Singed Synapses and Deranged Dendrites

Hey Rube (#riot)

From somewhere in the dark, desolate circus grounds came the roar of a lion. The evening show, a smashing success in the growing Canadian town of Toronto, had ended hours ago. The big top lay empty and still. Not even the faintest of breezes graced the stifling summer night. Most of the carnies had pitched tents near the river. But the clowns were nowhere to be found.

Until the burley men of The Hook and Ladder Firefighting Company stepped through the doors of their favorite brothel and found their regular ladies sitting upon the laps of the dozen or so rough-looking clowns employed by S.B. Howes' Star Troupe Menagerie & Circus. 

"You've got to be joking," hissed Captain. 

Borris, the biggest bloke in the crew, and already more than a little drunk, laughed. He howled with big deep gulping bellows. Borris closed his eyes and doubled over, hugging his ribs like they would break from the joke. He pointed one of his large fat fingers at one clown wearing striped red and yellow pants, a tiny bowler hat upon a head of unruly curls. Marcie sat on the clown's lap facing facing him, legs astraddle. 

Captain fancied Marcie so things quickly deteriorated. 

"Oi," yelled Captain, marching over to the clown. "Get out of here and take your motley clown crew with you. You ain't welcome here."

Now Mrs. Miller who ran the brothel had watched all this go down from behind the bar. And, in truth, the clowns were welcome because the clowns had made a lot of cash today and were feeling quite generous towards Mrs. Miller and her girls. But the look on Captain's face made Mrs. Miller decide to stay behind her bar and keep her mouth shut. 

Marcie hopped off the clown's lap and joined Mrs. Miller as did several other of the ladies. 

The clown didn't change his expression but rubbed his naturally red nose and slowly stood up. Pulling himself up to his full height, he stood a full head taller than Captain. 

"Oh, nuts," said Barney who stood behind Borris. "That's one big clown."

The clown glowered at Captain. Two other clowns appeared at his side. One wore a tattered sky blue jacket with a tattered velvet rose in his lapel. The other wore a striped shirt and jacket three sizes too small. All three clowns cracked their large hairy knuckles. 

"Hey Rube!" said the tall clown. Several other clowns stood up from their tables around the room.

Fists flew, bottles smashed, blood spurted. Mrs. Miller and her girls disappeared into the back. Someone broke Captain's nose, but he fought on undeterred. Until Barney yelled out.

"Captain!" 

Captain turned around in time to see Borris hit the floor. With their strongest man down, he deemed it time to retreat. Barney and Captain dragged Borris' limp body out onto the street.

"Let's find the police chief," said Captain. "It's time to run this circus out of town."

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A/N: Circuses grew apace in the 19th century. They were often the entertainment of the year for small towns. Toronto, Canada had 40,000 residents in 1855, 152 taverns, 203 additional beer shops and a good number of brothels. The S.B. Howes' Star Troupe Menagerie & Circus had excotic animals that most people living in the US and Candida had never seen. 

Although the clowns won the brothel fight in the summer of 1855, they circus was subsequently violently attacked and run out of town. Fights between towns folk and circus performers were common and "Hey Rube!" was both a cry to fellow carnies you were being attacked and the name of such fights.