Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-30

ODculent tHeJ COuiu 70 W tut btTccb
parade, and they promised unlimited
wisdom and discretion, and withdrew 10
the road, where they sat down in row,
and talked of the lions and elephants
till they hardly dared go home.
The next morning Davie was up
bright and early. AS soon as breakfast
was over, his father said "Now, if am
to give You a pleasure, you must do
something for mo in return. You can
take basket and pick up the chips in
.he wood-yard, and when that is done
we will start"
Cant do it when come back?"
'No, you can do it now, OF you
needn't GO"
Davie resigned himself philosophi-
cally, and went out to work with the
biggest basket he could find and
shovel. But the chip business became
n weariness 10 the flesh and a vcxation
OF spirit before it WAS finished. Atlast,
however, he ran in 10 get ready, while
the horse was being harnessed. We
have already mentioned that Davies
father was deacon. He WAS a believer
in the here little and there little
FI htku4r dlus h1 l4lN bVl = Nt4Atlbtt lltO
the buggy, he saw an opportunity too
precious to be neglected, to impress
them with q sense" of-well, their total
depravity as much as anything. Ac-
cordingly they we're profoundly admon-
ished and counseled during the drive
to the city regarding "the evils OF that
form of dissipation known as circus
going
1T has eorrupting influence on the
manners,' said the deacon. as loftily AZ
il addressing n convention of Congre-
gntional churches. "And ii debases tho
morals to an unlimited degree. 1t ere.
ates q taste for low and sordid amuse-
ments, which, once formed, can never
be wholly eradicatcd. i intend to hitch
the horse at the upper end of che town,
where he cannot be frightened, and so
injure himself, by the noise and hustle
OF the parade. An evil tendency cnce
implanted in the mind In like noxious
weed. 1t will grow and spread and
eventually crowd out all tho good.
This street parade will no doubt draw
many who should be better employed,
and will cause them to long for the in
tenscr excitement Of the circus itsclf,
thereby causing them to waste money
as well IA time. / hopo that mono OF
yen boys will ever be tempted to waste
your time, energies, and money in that
way"
This last was said 80 pointedly that
the boys felt that an answer was neces-
sary lest no should turn arotHd and
take them all homo again. Rabbity
spoke mp loudly:
"Ycs sirl"
I'D like to JUS find money enough
to git into the big tent" said Ted; ut
which Johnny shook him and whis-
pered:
"You dry up your gab. He's tellin'
us not to-"
81 amt doin' TO dry up my gab. Dry
up y'own. He amt dot nothin TO say
bout il, any way"
"Oh shut upl Be stillT whispered
Johnny, in terror. Hell take us home
il you don't look out. You keep still"
Dess I've dot g much yite to say
suthin' s you n Dave has to be talk
in to yerselyes all the time" muttcrcd
Ted, half crying.
Well. we won't. Well keep still,
won't we Dave?" said Johnny, willing
70 do anything to keep Teds contrary
little tongue quiet.
The sermon was resumed again, and
Dave and Johnny, who sat on the back
scat with Ted between them. nudgcd
each other occasionally. and tried TO
smother their giggling at theSight OF
Rabbity, who sat on the front seat be-
side the deacon, and listened sttentively,
apparently drinking in every word !;
which so encouraged the speaker that
his discourse soon began to sound like
some Of the columns Of words Of four
syllables" in Webster's old spelling
book.
But the drive was not .ong, and, once
ont of the buggy, the boys gave their
whole attention 20 the sightseeing, and
the admonitlons they had received had
the fate of the seeds which once fell by
the wayside. The deacon had his hands
full " hen the panoramic pageant" np-
peared. The three older boys forgot
all their promises, and wormed their
way through the crowd that made the
street almost impossible to the curb
stone, where they stood "rapt in aston.
iAhment, as the old anthem has it. Ted
could not follow, his hand being firmly
held by the deacon, who yainly tried 10
attract the attention of the boys. OF
whom he now and then caught
glimpse.
III ever get thcse boys home
SAID the deacon, venRefully.
But there seemed to be q possibility
that ho would not get them home, for.
when the last chariot passed, the bows
started with the crowd, and the staid
deacon had to trot along. too, whether
he would or not, with Ted in his arms.
The day was very warm, and Ted was
heavy, and the deacon had not taken on
his fiannels, and he felt like ignoring
his position, dropping his oratory, and
indulging in sulphuTic oath. 10 tell
the ruth he did say Godfrey" with
considerable emphasis.
Suddenly he came upon his party