The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-11-30

THEY JOINED a CIRCUS.
Experience OF am Ark amsas Brother and
Sister.

Little Rock special to Courier-Journal.
Last October a circus exhibited il this city
before a large audience, the people coming
from the surrounding country for miles and
miles. Ameng the throng was an old farmer
named Wallace, who, with his wife and son
and daughter, had come from Searcy county,
over 100 miles west Of here, to witness the
show. The girl was seventeen years old and
the boy fifteen, and they became completely
fascinated with what they witnessed and de-
cided to join the circus. The girl fearing
her sex would stand in the way Of her de-
signs, donned q shabby suit belonging to her
brother and succeeded in securing q gitua-
ton with him without betraying her identity.
lhe show went south from this point, taking
the twain with it. The father and mother
OF the boy and girl were frantic with grief.
not knowing what had become of their child
rem. They remained in town several days
searching Tor them everywhere, but being
unable to find them, returned to their noun
tain home utterly bewildered by their loss
and the mystery in which it was shrouded.
To-day's train from Texas brought back the
children who ran away just a year ago. In
the twelve months which have elapsed they
have learned enough experience to last them
during the remainder Of their lives. They
were hired by the management Of the show
at So per week, which to them seemed a
large sum, and took part in the concert which
fr1fnwo1 tho rnrl11or narF0ryo nv T,Lc-,
travelled through the greater part of Texas,
the glitter and tinsel of the of the business
fading away at every step. Finally, when
at Galveston, the manager grew weary Of
them and set them adrift. They were thus
without a friend and with only So ia money.
This was in December last. The girl kept
the secret OF her sex so we'll that no one ex-
cept her brother took her to be other than O.
comely youth. Alone and in q strange
city, they were glad to get a situation at
once, and the only thing which offered
employment was 9 brig plying between
Galveston and New Orleans, and on It they
both shipped. Their experience on board
the brig was anything but pleasant, the crew
being boisterous INC their employer utterly
brutal. When they reached New Orleans
they again ran away, FORGETTING their wages
thereby as they had contracted for the round
trip. Here the boy was taken i'll, and their
situation was becoming critical, when the
girl encountered a Sister of Charity to whom
she told her story. Convinced that it was
true the Sister had the sick boy removed to
a charitable institution, where he was nursed
back to health She also provided the girl
with garments suitable to he's sex, and
succeeded. In enlisting the interest of a
wealthy and charitable lady Of New Orleans
in the children to such az extent that the
lady furnished them with money to carry
them home and comfortable outfit besides.
The children reached this place without any
trouble, and will leave at once for the old
home amid the mountains, where their
parents are no doubt grieVing over theiz
disappearance, and where they will be wei.
coined as having risen from the dead.