Who is Kidding Who Ballyhoo from 1885

One of the acts trained and presented by the Junior Forepaugh, was an outstanding feature during seasons in the middle Eighties; it was the unique and difficult features of the act which gave it prominence in the advertising, and created a lasting impression on the circus patron. After the lapse of more than two score years, Dr. Richard Tanner, (professionally known among showmen as "Diamond Dick" the expert rifle shot,) was describing to some of the citizens of his home city, Norfolk, Nebraska, some memorable acts he had seen in the Circuses of the Nineteenth Century; among them, one that had fastened itself in his memory, was "Blondin, the Rope-Walking Pony." He gave a detailed description of the act, even to the color of the pony. Dr. Tanner is a popular and much loved citizen of Norfolk, but for once, his veracity was questioned; the "rope-walking pony" story would not click with the home towners; "Diamond Dick" got the ha ha and the story was ridiculed. Doc knew his memory would not deceive him, so to get revenge for being doubted, he sent the writer a letter asking that some documentary evidence be sent to confirm the truth of his "Blondin" story. It was an easy task, as the Forepaugh show had given "Blondin, the Rope-Walking Pony" plenty of publicity in every medium of advertising it used, and in the Hand Book folder, a detailed description; a copy of it was on file, which was cheerfully loaned to "Diamond Dick" as the needed evidence of his memory being reliable on stories of bygone circus days. While it is true that as a manager of shows in his own name, Addie Forepaugh did not reflect the successful policy of the illustrious senior of the name; it must be said to his credit, that as a trainer and performer he was a past master and bright star. Among the many horse and animal acts that were featured on the Forepaugh program season after season, young Addie was the patient trainer and expert director who produced most of the acts that were in the thriller class. The training to perfection of "Blondin, the Rope-Walking Pony," was a demonstration of patient and persistent ability of a man to overcome the natural fear of all animals to vary from the rules of nature; the pony was first taught to walk the entire length of a narrow plank laid flat on the ground, then to walk a two inch strip nailed to the plank; finally a very large rope was drawn tightly on top the plank and the pony soon learned that he could walk on the round top of the rope same as he had the flat strip; then came the task of raising the rope above the ground and educating the pony to overcome the fear of that sagging and swaying motion caused by the weight and stepping of the pony; after many trials with the rope a couple of inches off the ground, the feat was finally accomplished, and repeated day after day until all fear vanished; then by gradual changes in the height from the ground and systematic guying of the heavy sailor's rope to make it perfectly steady, a height of about thirty inches from the ground was finally adopted and used permanently for the regular routine of two performances daily for "Blondin" to give under Addie's direction, and then came the reward of candy and an affectionate petting.