The Advocate and news., 1898-05-11
BY LENoRE DosTRR.
Continued from last weekly
CHAPTER Nv.

Tom had not been in New York many
days before his aunt gave him a. pair OF
roller skates, and he had now learned
to glide ,OVer the asphalt paVements
without fear of turning back somersaults
and peeling his nose on the curbstOnes.
One day It was too hot to skate In the
streets and Fred and the Doyle boys,
who lived two floors below, and were
older than Tom, planned to go over to
the Zoo in Central park. Now, Tom
didn't know what Zoo was, but when
the boys told him it was place where
lions and elephants were kept, he un-
derstOOd.
rs the show going to be here lOng?"
he asked.
"Why, 1t stays here always. You can
go any time you like"
How much does it cost to gO?"
"It don't cost cent; it's free"
Now, a free circus all the year round
struck Tom as being about the best thing
he had heard Of, SO he got his Aunt
Sarah's permission to go with the Doyle
boys and they took their roller skates
and started OF.
Now, Central Park is One-half mile
wide and two miles long, and in here are
hills, valleys, green grass, flowers, little
brooks, bridges, roads and many miles
of walks winding in and out among the
shrubbery and big trees, and unless a
boy has been through this park often
ne Is very apt to get lost; but Fred and
the Doyle boys, Jimmie and Frank, knew
every path just as well as you boys In
Kansas know every plum thlcket, swim
ming hole and fishing place for miles
around. In the park the walks are OF
smooth asphalt and the boys skated
along gleefully. Some paths were so
sheltered that not a beam OF sunlight
broke through the green foliage above,
and along here In the cool shade sat
nurses with babies in carriages; men and
women were reading newspapers and
books and children played hide and seek
among the bushes, while beyond, on a
green stretch of sunny lawn, young men
and women In lbright-cOlOred clothes
were batting balls across fence made
OF netting. Not far away they came to
where peacOcks were strutting over a
green shady slope, their tail feathers
spread out like great shimmering blue
green fans. Further on was little lake
on which children were riding in little
boats shaped like swans and boys and
girls were sailing their toy ships. There
was large fountain here which splashed
water over the many-colOred lilies grow
ing about 1t, and a flight of wide stone
steps led up ito the top OF a shady hill
While the boys were watching the gold
fish in the fountain, strains of music
floated down from the hill above. In O
moment they took off their skates and
scampered up the steps. At the top was
long shady walk bOrdered by rows Of
seats, many statues stood about under
the trees and in a stand a band was
playing TO crowds Of people who were sit
ting or walking about
"The Zoo must be near here and this Is
the circus band" thought Tom, but he
was mistaken, for they came to the Zoo
later, and here they found regular show
full Of animals everything from a hawk
to an elephant. There were yards full
Of deer and camels; l0ng-necked giraffes
stuck their heads over fences and ele-
plants held out their trunks for the
children to feed them peanuts. There
was family OF lions here. "a fierce old
lion stretched himself In the sunshine,
shook his shaggy name and yawned with
a tremendous noise. There was the old
mother HON and some little cubs which
looked as soft as kittens, but they
knocked each other about with their paws
and quarreled and spat like the most
Nl-bred family Of children you ever saw.
But the funniest OF all was the hippo
potamus, which swam around In pool
roofing up mud and now and them dirt
ing her great head and sending out show