Page 10 The Junction Eagle, Wednesday, May 4, 2011 them, and I did. They didn’t the way from Sulphur Springs that at the carnival.” Fort Worth-Dallas. By then, like it much when I quit.” So to McKinney,” he recalled with They may have had steady Sunshine was working out of Texas Tales Stephens un-quit. a smile. “I had a pair of shoes work, but money remained the show’s main office, doing Stubblefield, better known as that used to be called ‘gators’ tight. Sometimes, he said, they the “runnin’,” as he put it. by Mike Cox “Sunshine,” joined the show in and I wore a hole in ‘em.” had so little cash that he and his Both men agreed that the car- 1925. He and Stephens became At first, Sunshine did odd friends pooled what they had to nival business just wasn’t what Edgar Stephens and Robert ing stock. The merry-go-round good friends, but Sunshine jobs around the carnival. But get enough to buy the makings it used to be. For one thing, “Sunshine” Stubblefield spent Stephens controlled had been didn’t operate any midway that changed one night after the for a stew. costs had gone way up. The most of their lives on the road part of the show since 1936, equipment. Through the last show closed when he and some “Even the boss used to eat merry-go-round used to cost a traveling from town to town the year Hames finally junked decades of Jim Crow America, friends had gathered behind the with us sometimes,” he said. dime. A hobby horse ride was in Texas with the Bill Hames the steam model. After accom- he worked as a dancing min- tent for a bit of spiritous con- Sunshine continued in the 25 cents in 1969. carnival. modating countless thousands strel, a black in blackface viviality. carnival’s minstrel act until Sunshine lived up to his Back in 1913, Stephens of youngsters and the young clowning for the amusement “I was clowning around and 1954, by which time he said name. hoped to make a living as a at heart, Stephens said the of whites. dancing after a few drinks and he’d gotten “too old to jump.” “I’ve just stayed happy,” he farmer near Pilot Point, a small Depression-era carousel still Sunshine grew up in Sulphur somebody came up and said, Into the late 1960s, during the said. “My philosophy is, if I do, community north of Denton. ran just fine early into its fourth Springs. Like Stephens, he gave ‘I’m gonna make a comedian off-season, Sunshine still occa- I do. If I don’t, I don’t. When Barely getting by, he made a decade. up farming for a carnie’s life. out of you.’ By golly, he did.” sionally did some night club they ask me why I laugh, I tell little extra cash cutting fire- Though working the clutch Seeing some of the carni- For the next quarter-century, entertaining and bar tending in ‘em it’s to keep from crying.” wood for Hames, founder of lever as a wooden platform val wagons on their way to Sunshine performed as a side- the carnival that still bears his goes around and around might the train, he followed them to show minstrel. name. Hames liked the big man seem like highly repetitive the railroad siding, asked for a “I wore a red coat I called my and his big smile and offered work, Stephens said his moti- job and got hired on the spot monkey suit,” he laughed. “I Land Surveying him a full-time job. vaton – beyond regular pay as a “roughy,” or laborer. He used to be known as the fastest Starting off as a “back – renewed every time he saw ended up working all night dancer what ever came through yard boy” or general laborer, how happy such a simple ride long as the Hames crew took the country.” Paul Bushong Stephens soon graduated to made the children. down the tents and rides after “He sure was,” Stephens 830-367-7302 operator of the show’s steam- “I sure like little kids,” he their Sulphur Springs run and chimed in. powered merry-go-round, or beamed. loaded them for the next gig Hames’ carnival managed Ranches - Estates - Subdivisions “Jenny.” And that’s what he Based in Fort Worth, the in McKinney. When he went to stay in business through was still doing more than a Hames carnival traveled from home to get some sleep, he the Great Depression, and 106 Glen Lakes Ct., Ingram, Texas 78025 half-century later when I inter- event to event all over Texas, had his pay in his pocket – a unlike millions of Americans, viewed him in March 1969 at first by train and then by quarter. Stephens and Stubblefield kept at the annual San Angelo truck caravan. In the off-season The foreman who’d hired their jobs. Classifieds! Real Estate Livestock Show and Rodeo. Stephens lived in Brady. But him said that to get on with “Back… [then],” Sunshine Of course, by then he ran a after so many years on the road, the show full-time, he’d have said, “they didn’t even give 224 Ac. N. of Junction on Hwy 83. gasoline-powered carousel. he said, “In a way, it kind of to ride with them on the train us money. We got what they As Stephens’ longevity dem- feels like home to be with the to McKinney and sign up called ‘dukies,’ – brass coins Game fenced w/whitetail & exotics. 