Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Note
Italic text displayed as: _italic_

UNDER THE BIG TOP

By Courtney Ryley Cooper

THE CROSS-CUT
THE WHITE DESERT
UNDER THE BIG TOP
THE LAST FRONTIER
LIONS ’N’ TIGERS ’N’ EVERYTHING

_See Page 144._]

UNDER THE BIG TOP

_By_

COURTNEY RYLEY COOPER

_With Illustrations_

BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1924

_Copyright, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923_,
BY COURTNEY RYLEY COOPER.

_All rights reserved_

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TO

HARRY TAMMEN

“With Love and Good Cheer”

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I THE WHY OF THE CIRCUS 1

II “THOSE PRESS AGENTS!” 21

III BUT WE ALL LIKE IT 48

IV ON ENTERING THE MENAGERIE 75

V OUR FRIENDS, THE ELEPHANTS 93

VI WHEN THE ANIMALS ESCAPE 115

VII MOTHERS OF THE MENAGERIE 136

VIII IN THE STEEL ARENA 161

IX “THE CIRCUS MAN’S BEST FRIEND” 180

X THE CHILDREN OF THE BIG TOPS 193

XI “THE SHOW MUST GO ON!” 212

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Scotty, and Grit, the lion she adopted _Frontispiece_

PAGE

The circus unloads in a conspicuous place 10

“Here comes the parade!” 10

“To such Indians as Short Bull, Buffalo Bill was little
less than a god” 46

“And upon this platform—!” a side-show crowd 60

An orang-outang husband and wife 92

Casey, who died of appendicitis 92

Kas and Mo practising their act 102

Moon and Snyder in the performing arena 102

“Cap” Richards, who fights animals for a living 118

One of those placid United States Government Hyneys 118

“I’ve got him eating out of my hand!” 172

The boys are counted upon as a part of the equipment 182

Enough seats must be put into place to accommodate
a whole village 182

Children of the Big Tops. One is the daughter of a
lion trainer, the other the cub of a trained lion 194

The clowns are always ready to amuse a circus baby 198

Stuck! 222

A runaway circus wagon 222

UNDER THE BIG TOP