The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-06-02
4 TALK WITH A CIRCUS WONDER.

A circus company has entered a train, ready to go
TO tho next large town: Ike and Dolly. ten-years
hoping to catch sight Of the wonderful perform
ers: eagerly watching them, tho children forget
themselves, the train starts and they carried OF
The conductor led Ike and Dolly into the
passenger car where the members of the troupe
wore, and-oh, joy!-tho knife swaliower made
room for Ike to sit down beside him. He
looked astonishingly like an ordinary mana
big. burly fellow, with a good-naturea face,
weather beaten, like sailors Ike was
amazed to see that knife and snake swallowing
had not affected his appearance, any more than
education had affected the pigs. Zach, his
chum, had confdcd to Ike that the man was
made Of gutta-percha inside; that was why tho
knives and snakes dldnt hurt him; ardlko was
devoured by curiosity to know Whether this
was really so, but he was afraid it would not
be polite to:ask :; =
The Fat Woman, vino could not sit on an or
binary scat, but had one which was constructed
expressly for her, motiOned to Dolly to come
and sit on her foot-stool Dolly felt a little shy
of this mountain Of flesh, with features that
were scarcely distinguishable, and gruff voice
that reminded her Of the big BEARS in the story
Of Golden-hair: But, as the car was full, and
obeyed, there was no other seat for her, she
''Have you lost your ma, dear?" SAID the
gruff voice, in very kindly tone.
s'We lost Barbara, and she'll be go worried,
and the pea-porridge is getting cold, and-cl,.
dear!" and poor Dolly broke down, utterly
overcome by her misfortunes..
sLa! is the lopsy --popsy going to cry? Don't
there's deary. You'll get lack to Barbara
all safe, and just think what privilege 1t is to
travel with such show as this-Moral and
Intellectual, National and Transatlantic
though they amt genooyne, child; don't ,ou
believe = word of it! Not ono of 'em's gen
ooyne but me an the Mites. Ne an the Mites
is genooyneW :. -,
"Genooyne" was too large word for Dolly's
comprehension; but by the fat woman's mys-
terious air and tone, she knew she was telling
her something very important. =:
mo bigger than common folks, the giant
amt, before he's built up and stuffed out" tie
fat woman went on, in very low tone, and
with careful glance around, to see that she
could Dot be overheard.
'tDo you mean that he isn't truly giant?"
asked Dolly, with . crushing sense of bewilder-
ment and disappointment.
''No more than you are. And. as Tor the
Bearded Woman, she takes itoa and puts it in
herpocket when nobody's round The Two
headed Girl, the greatest scisptifc wonder o.
the age. they call her on the bills-why, she's
two girls. They're dreadful slim; and they
manage to stick 'em into one dress The Talk
ing Giraffe-why, it's man behind the scenes
that talks; ventriloqdism, you know! The man
that swallows knives and snakes-that trick ia
sery VOL done, and folks is easy to take in, and
5niyes go to, if you're watching ever so close.
swallow 'em, child!- OF course hedon't He
couldn't swallow 'em, no more'n you could. u -
oh. dear! L hope you won't tell Ike He
would De 60 disappointed" sa1d Dolly, feeling
keenly the hollowness Of the world
"Bnt me and the Mites is genooyne! There
amt grain of humbug about me. and the iit.
EMP; '''''s'e