The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-02-02


an the chillun kin set here in the
settlement Then I'll come fur
you, an we'll see the show an
ever thing that's gwine. We amt
amin to do no halfway business onto
this here circus, air we, Sim You
bet, We'll jess natcherly do the thing
up right. l amt no SLOUGH when it
comes to q show, no how, if | amt
never been to one.n
Hanks great good nature must have
been contagious, for Markham beam
ed upon him benignantly, and shook
hands as cordially as if lis meagre
two bales had been multiplied. by a
hundred.
Come into the show, did you,
Hank - he said, rubbing his hands to-
gether cheerfully, and smiling up into
Hanks face.
Yes said Hank broadly. Lowed
maybe times warn't so hard that
Teller couldn't have a little fun. Amt
gwine to make nothin' with layin' by
nohow, an nights well get the good
er what there is, that's what | saw.
But | brought the cotton along, an
I'd like to have Il settlement with you
right away if you've got the time.
You see, brought Molly an the chill
lun along. Yes, they are settin' roun'
on the square waitin' fur me, an |
want to git back soon as l kin.
How about the settlement" Hank
went on, following Markham back
into the office Il amt been keepin'
the run er things edzactly, but |
reckon you know how we STAN"
Just itemize Hanks bill for me.
please said Markham to the book
keeper, as he and Hank passed on out
the back door into the cotton yard.
Il am glad you brought your cotton
in to-day, Hank" he went on. when
the weighing and CHASING was over
and they had come back into the Of
flee. at jumped up a point yester-
day
You don't say p said Hank, feel
ing vaguely that whatever point
might be it meant quite an unlimited
pinnacle to his pile of balance due.
In it he saw pair of boots for Sim, a
dress for Molly and
But Markham interrupted his vision
with:
"Here you are, Hank" taking up
the long sheet from the book-keeper's
desk.
His eyes followe Markham's finger
slowly down the long column of figures:
and his heart gave Il big jump at the
end, when he heard, still in the same
CHEEKY tones:
"Well, we'll credit you for the cot
ton to-day, and you see that puts you
pretty nearly square. Let me see.
you will owe us only eight dollars and
fifty cents, and | guess | can carry
that for you till next crop"
Il owe you eight dollars an ha'f?''
said Hank, breathlessly WHY, Lord,
man, amt there nothin' comm to
me -
Markham looked up kindly over his
great. Hank dropped down into the
chair, covering his face with his hands.
why, Lord, man. he said, 1.-The
cotton's everything I've got in the
world, an | knowed there wouldn't
be much comm on it, but is aimin'
to git Molly a new dress and Sims
pair er boots air among 'em. An you
say there amt nair cent comm to me
Lord, Lord Molly an the chillun
are setIin' roun' yonder, waitin' fur
me to come and take 'em to the show,
an do you mean to say I've got to 90
cent an We'll Jest have to hitch up
an go back home ?" and the big tears
were trickling down his sunburnt
face.
The book-keeper slid down from his |
high stool and went out, softly closing |
the door, Markham took off his |
glasses and laid them on the desk. |
He had been poor man once and he |
knew how heavily some things bore |
upon simple folk, even those who were
to having IL hard time of |
it,
'Well, WE'LL he said, by and by. |
running his hand in his pocket, Il |
reckon times are harder with you than |
they are with Inc, and, if you say so,
We'll just call things square, and you |
take this s. bill and go get Molly and |
the little ones and see the show
Twas but poor, spiritless, SLOUGH
ing figure that went, by and by, to |
join the waiting group in the wagon.
Hank kept his fingers ii rht clasped on |
old Markham's bill in his pocket, but |
there was no time for explanation.
Out tumbled the little tow-heads by |
twos and threes, for the music had al |
ready commenced.
Up the street and around the square. |
turning down by the bakers shop
came the procession, and oh oh was |!
there ever anything like it at all ? |
The putting, smoking, screaming cal |
Hope, the gorgeous equestriennes, the |
rafting, rumbling cages with strange
wild things peering out with hungry
eyes, the pOnderous elephants with |
long snuuts-was there ever anything
like it?
Never before to Hank and his folks. |
surely, and is it any wonder that his
dropping spirits revived and that |
along with the rest he gave himself |
up, following in the wake of the steam
ing music and into the big tent across
the creek? He gave up old Markham |
bill at the door, forgetful that there
went along with it his whole worldly |
wealth, and by and by, when it was
all over and the wagon ratified noisily |
out on the dusty homeward road,
Molly said, with burst of recalled |
when the little cabin |
in sight:
''Lor', Hank, we forgot the tradin'.n
Hank ran his hand down into the |
pocket where Markham's money had |
been and he said, only musingly, for
visions of the clown in his wide trous-
ers danced before his eyes and the |
sound of the music was in his ears:
But we seen the show
LAVINIA HI. EGAN.