The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-11-25
BILL ARP ON THE ROAD.
Rough Experience on n Circus Train
Protecting q Sweet and Tender
Young Woman from Wild Beasts,
but Twas All Il Dream.

| Out Twas All Il Dream.
Hard, hard, indeed, is the contest
Tor freedom and the struggle for liber.
ty.' '"There Is no rest for the wicked" ;"
This world is all neeting show and
Jordan Is hard road to travel, | be-
lieve There are other CALCULATIONS
might utter, for Of late there has been
trouble on the old mans mind. You
see, | was invited over here to talk to
these people in a humorous and philo
sophie way and my wife said as the
lnrder was getting low and the girls
| needed some more winter clothes, and
the tax man was bobbing around and
the grandchildren would be expecting
something for Christmas, she thought
l had better go. So she packed my
valise with my best clothes AMI forti-
fled mo with little drug store of
camphorated oil and flannel and liver
medicine and paregoric and cough
drops and quinine and headache
powders, and 80 forth and 30 on. We
kissed good-by all round and departed
feeling like | was being driven off from
home by sad necessity. l took the Sea-
board Airline at Atlanta bound for
Charlotte, via Monroe, but our engine
broke down about dark and this de-
layed US three long, dreary hours and
when we reached Monroe it was way
after midnight and the Charlotte train
had gone. There were three nice
ladies aboard and several gentlemen,
who were greatly disappointed, but
the conductor was kind and sympathe-
tic and said there was q circus train
near by that was going to Charlotte
right away and if we didn't mind rid
ing thirty miles in q cab, he would get
us the privilege. The ladies said yes,
and we did too, and climbed in. 1t
was as dark as Erebus. We felt our
way to find seats but there was nothing
but some long tool boxes whose lids
were hard and cold. There was no fire.
and the wind blew through a broken
glass on the back of my head. The
ladies chatted away merrily, for they
we're going home, but l wasn't and |
couldn't chat to save my life, for | was
very tired and thought OF that good,
soft bed at home. BY and by the con-
ductOr camc in with a lantern and took
up our tickets and left US in the dark
again. About that time the animals
got restless and the lion gave an un-
earthly howl. You see this was a
menagerie train.
"rhc animals went in two 10y two,
The elephant and the Kangaroo"
and every time the cars careened about
Or swung round curve we could hear
some deyilish noise ahead Of US. "Oh
mercy,' said the youngest girl, sup
pose they break out :" ''They will eat
the sweetest and tenderest first" saia
|, ''lions always do" pulled my
cloak up over the back of ny head and
ruminated. For two long hours we
logged along, for the train was running
slow to suit the wild beasts and we
n
3 O'clock when We got to the suburbs OF
Charlotte and stopped. Nobody was
looking for us-nobody rushed forward
to meet us, no porter nor hackman-
no omnibus or street cars, not even a
wagon Or an OK cart or q darky. The
moon had hid herself to keep from see
ing our misery, but we seiZ d our grips
and wraps and satchels and made
march for the electric lights. My
companions soon separated from me
and marched in single file with my
big valise full Of clothes and the drug
store, and struggled for three quarters
of q mile up the long and hard side
walk. I en- not used to arc lights, aud
the lickering shadow Of every tree
and telegraph pole looked like man
in ambush who was fixing to hold me
up. | had forgotten where the hotels
were, and unconsciously passed them,
for the doors were all shut, and there
was no sign. BY and by mot police
man and he conducted me back to tho
hotel, and WAS as thankful as | was
tired and humble. My pitiful tone OF
voice secured me kind attention and
bed. When q man is far away from
home, his wArmest welcome il an inn.
But did not rest we'll. A 10 O'clock
supper, on fried sausage and scrambled
ar Stnr iof rhn,
corporOsity and dreamed that a'tigcr
got loose and came prowling and howl
ing around the car and somehow / got
a hatchet out of the tOUlbox and lifted
the young lady through the port hole
upon the roof, and volunteered to de-
fend her with my life and my sacred
honor. The tiger made desper-
ate leaps to get up there, but every
time he got a paw on the cave, | cut it
off and let him fall back again. | don't
know what became of the other ladies,
but think that other wild beasts got in
and eat them up. The men had all fled
prematurely, but | saved the pretty
girl, the sweetest and tenderest, before
What curious things are dreams, any
howl The next trouble on the old
mans mind came over him at Sails
bury, where l was billed to lecture
that night. On my arrival l found
that august body the Presbyterian
synod in session. Preachers and elders
innumerable were scattered among the
good people all over town. Thcy were
holding night sessions, and wouldn't
have I'D journed for Mckinley or Grover
Cleveland or the yellow fever or u fire.
But this was not all, the Episcopal
bishop was to lecture on the Holy
Land, where he had been recently, and
[ knew that ] would fall between and
get smothered. Mr.. Marsh seemed to
feel very bad, and ap"logized by sayipg
that when he booked mo he did not
know of these meetings. "Well," said
|, "the saints will all go to these meet
ings, but you have sinners in this
town" He admitted that there were
some. And 80 / went ahead and
lcctured, end was surprised to see be-
fore mt d select and cultured audience,
select, and | hope elect according to
Pre- shy tcrian theology.
SO all Is well that ends we'll. The
next evening found me at the nice lit