News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-05-05

Yes, as you say, Mrs. Muggs. she
dances like a fairy and rides beauti-
fully. But there's not MANY knows
where she got such free lAbs, and
knowledge of horse. l Eyow, and
| don't mind telling you the'story.
1t was ten years ago-@ary me,
how time does fly, to be tN'e!-ten
years ago last summer, when was
dresser" at Tingman's cif2 us. You
don't know, perhaps, what's dresser
is? Well, she's lady's-maG for all
the women that are in the castus and
fine life she leads, / can tell you!
My man-Heav@n rest his soul was
a bareback rider and died ofpneu-
monia, twelve years come the tenth
of October, and after he died they let
me stay on at Tingman's as dresser.
Well, as | was saying, it was ten
years ago last summer, and we were
on the road, at a place called Fay
ettesville, that's not fifty miles from
here as you know, 1t was early in
the morning, and | was busy clear
ing up the dressing-room. and a fine
mess the women always made of it,
when Mr.. Tingman came in with a
child asleep in his arms.
kelley says he-for my hus-
band Shame was Kelley, and it's little
you get Mrs. to your name in a
travelling circus" Kelley, take this
bratl She's a new apprentice, and
as there is nobody belonging to her
about the show, you must take care
Of her"
He dropped her in my arms like a
luck to him! If there was ever a 81
cious brute, he we onsA.
her b down. down She 1s1 3e9Vy 70 sleep seI
but that w.<A19 ", when they
wanted to get tn sntices away
from home withoA fuss. They
always slept it off,s6Ohe or later,
and we had the fuss, u@til Tingman
thrashed or threatened the poor
children quiet.
When | had the room tidied | went
over to look at the child, to see if she
was waking. One good, long look
set me to wondering Where on earth
had Tingman apprenticed that child?
II there was ever lady born, she was
one, with the face of little angel,
long golden curls, skin like a lily,
and the least mites of hands and feet
you ever saw. She was very small:
looked about seven or eight years
old, though, as knew afterward, she
was past twelve. While | was look
ing at her, she woke up, and | was
sure then, if | had not been before,
that she had been stolen.
Mamma" she cried, "where are
you? Oh, mamma, come and take
me homep'
Tingman must have been listen
ing, for he came in before | had time
to speak, and the child shrank and
shivered as she saw him.
See here" he said, holding up a
great whip, "the first time you say
mamma or home again I'll whip
you with this; and if you ever tell
anybody where your home is, I'll kill
you'll I'm your father, now, and this
is your mother, and Tingman's circus
is you" home! DOyou understand? p
She gave one little bittel%cry of ter
ror and tainted. Tingman looked
rather scared himself, but walked off
whistling. Screaming, crying child
ren we had had in plenty, but | never
saw one faint from terror alone be-
| fore.
She came to herself after a while,
and lay on the sofa, shivering and
moaning, not saying a word, though
| did all | could to comfort her. L
didn't dare ask her any questions, for
| couldn't tell where Tingman might
be listening but told her all the lies
that came handy about the beauti-
full horses, and the fine thing it was
to rideI on them, and dance on a
board on their backs, with the peo-
pie all shouting as4;5ly7>slapping their
hands; but she only shivered and
moaned in faint, ptiful way, that
was enough to break any tender
heart; and I'm not stock nor stone,
Mrs Muggs, if | was yearsin circus.