The Portland daily press., 1881-12-09
LIE PRESS.
IHarper's Young people.l
Jimmie Brown Gets Up a Private
Circus.


We had A private circus at our house last
night-at least that's what father called it,
and he seemed to enjoy it. 1t happened in
this way. 1 went into the back parlor one
evening, because wanted to see Mr.. Travers
He and Sue always sit there. 1t was growing
quite dark when went in, and going toward
the sofa, happened to walk against rocking
chair that was rocking all by itself, which
come TO think OF it, was an awfully curious
thing, and I'm going to ask somebody about it.
didn't mind walking into the chair, for it
didn't hurt me much only knocked it over,
A ID IL bit Sue, and she said, "Oh my, get
me something quick!" and then tainted away
Mr.. Travers was dreadfully frightened, and
said, "Run, Jimmy, and get the camphor, or
the hay rum, or something" So / ran up to
Sues room and felt around in the dark for her
bottle of cologne that she always keeps on her
bureau L found bottle after a minute or
two and ran down and gave it to Mr., Travers,
aud he bathed Sues face as well as he could,
in the dsrk, aud she came to and said, Good
ness gracious, do you want to put my eyes
out?"
Just then the front door-bell rang, aud Mr..
Bradford (our new minister) and his wife and
three daughters and his son came in. Sue
Jumped up and ran into the front parlor to
light the gas and Mr.. Travers came to help
her. They just got it lit when the visitors
came ia, and father and mother came down
stairs TO meet them. Mr.. Bradford looked as
II he had seen ghost, and his wife and daugh-
tiers said. "On, myF' and father said, s'What
on eartbl' and mother just burst out laughing
and said, Susan, you and MIR. Travers seem
TO have had an accident with the ink-stand."
You never saw such a sight as those
poor young people were. l had made mis-
tai g and brought down bottle of liquid black
ing-the same that l BACKED the baby with
that time Mr.. Travers had put it all over
Sne's face so that she was jet black, all but a
little of one cheek and the end of her nose, and
then he bad rubbed his hands on his own face,
until he was like an Ethiopian leopard, only he
could change his spots if he used soap enough.
You couldn't have any idea how angry Sue
was with me-just as If it was my fault, when
all did was TO go up stairs for her and get a
bottle TO bring her to with; and it would have
been all right if she hadn't left the backing
bottle on her bureau: and don't call that tidy,
if she is a girl. Mr.. Travers wasn'ta bit an
cry; but he came up to my room and washed
his face, and laughed all the time. And Sue
got awfuily angry with him, and said she
would never speak to him again after disgrace
ing her in that beartless way. So he went
home, and could hear him laughing all the
way down the street, aud Mr.. Bradford and
his folks thought that he and Sue had been
having minstrel show, and mother thinks
they'll never come to the house again. .s
As for father, he was almost as much amused
as Mr.. Travers, and he said it served Sue right
aud he WASN'T going to punish the boy to
please her. I'm going to try to have another
circus some day, though this one was all an
accident. and of course was dreadfully sorry
about it.