apples for your pleasure in our refreshment tent. Starting tomorrow, every night this week, the tent will open at 7 p.m. and the show will start at exactly 7:30!

Then, with every pomp and circumstance the circus parade lined up and made their way back to their campground.

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Amy and Red were eager to see the circus parade and went into town with Sock, Joe and Sam. Nate and Peter weren't able to walk that far and felt it would be too crowded to bring the horse cart. Hannibal was helping Martha with dinner and Mrs. Muir was engaged in keeping the books for the home.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather take a little walk into town to see the festivities, m'dear?" asked Capt. Gregg upon materializing in the room that served as Carolyn's office/bedroom.

"No, not really. I like the circus, but it's almost the same every year. The performers might change, but a circus is a circus. I have to keep up with the books and supplies and the men's health records." She sighed and stretched. "But I wouldn't mind a bit of fresh air."

"Then you should have it," the ghost said with a naughty gleam in his eye. He lifted a finger and asked, "Would you like a gale or a light breeze, madam?"

She laughed, as he knew she would. "I would prefer five minutes of walking along the sea wall, if it's all the same to you, Captain."

"I should enjoy that as well…if you would like my company."

"Now you're being just plain silly. Of course I want your company!"

"Madam," Daniel replied with mock severity, "I am neither silly nor sweet, as I must remind you constantly."

Carolyn giggled as she stood up and grabbed her parasol. "I regret to inform you, dear Captain Gregg, that you are completely wrong. Now, before you darken the sky with rain and thunder, let's go for that walk."

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In the kitchen, Hannibal was peeling potatoes and Martha was working on a blueberry cobbler with the berries that Red and Amy had picked that morning. Hannibal looked over at Martha who had become his very special lady friend over the past six months. They were always in the kitchen together and when they went to church or an outing, they always sat side by side. Sometimes, between the cooking and the cleaning up, there was time for a walk and a little privacy for some kissing. Hannibal had even hinted that he could sneak downstairs in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep and join Martha in her room. She was non-commital about the idea; while she very much would enjoy having Hannibal in her bed, she was still concerned about the propriety of the thing. On the one hand, they were older adults and didn't take their relationship lightly. On the other hand, it was definitely not proper and if anyone found out, she'd likely be fired from her position.

"Are you looking forward to going to the circus?" Hannibal asked.

"I am. I always enjoy it with all the glittery costumes and the dogs and the horses. What about you, Han?"

Hannibal chuckled a bit. "I like the circus as well. I like the clowns and the jugglers and if there are arialists, I enjoy watching them climb the ropes and walk on 'em. Reminds me of when I was a young'un running up and down the rat-lines."

"You weren't always in the galley?" asked Martha.

"No, ma'am. In the beginning I was a cabin boy and then I had to apprentice on the deck in order to get my papers. In fact, I was an able bodied seaman for quite some time 'cause I was strong and had good hands for the ropes. I only went into the galley because on one trip the cook became sick and the captain sent me down to take over for him. That's when I discovered that I liked cooking and the men said I made better victuals than the ship's cook. So, on the next trip out, the old cook was gone and I was in the galley!"

Martha was impressed. She had learned to cook at her mother's side and by gathering recipes from whatever cookbooks or other willing cook that she could find. She couldn't imagine just picking up pots and pans and knowing instinctively how to use them to make something tasty with them.

"However," continued Hannibal, "I am looking forward to attending the circus with you."

Martha couldn't help but blush. "I'll be sure to wear my best hat and clothes when we go."

"Maybe we'll go more than once! Do you like cotton candy or popcorn better? Or we can have one on the first night and the other when we go back again!"

Martha patted her ample waist. "Oh, I think I can forgo the treats." She looked over at Hannibal. "I think you should also, dear."

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Nate and Peter were enjoying glasses of lemonade while sitting in their customary rattan chairs on the porch. They too were talking about the circus show.

"I gotta say, even at my age, I enjoy looking at the circus women in their skimpy little costumes. It'd be a scandal just about anywhere else," intoned Nate.

Peter replied, "I agree with that," not really mentioning what part of Nate's statement he agreed with.

"Yup," continued Nate, "I once went with a girl who thought it was too uncivilized to discuss, but she didn't seem to mind looking at the strongman and the lion tamer!" He laughed uproariously at the memory. "Yessir, some people are just too fine to admit they enjoy life."

Mrs. Muir and Captain Gregg came up the steps to Gull Cottage just then.

"Who's too fine?" asked Caroline.

"No one here!" replied Nate, still laughing.