October 4th

Subject:

Burk Andrus

Description:

Balding man in 40s. Always looks like he just spent the last week mucking out stables. Birthmark near right hip.

Act:

Comedy sketch with a mule. He speaks to a mule who answers questions by stomping or braying. Sketch ends with him riding the mule while singing a minstrel standard. Sometimes wears blackface. Usually used as an opening act. Jokes aren’t funny. The mule looks more comfortable onstage than he does

Observation & Survey:

Not particularly social. According to everybody I’ve asked, he doesn’t go into town and doesn’t talk to anybody here. Spends free time arguing with the mule. Extremely protective of it. Avoided by rest of troupe; possibly related to smell?

Assessment:

Doesn’t seem particularly racist? Also doesn’t seem particularly bright or respected; unlikely to be secret Confederate mastermind

Misc.:

Birthmark appears to move? Was not visible when washing mule shirtless near dusk.

October 5th

Subject:

Prospero

Description:

Young man in early-20s. Always walking around in wizard robes; hood when onstage. Constantly preening mustache.

Act:

Stage magic. Uses a number of sleight of hand tricks, gunpowder, magnets and other trickery to pretend to be a real magician. albeit a near-incompetent one. It’s as if someone made a minstrel act based on wizards instead of slaves. Surprised he hasn’t gotten punched.

Observation & Survey:

Keeps persona active while offstage, even with the rest of the troupe. Fond of children; always ready to show them a little trick. Seems to have flirted with every unmarried woman in town except for me. Perhaps he’s intimidated by someone who knows how often he misuses those fancy words he likes.

Assessment:

Seems utterly uninterested with politics. Doesn’t seem particularly interested in Henshaw outside of the womenfolk. I can’t imagine a proud Confederate wizard pretending to be a clown copy of his former glory.

Misc.:

Father warned me apropos of nothing that I should keep my distance from the troupe. Tried to press him on why, but he asked why I’ve constantly been out of the house lately and we both agreed to drop both topics. If he thinks they might be dangerous then surely I’m onto something.

October 6th

Subject:

Fox J Dunham

Description:

Bespectacled man in 40s. Soft-spoken. Feels like he should be a tailor or a butler somewhere; an unassuming role with a fine outfit. Black eyes that stare at you.

Act:

Marionette act. Uses a number of puppets, the biggest about four feet tall, controlled through some unknown system. Wires? Will act out scenes from popular plays or do minstrel show sketches. The most popular one is an Ottoman skeleton scheming to start some kind of war with the US somehow? I don’t get why it’s funny.

Observation & Survey:

Does not leave his wagon unless he’s performing. Difficult to observe without getting too close to the camp. When I was able to get a peek, he was bent over one of the feminine marionettes. Unsure what he was doing. I have a guess, but aren’t figurines for that kind of behavior supposed to be made of rubber? That’s what father’s diplomat friend said about the French.

Assessment:

Deeply unsettling behavior but not necessarily sorcerous? The puppets could be some kind of homunculi.

Misc.:

Father has insisted that I return his Union spyglass and a lot of townsfolk won’t answer my questions about visiting troupe members anymore, saying that I should bother the circus myself if I’m so curious. Might have to get in closer tomorrow.

October 7th

Subject:

The Blue Wench

Description:

Raven-haired woman, early 30s. Dresses normally while off-stage, wears tights onstage.

Act:

Comedy act. Lacks the gimmicks of Prospero or Burk Andrus, relying solely on her own wit and dirty humor. Often shows off her cleavage or legs for the sake of a punchline.

Observation & Survey:

Gregarious but disliked, even among the troupe. Delights in taunts and jibes. Eloquent. Actually knows the fancy words she uses. Increasingly discontent with local people, environment, etc.

Assessment:

I’ve never heard of a wizard who’s a woman, and I don’t expect the Confederacy to be the first to experiment there. She’s irate but who wouldn’t be with a vocabulary like that, stuck in this town?

Misc.:

I would like to talk to her greatly. She’s no intellectual but she’s snappy and funny and clever. Maybe she’s better than the rest of them.

Misc.:

I think she spotted me. I pray to God that she is actually better than the rest of them.