Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-01-10
ANNAPOLIS MD, SATURDAY EVENINGS JANUARY 10, 1891.
HOW UNCLE EPHRIAM WENT
TO THE CIRCUS.

quise CnafaSfers ana seldom lacked
employment. FOR which, in addition to
his regular earnings. he received a
suffis iency Of cast-off wearing apparel
TO clothe himself and family. the latter
comprising wife and son.
The household wardrobe, being de-
rived from so many sources. was a
strangely assorted nature. of which
Uncle Ephriam's attire was fair
representation. The coat. black
swallow-tail. which in its palmy days
mad done duty at many a festive gath
ering, had undergone such trans
formation since entering his possession
that its former owner would scarcely
have recognized it. Having been
made for slender iigme it was utterly
out of proportion TO the old mans
broad shoulders. but Aunt Dinah OBJ
waited this difficulty by pieceing it
across the back with brown material,
which increased the comfort of the
garment, but proved decidedly detri-
mental TO its ap, earance The front.
remaining unchans ed in width, could
not by an possibility be buttoned, and
consequently swung open. displaying a
vast territory of eolored shirt, vest
being, in his opinion, an unnecessary
luxury. His blue pantaloons, per-
quiSite from the local barber, failed
nv several iches to connect with the
dingy shoes beneath.
In this singular garb, so utterly at
variance with t solemnity of his
sable visage, he I scented strikingly
grotesque appearance as he sat on a
bench against tho little whitewashed
calm. watching the golden tipped
clouas in the far west and wondering
whether the bright gates of heaven
were any more beautiful. He had
sperieEccd 'ligionn a short time
before and was feeling very pious in
consequence.
His meditations, however. were of
short duration. his attention being at
tIacted to the extraordinary movements
Of his son, Andy, who for some min
utes had been lingering uneaSily about
in the vicinity, advancing and retreat
ing and rolling his eyes appealingly
toward his parel t. who at length,
unable to restrain his curiosity, said
irritably, What am dc matter wild
yo' runnin' 'roun' an roun' like de
chickens when dzir head am cut off ?
What does yo' want 20
Andy ceased his gyrations and with
q desperate earnestness, born OF almost
certain knowledge that the answer to
his petition would be a refusal, said,
" Daddy. KANT 20 to de circus ?''
To de circus - was the Mortified
response. No. sab, y0 KANT go to
no sich place rs 'samed OBJ yo', An
drew Jonsing, deed is.''
But, daddy persisted the rebel
lious Andrew. las time de circus was
heah yo went yo'self.o
a. rs 'srelienced 'ligion sence den,,
said the old man impressively, " an,
now dat rs iined de church, sees de
sinfulness oh sich t'ings Eff yo'
doan' take cab, boy, yo'll be in de
clutches oh de dehbil, suah''
{" | amt afeard OBJ de debhil gittin'
me.o muttered bis uuconvelted son,
sullenly.
Den eff yo' amt afeard oh de debbil
yo'd better be afeard oh me- was the
emphatic reply, foh let me heah one
odder word bout dis yer wicked projcc'
an yo'll do some libely dancin' to de
tune oh a good stout hickry switch,
yo' unregen'rate sinner"
At this juncture, Aunt Dinah, who
had been bustling about inside pre-
pairing the evening meal, appeared in
the doorway, wiping her greasy hands
on her blue gingham apron, a certain
indication that the bacon and hominy
were on the table.
No sooner was supper over than
Andy betook himself to the fields to
bemoan in solitude his unenviable lot.
What's de use oh tryin' to hab any
fun wild sch q 'ligious fadder and
mudder p he lamented " Seems like
dey done forgit dat Use on'y fo'teen
yeah ole an wants some 'joyment like
odder boys. | 'clar' foh it. daddv's de
meanes' ole brack niger in de State.
Oars dat twen'y-fi' cents what de
Major glib me foh holdin' OBJ his boss.
Dat would pay my way in, but now
Then overwhelmed by the magnitude
of his deprivation. he sat down on
rock and walled aloud.
But his grief. though violent. was
not lasting, his Respondent mood soon
giving way to more hopeful frame of
mind and he sprang TO his feet with
. low chnckle exclaiming excitedly:
Gollw dat's ies' what I'll do. Til
70 to dis yer circus ennerhow, an ef
daddv does fin ID ont, why reckon ]
won't min de whippin' so much arter
rs seen de show
The next morning at breakfast Aunt
linah cva7 hos ff--r~;n- ~-ish r,,ashnrlr
concern and said anxiously " reckon
20 didn't sleep well honey. Pears
like / heerd yo' a thrashin' roun' in yo'
led all night.''
/" What dat boy needs is excise"
replied his father g~avely, " an jes' as
soon as he swaller dat hunk O. con-
bread | wants him to take de hoe an
start foh de tater patch. an / low he'll
sleep better tonight
Andy Obeyed with pleasing. If some
what surprising alacrity, but ali that
long forenoon while his back was
bending obeF the potato hills, his mind
was wandering among the ferocious
animals and adventurous acrobats rep
resented on the gayly colored circus
posters.
Promptly at noon he returned to the
house. and after attacking and sue
cesSfully demolishing the food piled
upon his tin plate. rose from his seat,
and with well-assumed air Of indiffer-
ence. said. Daddy, Deacon Jones
wants me to come r0un' TO his place
dis afternoon an G. Up wood foh him"
4. Well, now i IS pl1ased' = replied his
rratSfied parent. 2 d Deacon's per
fessah Oh 'ligion a. a propah good
man, an rs glad to hab' yo under sich
edifyin' ini1u'nce. When yo git dar,
dean feugit to tell him bout dat s'prise
party we's gwine 4 gib him. 'kase he'll
want to hab 'freshments foh his frien's.
Is 70 gwine right way now p,