San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-13
HOW THE RUSTIC MAN AND MAID
TOOK IN THE BIG SHOW.
Jonathan and Jemima Had q Whole Day
of Pleasure, MARRIED Only by Shoes That
Pinched a LittIe-The Old Romance That
Is Always New Was Present Then.

La the year IS Jonathan and Jemima
went to the circus.
They had planned it for weeks, and iona
than had made great preparations. He had
talked it with the boys and with Jemima,
and it had been settled. Terminals folks had
allowed it, and Jonathan had CREASED his
boots and bought new paper collar and a
red tie, and had just simply told Dad that he
was goin Dad had said nothing, knowing
that Jonathan was his own man now, and
had a right to be chirking up to the girls if
be wanted to.
On the bright July morning the sun was
not up so soon as Jonathan He had washed
the harness and got out the old top buggy.
Then he goes in, finds his handkerchief with
perfumery on it, bought at the Corner"
and he is ready to drive away. Who shall
tell the idyl of the morning. Who remem-
bers how the sun burst and the birds sing
and the bees find the clover and the brooks
grow musical and the dewy morn, clad in
robes of gold, marches over the feldsl Who
knows what Jonathan and Jemima talk of in
that precious morning SO many years ago!
The road to Lewiston is long and winding.
1t was in the years when first the circuseS
came by rail, and it is their mission to get
there in time to see them unload the cages
They unload the cages now just as they did
then, and never fail of an audience 1t is
heaps of fun for Jonathan when the lion
roars in his cage and his fair companion
clutches him by the arm. That signifies to
the swain that she feels that his is ''purtec-
tin arm" and he is happy thereat. After
they have superintendent the unloading of the
cages and have caught a glimpse of the ele-
plant crossing back lot and have taken
cold bite out of the basket in tie wagon, they
are surprised to find it only o'clock in the
morning with long and happy day still be-
fore them. They drive down town and iona
than stands in his horse and gives him some
of the grass for breakfast. He takes out
the whip and carries it the rest of the day.
Jemima gets a good woman near by to take
care of the basket of food and they are ready
for business aud pleasure. In this year of
IS Jonathan went away by himself and had
his hair cut and his mustache colored.
After that they pursued the dream Of
weeks, They had their pictures taken. They
were in tin types He sat in a chair with his
head clutched in one of the old fashioned iron
braces Jemima, with a look of despair
equaling the look of supreme and painful joy
that Tradiatcd his COuntenance, stood by his
side and rested her hand on his shoulder
They got four of these for fifty cents, and he
had two and she two The pictures are very
dear TO both In years after they are seen
by their eldest born when he is grown up and
he asks them what Jays" these are in the
picture and Mother JenlIma says They are
two wandering bluejays, my son, who were
happy because they couldn't help it," And
he sees the light in his dear old mothers eyes
and says no more.
Jemima marVels at the town in its circus
attire. She looks into the store windows
with open mOuthed wonder. With Jonathan
she wanders up to the circus grounds and sees
them put up the tents What interests them
most is the man in the wagon announcing the
free show at the close of the parade on the
grounds. They go to the grounds again The
day is warm, and Jonathan, who is used to
freedom, takes OFF his coat and Tugs it on his
arm. while Jemima struggles on in tight
boots and perSpiratiOn. The free show is
over wien they reach the grounds 1t has
been very short. Jonathan buys red lemon
ade for two and follows it up by trying it
again for himself, his lady declining a second
bumper Everybody is shouting. Every
body induces them TO TRY" something
Everybody is polite. Jonathan trys the
striking machine and they charge their sys-
tens with electricity
Try it, Sarah, says the man with the
battery There is no shock-only cheer.
full flow of the current" Jonathan is sur.
prised that it costs ten cents a flow, but he
pays it and says nothing. They test their
lungs and try the flying horses. Terminals
boots hurt her still and her head aches, and it
is only II o'clock.
The side shows are open and they 60 in.
They talk with the freaks and would buy
pictures of them, but they have spent their
allowance on pictures. Everybody seems to
know them. One oily gentleman calls her
Jemima. She wonders how he heard her
name-not thinking that Jonathan is an out
spoken young man. Jemima is tired and sits
down, while Jonathan wanders out to see
the sights. He is said to have tried to find
the card with the corner turned down. out
behind the mess tent, but nobody knows. He
comes back rather silent and escorts Je-
NINA down town, where they commune with
'marm's' victuals, and Jemima sort Of
wishes she was in her white dress out under
the porch piazza sewing and letting the wind
blow upon her.
After dinner Jonathans trouble seems to
pass from him. They return to the show
and are oonfidentially advised that they
ought, in justice to themselves, to drink
heartily Of red lemonade before entering the
big tent, because there will be no peddling
on the seats. This is a lie, but they don't
know it. They so in early. They pick the
highest seats, where the sun can dow in on
their backs and blister their necks. He gets
his coat off and lays it ON his knee She
holds his whip and Uulacss her shoes The
man presents her cornucopia