The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-03-05

verses but had kept down his wrath till he had me
alone, meaning TO slaughter me-, and then write my
obituary. For 4 moment | wished myself safe out Of
his Office. Il occurred to me that it might possibly
be this practice to murder a person for the sake or
getting an obituary for his paper. [ looked at the
"a Mysterious jug suspiciousiy. Could it asked myself,
contain poison: The editor, noticing where my eyes
rested, poured more Gifts contents into the uncle2nly
looking tumbler Aforesaid, for me and g further
supply into the still uncleanlier locking tumbler. for
himself. Then, without hesitation, he drained his
glass, snacking his Inns IS the last drop disappeared,
and informed me, ~ q confidential tone, tiiat the
g stuff was sold rye" aad that mine nest OF the
- Spread Eagle had sent it him. Thereupon l came
to the conclusion that Il was not poison 50 ny conn
dence and courage returned. Afterwards, when l
came to consider the matter, I made up my mind that
my editorial friend meant my Biography instead OF
obituary.
Just as I was leaving the editor Of the Star Sp1a-
glsd B1aner, he presented me with 4 ticket Of admis-
sion to the travelling circus, which WAS ID open, On
the village green, in the evening. l thanked him,
and accepted the ticket, intending TO give 1t to Tono-
thy. When, after | reached the street, | looked at
my watch, | discovered, much 70 my SURPRISE, tnatt
long past my tea hour. Mrs. Gray, SAID to
myself, has doubtless given up watching for me from
the library window, and has, ere this, taken her
vesper meal in silence and sorrow. [ began to feel
sorroy for Mrs. Gray. I also began to feel sorry 1or
myself Twill do no good, | thought, for me to hur-
ry home now. So I stopped the horse, and got out
telling Tomothy, at the same time, 70 be a good lad,
and remain in the buggy till | returned-and set on
on a stroll through the village. Somehow, my steps
led me towards the green, where stood the white tent
Of the circus, in which the band was alfeGly paying
the last popular. melody. | saw that the canvas
doors were open, and persons were beginning TO pass
in. Many years had elapsed since | had been TO an
entertainment Of this description. I wondered if the
present one equalIed those of my boyhood. Was the
clown as funny as the olden clowns ?-was the ring
master as entertaining, or tire company, generally, to
be compared with those Of yore? l quite wetrled
myself, too, wondering whether there were a young
lady, very beautiful and very graceful, in q pink or
blue gauze dress, covered with spangles, who enacted
the fairy queens and flying sprites, within the tent
before me. determined, after q long cogit2ton, to
satisfy myse,fin the matter. So, producing my ticket
from my waistcoat-pocBet and giving it to the man
at the t~eut-door, who eyed me susplciously, L passed.
in. The moment | entered, [ recognised the tan ana
saw-lust smell, mingled with the smoke OF tallow
candles, which I had known in my days of wilfulness.
There was the same peanut eating, the same drinking
of soda and spruce-beer, the same w~histling, shouting
and stamping going on in the motley assembly there
collected, which is, doubtless, always found at SUCH
places. Seating myself high up on the tier OF bench
es, I sat quietly watching the crowd before me, marx
ing their various pecularities. As my eyes wandered
over the pit, scanning those persons who, ful! OF
eagerness, crowded closely up to the ring, L espied,
much to my establishment, the black physiognoiny OF
Tomothy. At first [ could scarce credit my senses.
What business, [ thought, has that lad to be here!
He ought to be ashamed of himself. 't all pad
places, a circus is the worst 1t Is Il species OF enter
tainment the lowest none but the ignorant and
foolish delight in them. It is u mark of Il depravei
taste in any one to visit them, and it was very wrong
IN IODlOtlV, l considered, TO come mere. L Isl 'ct
to speak thus to the little black boy when we should
ride home but, after considering the subject u few
minutes, viewing it in its various lights and shades,
: [ concluded, that under the circumstances, 1t would
be wiser in me to keep quiet. Just then two men,
dressed in red, footed on n couple of brass-horns,
quite distractedly, and the next moment two score OF
gaudiIv dressed knights sprang on horseback, INTO
the rinr. and rode three times around it, very furi-
t ously, making the tan fly into the eyes Of those closest
about them. Then the two score Of h0rsemen went
5 through a siam-fght, in which they managed to get
mixed up very badly, though [ think no one was IN
iured. Then they rode out from the ring. and into
their private tent. Then a very old boy, with white
! jacket and pants, walked into the the ring, and low
cred a triangular frame, set round with lighted can
dies, to the ground, and after shutting them, raised
it to its place. ThereupOn the crowd cheered him
very heartily, when, mucli to their surprise, he threw
q somerset in the air, and came down on his feet,
minus his white jacket and pants, a very comical
appearing clown. This feat was accomplished some
thing after the Rlvel-style, and promised well, [
thought. for Motley. Then the young lady whom [
had not seen in twenty years, made her appearance,
) looking not a day elder, and wearing the same span
T gled, pink dress she did when first we met. She
. went through the usual feet OF standing first on one
= foot and then on the other. upon the horse, till every
body was satisfied she could do it, when she, escorted
by the clown, who was very polite and cerenonious to
l. her, disappeared into the side tent. Then the band
] stationed in the triumphal car. played either Love
} not or "Sweet Home" [ couldn't make out exactly
which. That, somehow, caused me 70 think OF Mrs.
Gray, and made me wish myself at Hillside. 1t was
- men, 100, L DESJ DcclElG dFEiIIS thNN L ""o- SANtiiS II ~
5 little pool of water. L felt, also, that quite a riyulet
l was making its way down my back. OF course
e looked upward to see whence it proceeded, when a
: very respectfully sized stream poured into my face.
e There was a dull, heavy sound on the canvas roof
9 orer my head. 1t was very evident to me that it was
y raining. l moved a few feet from the place | had
[ been occupying, IN the hope Of avoiding the leak.
} The leak, however, proved to be a very extensive one.
The water followed me up wherever L moved. L,
thereupon, came to the conclusion that a circus tent,
during a heavy rain, was not exactly the spot for
t keeping dry in, and 50, | Immediately resolved to 90
home. [ looked for Tomothy he was engrossed in
| watching q man support an anvil, while two others
industriously beat on it with heavy sledges. resolv-
ed then, if [ were Obliged to drive home alone in the
rain, to give Tonothy a severe lecture for his disobe-
dience, and, if feasible, to further punish him foT
going to the circus.
So I left the tent and Tonothy behind me, and
2 walked in the rain, down the dark and silent streets
: to where the horse and buggy were. l tried to think
Of some excuse, as I walked on, to say to Mrs. Gray.
for having stayed away from her so long but il
t rained so hard, and made SO many missteps, that
could not keep my mind long enough on the subject
5 to frame one which would appear to her plausible and
satisfactory. l was greatly surprised when I reached
? the buggy to find Master Tomothy in it, and, TO al
2 appearance, fast asleep. IF be were not so wet, as ]
5 discovered, he was, | should have thought that,
2 possibly, I had been mistaken IN seeing Tomothy al
the circus. As il was, [ made up my mind that he