The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-11-26
A PRIVATE CIRCUS.
John KebIe.
BY JIMMY BROWN.

There's going to be circus here, and I'm
going to it; that is, if father will let me. Some
people think it's wrong to go to circus but
don't. Mr. Travers says that the mind of man
and boy requires circuseS in moderation, and that
the wicked boys in Sunday-school books who
steal their employers money to buy circus tickets
wouldn't steal it if their employers or their
fathers OF uncles, would give them circus tickets
once in a while I'm sure | wouldn't want to 90
to a circus every night in the week. All should
want would be to 60 two or three evenings and
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. There
was once boy who was awfully fond of going
to the circus, and mis- employer, who was very
good man. said he'd cure him. So he said to the
boy: Thomas, my son, I'm going to hire YOU
to go to the circus every night. I'll pay you
three dollars a week, and give you your board, if
you'll go every night except Sunday; but if you
don't go, then you don't get any board and lodg-
ing or any money" And the boy said, ooh,
you can just bet I'll CO." and he thought every
thing was lovely; but after two weeks he got so
sick of the circus that he would have given any
thing to be let stay away. Finally he got so
wretched that he deceived his employer, and
stole money from him to buy school books with,
and ran away and went to school. The older he
grew the more he looked back with horror upon
that awful period when he went to the circus
every night. Mr.. Travers says it finally had such
an effect upon him that he worked hard all day
and read books all night just to keep it out of
his mind. The result was that before he knew
ii hc became a very learned and very rich man.
OF course it was very wrong for the boy to steal
money to stay away from the circus with, but
the story teaches Us that if we go to the circus
too much we shall get tired of it, which is very
solemn thing
We had 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
l went into the back parlOr one evening, because
l wanted to see Mr.. Travers. He and Sue always
sit there. 1t growing quite dark when l
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
awfulIy 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, and it hit Sue, and she said.
ooh my, get me something quick" and then
tainted away. Mr.. Travers was dreadfully
frightened, and said, run, Jimmy, and get
the cologne or the bay rum, or something.
So ran up to Sues room, and felt round in
the dark for her bottle Of cologne that she
always keeps on her bureau. | found a bottle
after a minute or two and ran down and gave it
to Nh Travers, and he bathed Sues face as well
as he could in the dark and she came to and
said, Goodness gracious, do you want to put
my eyes out?"
Just then the frOnt-door bell rang, and Mr..
Bradford (OuT 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 ii lit when the visitors came in. and
father and mother came down stairs to meet
them. Mr.. Bradford looked as if ne had seen a
ghost, and his wife and daughters said ooh MY"
and father and mother said, What on earth ~
and mother just burst out laughing, and said,
Susan, you and Mr.. Travers seem to have had
an accident with the inkstand."
You never saw such a sight as these poor
young people were. / had made mistake and
brought down a bottle of liquid blacking-the
same that / BACKED the baby with that time.
Mr.. Travers had put it all over Sues face, so
that she was Jet black, all but little OF one
check and the end of her nose and then he had
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 ust as if it was my fault when all |
did was to go mp stairs for her, and get a bottle