Show ballyhoo man abroad again plays to human weaknesses in phrases at carnivals and circuses isea york daunting Faun ting flaming ban ners announce his presence barash lights shed a about his figure blaring try joyfully to conquer his voice amer lea mills about his feet marvel at his fluency laughs at his wit Is in by his wares and contributes the dimes which make the ballyhoo mans profession profitable in circuses in carnivals in amusement parks the ballyhoo men flourish even as does the green bay tree ad avancing the merits of the ten horned cow emphasizing the weight of the fat girl urging the public to see the fire eating man from borneo the bally hoo man treads the rickety boards of his platform and exhorts the public the man and his slon seem practically untouched by the band of time electric lights may replace spluttering splutter ing kerosene torches but their refulgence shows a scene nowadays that might except minor detail have been found anywhere in america 50 years ago looks like a gambler perhaps a ballyhoo man s most am stock in trade Is his personal appearance in this he Is closely akin to a gambler he must be of generous proportions no pocket sized edition need apply he should be least six feet tall and weigh more than pounds if he Is good looking so much the better but lie must possess a certain presence this Is one profession in which age seems to lend dignity and forcefulness the digal fled gray haired ballyhoo man of six ty usually can assemble a larger crowd hald the people longer and separate them from more dimes than can a younger man the flow of eloquence with which the ballyhoo man regales his audi ance is stereotyped he Is permitted a limited number of unintelligible words since america likes to think its ballyhoo men well educated but at the same time he must keep on the level of average intelligence if he slips in a few ain t and at auspicious moments he will endear himself to the masses then he Is considered a great man who can still be as common as anybody the ballyhoo man must know hu inanity must know just what to say and when and how he must tit his spiels to his crowds if the artist 1 bellying bal lying for a side show that caters to a masculine trade he selects his words and phrases carefully he plays apon the weaknesses of his crowd and makes his hearers feel wicked and sophisticated by reason of their very presence before such a tent it on the other hand the ballyhoo man is barking for freak animals he emphasizes the educational value ot the exhibit ures mothers to bring their progeny to be edified by the ive legged cow and the two headed sheep short change artists the language of the artist Is peculiar to his kind and practically unintelligible to outsiders in it strictest sense the term Is applied to a man who talks while n grinder Is one who und also bailles A grinder may also be a short sugar expert which means that he can short change people with facell 14 occasionally a grinder has a walk away that Is a pitron forgets his change and leases it the crowd which gathers to hear a ballyhoo roin perform Is in his jar gon a tip 1 I had a swell tip that bellying bal lying but I 1 only turned a few a ballyhoo man reports to a friend he means that he assembled a large crowd but tint he succeeded in indue ing only a few to enter the show the term rube Is now passe in the yol eirv are known by such expressions as saps blohs and mon keys an officer Is a john law while a prosecuting attorney Is a pros while he people who work about the shows but are not performers are rough necks in every tip a ballyhoo ann has a schell or two thit Is some one who waxes enthusiastic about the show and pushes to the fore flaunting the price of admission the e of has been epati abed for ears and the min profits bv it hen two or three into a tent a tip Is to noise eddies and swells about the ballyhoo man the mare of horns the tand of drums the racket of a wind machine are constantly heating against the cadences of his voice arv ing babies giggling youths and mild ens scolding parents contribute to the racket hot dogs sizzle onions fry popcorn pops the odor of massed assails the nostrils as the strident notes of the calliope smite the ears |