Blood has flowed as freely as the rushing waters of
the murky Cumberland. Hills now green with nature's garb were once
stained with the blood of those who struggled for the mastery. But no
battlefield near Nashville ever presented the sight that did the hill on
which stood Sells Brothers tents in the soft haze of that October
morning. Running rivulets of red percolated in a hundred gulleys from
under the circus tents. The gaudy red calico was now white, but all the
plains below were red. Thousands came to view the sight. One negro
spread the news that "the varmints wus all loose and had et up all de
circus folks case de blood was leakin' out de tents in buckets-full."
Another surmised "De elephans had upset the lemonade tubs."

The decorations had faded white, the hills were red, Ephraim and Lewis
made the air blue.

Lewis sarcastically suggested Alfred communicate with Peter advising we
had decorations, but they ran away, and we didn't have time to go down
in the hollow and dip them up.

One morning the startling news went around that the old man had fired
the principal clown. In those days the old clown was best man with a
circus. He was the entertainer--the leading man. He must be eloquent,
nimble and a comedian. Every circus had it's popular clown. It was the
days of Dan Rice, Ben McGinley, Pete Conklin, Johnny Patterson, Walcutt,
Den Stone, John Lowlow, and others. Therefore, when Alfred was
ordered--not requested--to prepare himself for the important role of
principal clown, he was no little taken aback.

"I have no costumes, I have no gags, I have no make-up," were Alfred's
excuses.

After all the boyhood day dreams, after all the preparations in his
mind, after all the yearnings, all the ambitious hopes of a boy's
lifetime, here was the coveted opportunity to become a clown in the
circus. And, now when the opportunity to immortalize himself, to earn a
salary as great as Jimmy Reynolds, and eventually buy a farm, he shied.

A performer from Chiranni's Circus in South America dug from the bottom
of his trunk as funny a clown costume as ever Joy donned. When made up,
all pronounced Alfred as funny appearing as any clown. "He has a beak
like Dan Rice and feet like Dr. Thayer," were a few of the side remarks.

Alfred determined he would not use the jokes of the clown who had just
left. The clown in those days was given unlimited opportunities. The
tents were smaller--his voice reached every auditor. Sam Rineh