Life, 1897-08-19 · page 8 of 20
Life — August 19, 1897 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Circus of the Future" - Life Magazine Advertisement This page advertises "The Burnem and Foreleg Combined Shows," a circus merger featuring ten simultaneous rings. The top illustration depicts an extravagant future circus with fantastical contraptions, exotic animals, and elaborate performances. Below, two specialties are highlighted: 1. **Tom Reed's Aggregation of Statesmen**: A satirical act where Speaker Reed (likely Thomas B. Reed, a prominent politician) puts Congress "through its paces" for seven weeks—mocking Congress as a trained animal act. 2. **Congress of Scotch Authors**: Scottish writers and performers in Highland costume, including Willie MacHoots (a clown character), performing nightly. The satire treats political figures and literary celebrities as circus attractions, poking fun at their public personas and prominence. The cartoonish treatment emphasizes the spectacle of contemporary public life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*LIFE- The Circus of the Future. wa, WAIT FOR US!! THE BURNEM AND FORELEG COMBINED SHOWS. TEN RINGS GOING AT THE SAME TIME, SHOWS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. EVERYBODY PLEASED. 1.—TOM R YS AGGRE TION OF STATESMEN. Mr. Speaker Reed will put Congress through its paces for a period of seven consecutive weeks. To be seen with this show only. II.—CONGRESS OF SCOTCH AUTHORS. By special arrangement with their American agents, Donald MacSlushy, Ian MacBarrie, J. M. Crockett and Rev. John Swattem of Drumtochty will perform in Highland costume nightly, assisted by Willie MacHoots, the Scottish clown, whose dialect is in- imitable. WILLIE MACHOOTS,