Wednesday, July 30th, 1862

To day I am still in Galveston. I took dinner with my friend D. Wakelee and in the evening, Frank Hitchcock, David Wakelee, Burns & I chartered a hack and went down to Prince's establishment, where we had a regular jolification and spent a pleasant time. Upon our return we drove over to the gulf and had a regular sea bath which done me great good. I found however after I arrived in the City that I had forgotten my watch and had to employ a negro boy to go down the Island after, who returned in the night with my watch. thus passed one of the most pleasant days that I have had this summer. weather clear & very hot. Ther: 98°.

Friday, December 21st, 1860

To day I left Hawkins and rode 12 miles and arrived at Liberty, where I found all well. I stoped with James Wrigley. Sam Sharp* [Samuel Houston Sharp] informed me that his magic watch had been stolen from him a few days before. I went to work in the store, marking and arranging the goods. times dull. weather clear and warm.

 *This Sam Sharp is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Monday, February 20th, 1860

To day I went to Hall's bluff and received the articles purchased at the sale of HERNDON'S est. and from there to Crockett. I visited Mabie's circus & Menagine [sic, i.e., menagerie], at night. I purchased in town for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] a magic watch from J. R. SIMPSON for $175. The weather was cold with a heavy rain & hail at night.

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• To the delight of children of all ages, Mollie Bailey brought her circus, a Texas institution for four fun-filled decades, to Conroe on Feb. 10, 1913. . . . “A Texas Show for Texas People” followed the trail blazed by pioneer predecessors like John Robinson’s “Great Southern Show,” which thrilled citizens of the recently annexed Republic in 1850. “Mabie’s Circus and Menagerie” amazed audiences eight years later with a trio of elephants, including an enormous bull that nearly plunged to his death after breaking through a bridge outside Waco. . . . This Week in Texas History by Bartee Haile
• Within Kansas territory people approached the Fourth of July, 1859, with gratitude and with hope. . . . Mabie's circus of "fine living specimens of wild animals" and clever clowns gave three exhibitions at a pavilion. "Our country cousins were in in immense numbers, and the elephants, the tall woman, the fat man, the serpents, and the monkeys were almost stared out of countenance. The circus had a fat day, and the men who had the gold watch and trinket raffles had a rich harvest of halves and quarters." . . . The Fourth of July in Early Kansas 1858-1861 by Cora Dolbee