Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-28
COUNTY, p BY CMEARA GoODF

and admire their performance Indeed, had a
few spectators been, by some wonderful chance,
collected in any such locality, the police would
certainly have interfered with the customary
gruff Move on therep After threading in
Vulnerable intricate passages, and tortuous by
ways, with which the mountebank seemed per-
fectly familiar, our little party emerged into o
large open Square-ln former times used as a
hay y-market-which being surrounded by work.
mems cottages, was place where perhaps, an
audience might assemble; so father began to
beat the drum with all his might, Alfred star
tied the neighborhood with the clash of GYM
balls, and little Midgkins shook his tiny square
of carpet by way Of giving note of prepara-
ton to passersby. The drum and cymbal
overture continued for full ten minutes before
any condescended to notice the efforts of the
performers. Three or four workmen having
just dined, then Sauntered to the doors of their
respective dwellings, where they stood while,
leisurely smoking their pipes and enjoying the
fresh air; few children, too, attracted by the
noise, formed into a group to witness the pro-
ceedings of the professionals; and a young
woman with an infant in her arms leaned out
of an upstairs window of one of the adjacent
cottages Father cast his practsed eyes
around, counted heads and shrugged his shOul-
derS. He drummed away for another FIVE
minutes, and then took another survey of his
audience, but without any satisfactory result,
if one might Judge from the rueful expression
OF his countenance; however, he muttered to
himself: We must make the best of it, sup
pose; it's the only likely place for pitch at
this end IF the town.
Giving a sort of sideways nod to the BOYS
they took the enc from him with great alacrity.
divested themselves of their coats and prepared
to dazzle and delight all beholders with the
Splendor of their wardrobe, and the combined
grace and agility Of their movements Tn
luckily, just as these preparations were COM
pleted, ding dong, ding dong, went the large
bell of the nearest factory, and, Obedient to its
summons, away walked the workmen. A mo-
ment after was heard the tinkling Of Is school
bell, whcreupon with unwilling steps and
slow rs if sorry to be thus deprived of the
expected sight, the admiring scholars moved
off Father and boys, perceiving that no
chance remained of earning even the smallest
pttance, made ready for their departure Just
as they we're walking sadly away. the yoang
woman at the window called out: Bide bit:
i We SuIljtIkal IUT tue Illlt Illus. TtStHliF OUT
she came bringing jug of hot tea and some
thick slices Of bread and butter, saying, You
nun eat this, and take this tea before YOU 90
any further, poor things! You'll do but little
to-day for it's beginning to snow, and you can't
act in the wet streets God help youl There.
Stop Bit she exclaimed, as Ally gave her
the empty jug Stop bit" She ran upstairs
and returned with an old scarlet muffler and
green cotton neck-tie which she gave to the
mountebank TO wrap round the chidren'S
throatS. He received them with many expires
sionS of gratitude-so much kindness was some
thing rather unusual Use sure you're heartily
welcome said the friendly giyer | wish |
could do more for you; but my mans one of
the turn-outs, and we've Howt but the election
brass to live on. Goo1-luck TO you, master.
and to your pretty lads, wherever you go All,
there's no knowing what ones own poor little
'uns may come 10 in this hard world Here
she hugged her baby fondly to her bosom; and
noddng kind farewell to the street-artisteS
she disappeared. Perchance, comfortable read
er, you wonder how these children could find
an appetite to enjoy q second meal SO soon
after their breakfast; but, remember, these
boys had existed in state of semi-starvation
for food is incesSant
It's useless to go home without money ;
thought the poor mountebank. Il could no
more face Mrs. NiggS than could face tiger;
so, well step on, best foot foremost: and if the
weather doesn't turn out rcrv bad we can be
at EgIinthorpe by FIVE O'clock Tom Whit
locks sure to be there with his tumbling-booth:
he'll be glad of rs, and pay Us well too, for
the fair-day. Let's make start, boySl Comel
Cheerily, no.. Thus monologuing, and leading
MidgkiuS by the hand, he turned his back on
the town, with little Ally bringing up the
rear At the outset of the journey. the young
sterS were lively enough. and pratted on, in
childish fashion, about what they'd do when
they were older; what pains they'd take with
their poSturing and Vaulting: and how they'd
get situation in some grand circus, where an
immense amount of salary would be theirs; and
how joyfuIly they'd give it all to father and
mother. who should never be ragged or hun
gry any more
The mountebank smiled on them compass
Sionately as he listened he remembered that
long years gone by, he, too had thought and
spoken in the same strain. Alas for human
hopes and resolves his parents had died in the
parish workhOuSe Not that he was nnwill-
ing to assist them-nOt that he lacked affection
towards them but few and far between had
been his opportunities of assisting them for
he had not been fortunate in a profession.
which is, at best, precariOus one. True, he
had seen others. with very limited amount OF
talent anu "dGstry. get forward in the race of
Iife-riSe in the world, and attain high posi-
ton in their calling bat his career had been
an unsuccessful one and thOOgh it woald
have been the pride of his atfectiOnate heart to
have cherished the declining years of his aged
parents, it was not TO be; and, as | said before,
they died in the workhOuse
Cheerily, ho, Alfy Giro me your hand,
and I'll help you along So father led bo'h
, "a e.