The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-09-04

NY, politely, winking his eyes very hard
as baby's mamma disentangled the
plump little fingers. "But-will YOU
sell the baby to me for little sister,
u give you twenty-five cents. They
said | could get one here for hall
price"
''0h. I'd let you have her in a min
ute, honey, if I could spare her to any
body; but she's al the baby / We got,
and couldn't sell her for all the money
in the world.
''Ihey must have made mistake on
the ticket" said poor Johnny to him
self, rs Bridget placed him on a good
high seat where he could see all that
went on in the ring. On the seat ust
be'ow him was a good -natured looking
woman with round face and light hair.
And on each side of her were two little
girls exactly like her, only great deal
smaller, and all exactly alike four in
all; and the hair of al the four was
! braided in long braids and looked Xix e
/ mOlasses candy Each little girl had
on yellow calico dress, which exactly
matched her hair. and was trimm d
( with RULES of pink calico Johnny
/ thought the tile girls and the hair and
the dresses were all bcaut full. Bridget
| gave him an orange and some candy
/ and told him to sit still while she went
to sit while by Nora Kelly.
} 3hnny gave all the little girls some
candy, and the mother smiled upon him
50 beamingly that Johnny felt encour-
aged to unburthen his m nd, but deter
mined to get at the matter very eau
tiously.
',You have great many nice little
girls, ma am -
ia. ia, said the woman, laughing
~. and nodding her head.
Il haven't any little sister to play wis,
and want one very much. wish l had
one just exactly like yours
The woman was looking very hard at
some W nderful horses wonderfully
dressed up. in the ring, but still smiled
and nodded as johnny kept up his mod
est little whisper
Its only twenty five cents Lean pay
at alp haps that isn't enoughp-''
More mods and smiles.
You are very good, indeed, said
Johnny, delightetly. Its this one Til
take then?' pointing to the smallest
dumping face.
''Ja, ia, and Johnny took out his
quarter and offered her She looked
puzzled. but seeing q lemonade boy a
little way Of, imagined he wished her
TO buy him some and took it and
waited
Aud Johnny sat and looked with ev-
eryboiy else at the ira ned dogs, happy
as Prince that he had at last secured a
sister How pleased mamma and papa
would be--and- how we'll they would
think he hal done in getting such
beauty so very cheap.
That old lion in the other tents
roaring awfully loud, isn't he-P but
never mind, Pll take care of you,' he
whispered. Roar followed roar, grow
ing louder and louder, until johnny
felt sure that nothing but the big ele-
phant could make so much noise. But
what could lion or elephant have to do
with the darkness in the tent and the
bright flashes of light which shot
through it? People looked uneasy as
the storm gathered more heavily. and
paid little heed to the cunning ponies
who sat at a table and ate and drank rs
politely as if they had been little Girls
and boys-pechaps more so. And when
binding glare of lightning brought
with 1t a bolt OF thunder which seemed
TO shake the very ground there was a
rush toward the door of the tent.
johnny saw Bridget below him hold
ing out her arms and calling him to
come to her, but before he could reach
her the crowd had swept her out of his !
sight. Half stepping. half pushed, half /
carried by those about him. he found
himself on the ground, holding his sis |
ter tightly by the hand He could hear
the voice Of her mother as she clamored !
and struggled to keep hold of her little /
ones, and did his best to keep near her. |
but in the noise and the crush thev |
were soon far from her. johnny and |
his sister were thrown down, and their /
little lives surely must have been tram /
Piled out, had they not been close to the I
band-stand. under which johnny man. /
aged to scramble, and then draO the
little girl after him.
She cried at first, but he gave her his /
orange and she became interested in /
seeing him peel and divide it, opening
her rosy little mouth in sober satisfac-
ton as he put each juicy mOrsel into il.
Quiet after while fell as the crowd
worked its way out and the storm
gradually lulled. The air was close
and heavy, aud just as little yellow
braids was wondering if johnny had
any more oranges in his pocket her head
toppled over on her little fat shoulder
and she was leaning against him fast
asleep.
He laid her tenderly down on the
grass, feeling proud to the very depths
"a HIS Univ tAtA ~ AtbiAG HOAA4 Oh ndNlnU /
some one to take care Of He gave the
round check a kiss, and thought he
would call her Kathleen, which was the
name of a beautiful little girl Bridget
often sang about, and just as he was
softly saying: kathleen, Kathleen,
% try how it would sound. he heard
noise like the tuning of instruments
above him, which surprised him very
much, for he had thought the circus was
over. II
Peeping out he saw the elephant
yravely seated, with one of the biggest,
ihiniest brass instruments. The camel
md the giraffe and a lion and a polar
bear came, too, and each one began tun- J
ng an instrument. Johnny listened as
hey played and thought they did il ]
-ery well. They went on for hours and
hours. until the elephant peeped down I
md spied Kathleen.
Come and dance for us, little girl
Re said. wen take you all over the I
world with us"
..Oh you're very good, sir, I'm sure, y
aid Johnny, as he reached down for {
Kathleen, ''but it's my little sister, she
5, and 1 couldn't spare her."
without, however, paying any atten-
ion to him, the elephant took up the |
larling Kathleen, Johnny Selling hold
# her and crying;
You can't have her! I've bought S
Ter, and she's mine {
The lion took hold of his arm to draw {
i'm back, but he still chung to his SIS I
er, screaming:
Let gO-she's mine. Let 60! Let {
.o"'
why, my little chap, we won't hurt {
er, but YOU must come out Of this" S
Johnny opened his eyes. 1t was not /
he horrid elephant but pleasant-faced {
nan who was lifting Kathleen from the {
N s. and nnnf her. m m Inl h.,lI L I