Circus Slang (1894)

[Mark A. Mandel]

Barry quotes to us:
   >>>>>
 Nobody without a voice like a peaking trumpet can be heard nowadays in the
great tent.
 <<<<<

"Peaking trumpet"? Is that a typo for "speaking trumpet"? OED Online:

speaking-trumpet : A kind of trumpet (chiefly used at sea), so contrived as
to carry the voice to a great distance, or to cause it to be heard above
loud noises. [Citations 1671-1887]

-- Mark
[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]