The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1883-01-04
A DOOly County Boy as a Circus
Rider.

An old Methodist preacher in Dooly
county, Ga, has son whom we will
designate as Rankins. This old man
would never let his boys go toa circus,
no matter how much they longed to 60.
Ranklns was the oldest son, and he
always said he was going to the s'first
circus that come along after no got
grown
Well. Rankins is grown now, and
and the circus came along the other
week, and he went He saw it all, too
from the ring-tail monkey ia the me
nagerie, to the last act of the clown IN
the circus. Hhe was completely sar-
ried away with every act; but more
especially was he taken with the cir
Gus riders. He said that evening af
ter the show, that if ha could sjes' stick
to a horse like them fellows, he would
not begrudge hundred dellars."
The wonderful feats of the circus
riders preyed upon his mind that week.
He spent all his spare time in talking
to bis Younger brothers, telling them
how The monkev acted, what the clown
did, and firing their youthful imagina-
tons with ideas of circus life in gener-
al.
His father had an old mare, with
which the boys plowed and hauled, and
every day when they were going to
and from the field, Rankins used to
practice ON this old animal. He
would ride on his all-fours, or on his
back, and could even ride a little stand
ing up, if the old mare would walk
slowly.
Well, Sunday rolled around finally,
and with it the family strolled off to
church, leaving Rankins and two of the
younger boys to take care of the house.
Now was Rankin's time. The coast
was clear, and he determined to take
his brothers down to the horse lot and
play circus. He was going to fix up
things in style, too. So he looked up
and old suit of red flannel underclothes
which his father had cast aside, for
they had become too holy even for that
reverend old gentleman. He carried
them down to the lot, and put them in
to the horse-trough until be could 'sfx
up the old mare" as he said.
He got an old saddle, which he had
added up until it was even on top,
and strapped it on to the old mare. He
then plated up her maine and tail,
andtied some small tn boxes contain
ing shot to the saddle. These boxes
we're to answer in the place # the lit
tie bells he had seen on the circus hor-
SEES. He then went into the stable, and
having pulled off his clothes, donned
his circus suit, and when he again
made his appearance, he was frightful
to behold: for his suit was glarinely
red, and terribly ragged, especially the
seat of his breeohes, which needed half
selling badly.
The first trick he intended to per-
form was to slap himself on the back
of the old mare, and keep up barrel
with his feet, while the boys led the
mare around the lot, but he took care
to come up behind her, so that she
couldn't see him until he mounted
lie got up and lay down on his back.
and told Bill to hold the mare while
Joe buckled him on. As soon as he
was fastened on tight by the arms and
waist-leaving nothing at play but his
legs, he told bill to lead her off, But
it suddenly occurred to the old mare
to look around and see what sort of a
load she had on.
,'Look out hold to her," said
Rankins as the old mare snorted. But
it was too late. The old animal had
lived long time, but she never had
seen such sight as hat, and to have
such thing on her back, was too much
for her dignity. She flirted her head
around, and threw Bill agaist the sta
Bile, and backed up and down, and
wheeled around to shake off her load
all of which time Ranking was shout
ing:
'Woa! woa! Ketca hold of her,
Bill! ketch her stop Ter boys :"
But the old mare didn't intend to be
stopped. She seemed to be possessed
of some of her youthful vigor, and,
making for the fence, she cleard it
with such q bound that it nearly jolted
Rankin's head off AS soon as they
reached tho middle-of the road, the old