3/2 onstrated, the Hames show got carnival.” there. That’s what Stubblefield we couldn’t spend anywhere MF home, bunkhse./gameroom, deer a lot of mileage out of its regu- He tried to quit in October planned to do, but dead tired, he but at the carnival. They gave lar employees. The same held 1968, he said, “but they wanted overslept and missed the train. us a dollar in real money for cleaning facility, 2 wells. A great value! true for its equipment and roll- me to go to Beaumont with “I walked darn near most of cigarettes, providing we spent $695,000 LEHMBERG REALTY Classifieds! Real Estate 1-800-880-8163 www.lehmbergrealty.com L-12-tfnc Junction Ranch Real Estate Trey Sullivan Real Estate KIMBLE COUNTY REALTY 1100-B Main Street Junction, Texas Trey Sullivan, Broker 1909 N. Main Junction, Texas 76849 76849 1802 Main St. – Junction, TX (325) 446-3811 Daniel Henderson www.junctionranchrealestate.com 325-446-3725 325-446-6060 2.5 Acres of Commercial Land on the corner of FM 2169 and I-10 waiting to be developed. Possible uses include restaurant, convenient 1320 +/- Acres-2.5 miles of Hwy. frontage. Six water wells. Two dirt WWW.TREYSULLIVAN.COM store, professional office, etc. Call for pricing! tanks. 3 metal barns. Minerals. Great hunting. 3.094 Acres – Gorgeous home site with quality restrictions located 3.5 75 Acres in the 10,000 acre YO RANCHLANDS! Property boast a gor- 627 +/- Acres-Hwy. frontage. New 3Br/2Ba. home, new barn. Great miles from Junction with beautiful views of the surrounding hills and geous pond, large metal barn w/living quarters, access to YO amenities, hunting. creek. $47,500* and some of the best wildlife the Hill Country has to offer. Turn Key! 491.34 Acres-Hwy. frontage, new cabin, new well. Liveoak and 9.599 Acres – MainSOLD Llano River with large hole of water, under- 180 Acres located 16.7 miles southwest of Junction. Hunting cabin, shared mesquite country, very little cedar. Good network of roads- ground electricity and live oak and pecan trees. $210,000* water well, partially fenced, nice oaks! Gorgeous and views. $1,795/ac. entire ranch is accessible by two-wheel drive vehicle. Great 9.738 Acres – Main Llano River, scattered lg. live oak and pecan trees. 205 Cenizo – 4 bed, 2 bath with CH/AC, fireplace, utility room, and $210,000.* large fenced backyard w/alley entrance. $89,900. hunting for native game and axis deer. REDUCED TO $1650 p/a SOLD 393.70 Acres-County Rd. frontage. Older ranch house (recently 9.906 Acres – Main Llano River scattered liveoak and pecan trees.* 814 Hackberry – CONTRACTCharming 3 bd/1 1/2 ba. metal roof, CH/AC, land- remolded-inside) barns, pens, 2 water wells. Selective cedar clear 9.935 Acres – Main Llano River with pecan/live oak trees and under- scaped, Large open kit., 2 living areas. Reduced to $59,000. 302 W. Redbud – 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage with large off./gameroom. ing. Great views from the hilltops. Superb hunting. ground electricity. $210,000* 28.113 Acres – Main Llano River. Great showplace with over 985 ft. of Entertain guest with your outdoor kit. & fireplace. Corner lot, lg. Pecan 67.3 Acres-Eastern Kimble County. County road frontage. Great hunting trees, sprinkler system, and much more! $159,900 for whitetail and exotics. $234,000 river with large grassy fields and scattered pecan and oak trees. A new water well, underground electricity, fencing and entrance. $545,000* Office: 325-446-9020 60 Acres-in gated game preserve. Stocked with exotics and native game. 532 +/- Acres Kimble County – Great hunting property with remod- Toll Free: 877-446-9020 Cell: 325-446-6110 Water well, septic and electricity. $198,000. SOLD eled home, workshop, small spring, recent cedar clearing. [email protected] K-52-tfnx 51.6 Acres-County Rd. frontage, older mobile home, water well, perimeter Price fenced. Exotics and native game.