Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-09-10
GOING TO THE CIRCUS.

One time Lou and | were hOeing pota'
toes, when we saw man in blue uni
form coming down the road. Lou was
my older brother. and he didn't like to
hoe potatoes any better than did, but
he could dissembe better Twice that
hot August morning in 1864 he had left
me to tread the wine press alone-l re-
gard that simile as Il heap pleasanter
than is the fact-while he pretended to
fix something on the shady side Of the
barn. He explained each time when he
came back that he much regretted the
necessity Of leaving this nice, easy
work in the potato field for sucn un-
pleasant tasks at the barn, and | grew
quite sorry for him. | offered to go
next time in his place, but he was the
most self-abnegating fellow you ever
saw, and insisted on this systematic
martyrdom.
When the man in the blue uniform
came down the road we stopped hoeing
long enough to look at him and wonder
who he was. We had stopped several
times before, but that was not to won
der who the travellers were. We knew
who they were. We even knew where
they were going We knew they were
neighbOrs going to the circus at the
county seattle circus that had been
advertised with tremendous posters
and incorporate print for just four
weeks. We knew in general way
people did go to such places, but we
thought about 1t as almost as distant
as the battles with which the uniform
ed man was associated. A circus was
not for us. We must hoe potatoes.
The man in blue uniform turned in at
our house and sat there in the shade of
the locust trees while mother rlnsed the
milk pals and set them in the sun.
Presently he came out in the field and
shook hands with us. We remembered
him as hired man who had formerly
worked for us-an excellent fellow, as
you shall see. He was something far
removed from potato hOeing. He had
seen big battles, and we believed we
had found his portrait in colored
print of the times, which showed col
umn of even-stepplng heroes rushing to
conflict as to a carnival. We were a
little embarrassed in his presence, and
scarcely asked him about the weapons
he welded and the foemen he had slain.
Ourllbrary contained some books which
treated of conflict in those rarer times
when men went single-handed into the
ranks Of an enemy and swept down
swaths of weaklngs rarer times
before rifle bullet made one man as
good as another
John asked us how the cattle were
getting along. and something about the
nelghborhood goSSips, and then march
ed away very straight, as If he were
under the eye of a drillmaster. Another
nelghbor came along and John signaled
him.
81 guess I'll 90 to the circus, too" he
said to us, laughingly, over his shoul-
der.
Oh! soldiers could do anything, This
proved It. Men who could suddenly
think Of something desirable, something
wonderful, and who could instantly de-
eide they wanted 1t and SO have it
these were the favored among men.
AS to the circus! Why, would have
given anything g-cverything discounted
hope and bonded the future for the
plain privilege of going to the show"
You cannot know the heart hunger felt
for the circus by n country boy in war
time. 1t was an expected, an illimit-
able, an ineXhausdble case of wonders.
John ran to the fence, placed his
hands on the top rail and vaulted over,
as became n soldier home on furlough,
while the people In the wagon-they
were dressed In the very flower of gala
attlre-pushed forward to shake hands
with him. Then they called across to
us:
"Ain't you going to the circusT" and
50 went on. Fate was despot. We did
not question the decree, though we
could very freely understand the charm
that was crouched in that one phrase
"Going to the circus"
We had hoed out the row when moth
er called to us, and we went to the
house. 1t was not nearly noon, but
there was a luncheon of bread and but
ter, Of milk and Of warm currant pie
on the little table In the vlne-shaded
porch. The spread astonlshed us Moth
er was getting at her spinning wheel.
"Do you want to go to the clrcus?'
she asked.
OF course that meant permission. No
mother can tauut her child. John had
said he would pay for our tickets II
she would let us go, He wanted to dc
that much for the sake of old times, he
said. And, dressed In the best those
trying war times afforded, we started
on foot for the county snet