Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28

manager told the other fellow to 90 on
about his business, while he waltzed
me of to work. l gave it my undivided
attention, as did not know but what
/ might own half interest in the old
trap in a week or two.
1t was a warm day and l took ms
overcoat off to eat dinner. | thought
it was warm enough TO do so, and po-
likeness rather demanded it of me.
laid it down on the seat beside me and
when l was done my dinner was sur
prised to find my overcoat gone and no
one had seen it going of or knew where
it was at all. | never knew, or found
out, for that matter. l. was then that
| saw the error ofcarrying any clothing
along with circus.
Every circus may not pc as belliger-
ent as ours was. | soon found out what
general roundup" was. Along in the
evening Of the first day the boys sue
ceeded in raisinga racket; of course all
hands had to join the melee, poor
Frank and | with the rest OF them. Clubs
and fists were the main instruments
used, and for awhile clubs were trumDs
beyond a doubt. After the battle 1
looked around for poor Frank, and
found him bleeding. | got comrade
and We carried him into the museum
and sent for the veterinary surgeon.
He recuperated faster than | expected.
and by time to start that night, he had
entirely recovered.
The next day. now that | was a MEM
Der of the worid-famed aggregation,
concluded TO go and hear the clowns b.
c. jokes, witness the riding, the vault
ing, the wonderful feats of strength and
skill. My associates directed me to 90
around and come in from the dressing
room. did; but want to tell you
came out that way, too. | have thought
since it was a put up job on me. AS
soon as reached the inside | was sud-
denly turned around. and that's all |
knew for an hour or two. When Icame
to my senses, or rather when my senses
came to me, saw the man who set me
in locomotion. As he had a real nice
apology, | could do nothing but forgive
him. 1t never occurred again.
By this time, We had been out long
enough for them to settle on some diff
ferent and definite name for each of us.
| was called the dude on account Of
my good clothes, which did not form
very striking contrast with the rest.
and Frank-well, they just called him
Sleepy" Every thing was moving
along nicely as far as the circus was con-
cerned. and one day thought to vary the
mOnotonya little by going up town to see
the country boys come in with the girls.
| had not been up there long. when [
was startled by a hand being laid on
my shoulder. Turning around police
man said: Young man, you are my
prisoner" what have | dOne?" |
gasped. ''Yes, what have you done?
Haven't been fighting on the streets,
have you?" No, sir, | have not"
20, come along here and no foolish
ness; you can't monkey this chicken"
And with that he walked me off, de-
spite my protestations of innocence.
As he threw me in and | heard the
click OF the lock, strong as | was was
broken down. | was in a
strange place. with no friends. o, how
| longed to see pa, the farm and home
Even Frank did not know where | was.
nor any of the circus people for that
matter.
Pretty soon small boy came around
TO take peep through the bars.
told him if he would go to the horse
tent of the circus and tell Sleepy" that
Dude" wanted to see him immedi-
ately, would pass him into the circus
i could get out of there. The boy
fulfilled his part and Sleepy" soon put
n his appearance, surprised to view me
rs the city's guest. Iexplained as best
could. Frank heaved sigh and
whispered through the bars that he
would try to get me out If | would go
back 10 the old farm. l hesitated
while but finally told him to go ahead
Ind get me out and | would go any
where with him. He went to the mana
,er of the circus, but the manager
would have nothing to do with me and
aid if was fool enough to run up
own and get into fight it was none of !
lis business.
was about to give up, when the |
policeman came in with a fellow that |
ooked something like me, begged my |
PARDON, said it was a case of mistaken |
IDENTIFY. and that if would say moth
ng about my false imprisonment he
would give me two dollars. forgave
i'm. though two dollars was a small
for the shame of such q
hing.
just quit my day dreams of ever be-
ne as famous as Barnum. detroit Free
'reSS.