He was as blind to the picturesque
outdoor life as she to her indoor surroundings, for he, too, had
been with the circus since his earliest recollection.
The grass enclosure, where he waited, was shut in by a circle of
tents and wagons. The great, red property vans were waiting to
be loaded with the costumes and tackle which were constantly
being brought from the "big top," where the evening performance
was now going on. The gay striped curtains at the rear of the
tent were looped back to give air to the panting musicians, who
sat just inside. Through the opening, a glimpse of the audience
might be had, tier upon tier, fanning and shifting uneasily.
Near the main tent stood the long, low dressing "top," with the
women performers stowed away in one end, the "ring horses" in the
centre, and the men performers in the other end.
A temporary curtain was hung between the main and the dressing
tent, to shut out the curious mob that tried to peep in at the
back lot for a glimpse of things not to be seen in the ring.
Coloured streamers, fastened to the roofs of the tents, waved and
floated in the night air and beckoned to the towns-people on the
other side to make haste to get their places, forget their cares,
and be children again.
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