Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-10-27

menagerie tent. Mr.. Tempster went
! about his duties with sad, elected
1countenance, and Drifter was almost
1 as quiet and serious in his .demeanor.
He asked for leave of absence at four
/ O'clock, and then did not appear again
that evening. 800: IA
| We'll, the boy deserves vacation"
the trainer said, as he prepared the
animals for the ring, "and I'll gladly
do his workafor him tonight. Maybe
it will be my last chance"
/ He wondered why the new trainer
did not appear. He would certainly
want to familiarize himself with the
animals that were to perform tricks
for him.. No man would be such fool
as to- exhibit with new animals with
out seeing them beforehand!
Nevertheless, the time came for
sending them in to the ring. He drove
them in and placed them in their .po-
sitiops.- Then he, waited for develop
ments. :,
Suddenly from one Of the side doors
emerged tic new performer, and,
Walking lightly toward the center.
Of the big tent: he. made e low
obe:isance to the audience. There was
loud applause, forit could be seen that,
he was only a boy. ;..=' 49,, :. = =
Mr.. TemRster Looked. for aminute at
his rival and then muttered aloud:
/ "Drifter!' -,~
Ives, it was Drifter, clad in all the
Egay apparel of a circus performer.,iAs
he approached the animals, they turned
instinctiveiy toward him, and seemed
to give himia welcome :'-'."' -. ,
The gong changed out notice for OPP
Eerati ions ito begin. Drifter led. out Sly,
the leopard, and started to make him
jump through a hoop. The animal
made aclean leap, and Returned to Ills
former position. Them the pc rforn1-
er spoke sharply to him.: and rolled,a
barrel into the ring, accompanying the
action with sharp snap of his whip
on the leopard's lose. f':"s - a''s'''
The animal ;jumped'f Back with
snarL md refused to- be pa CITED. Drift:
er ordered and threatened, but the
animal became unruly, and had to be
taken out Of the ring. - " -.
Next the boy snapped his whip close
to- Toms trunk, and or:de red the big
elephant to dance. But the beady eyes
snapped, and the trunk swayed I'M
easily. Picking up an iron hook he
prodded the surly animalwi h it. The
elephant screamed with :zpain,: and
raced around the, ring like an angry
bull. ,
Something Seemed ::t IS BE n the an
finals that night which made them 'ig-
more the boys orders. Even. his pet
fox performed it's: tricks indifferently,
although Drifter repeatedly boxed its
ears to liven it up little.
After 20 minutes of desperate la
| Dor, the whole menagerie was involved
in difficulties, and. there was. danger
of an uproar. The people began to
grow anxious and excited. Then the
manager stepped down from his box
| and ordered Drifter back to the dress
ing-room. Mr.. Tempster was called to
subdue the excited animals and make
them go through their performance as
usual.
When the circus closed at midnight,
the trainer looked in vain among the
cages for Drifter. 1t was an hour be-
fore he found him, curled up on a
heap of blankets. The boy had been
crying. Mr.. Te,npster looked at him
moment, and then said brokenly, as
he lifted the boy up:
Il saw it all; saw it all. 1t was
noble of you; but it must have been
hard-very hard" ---.
The boy gave vent to sob.
II shall never forget it, Drifter. an
wouldn't have permitted it if it hadn't
been for my wife and four children.
I said to myself that needed the po-
sition more than you did, an l will
keep quiet"
He wound his arm around the boy,
and continued:
you'll get position some day as
performer, an then you'll show them
what you can do"
1T isn't that" Drifter sobbed. II
didn't want the position, when found
they had to turn you out. But tit
was so hard to hit them-poor Sly,
an Tom, an'-they'll never forgive me.
They looked SO surprised and hurt
when snapped the whip at them. I
II never did it before; but had to
to-make them unruly. or they would
have obeyed me, an then"
Il would have been discharged" in
| terrupted Mr.. Tempster. Then in a
voice that choked, he added:
''It's more than deserve, Drifter-
more than l deserve"
! But Drifter, homeless and friendless,