The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-12-22
OLD EGYPT
By ]. L. Harbour.

MY BROTHER JEFF, my father and
W I were planting corn one morn-
ing, when I was boy Of IS and jeff
was a year older. We ought to have
been at work in another part OF our
farm. but father had allowed us to work
in the field by the roadside that morn
ing because q circus train was 10 pass
on its way to Hebron, town three
miles distant.
jeff and had been to one circus that
summer, and father could not spare us
from the farm to go to this one, so we
had to get all the satisfaction we could
from seeing it pass by.
We tried to console ourselves by say
ing that we didn't think that 1t was
very much of circus anyhow" Sam
Walling had told JEFF that his uncle
Jim had seen the circus over in Kill
burn the week before, and he had said
that il didn't compare" with the cir
Gus we had seen earlier in the season.
1t Is true that Sam had tried to mod
i.y this statement when he found that
jeff and | could not go to the circus.
lie then told us that his uncle had said
that the clown was the best and fun
Riest clown he ever saw, and that the
trapeze men "beat the Dutch" but we
held Sam firmly to his original state
ment ard insisted that the circus was
mo good at all" just as if there ever
had been or ever would be circus that
was mo good" to two boys of Is and l6
years.
Presently JEFF gave his hoe a fling
and said, eagerly: ITS coming,
jack"
looked toward a big hill! over which
the road ran. and saw the advance
wagons OF the circus, which we counted
eagerly as they came over the hill.
There's only % of them" said Jeff,
"and there We're "a in tho circus we
went to in May. II can't be much of
show
The wagons. covered with dirty can
vas, went by in a shabby procession. In
the rear came three dust-covered ele-
plants and ten or twelve dissolute-
looking cnmels. One. the largest OF
the lot. iimped slowly behind the 9TH
ers. picture of weariness and de-
lection. y rough-looking man kept
prodding the poor beast with n cruel
looking gcad, while he loudly com
mandcd /, TO "Git out of this."
The camel would below pitifully at
every prod. but did not move any fast
er. l., could not. Indeed, it came 10 a
standstll when it was directly in front
of us. and fell heavily TO the ground,
with a prolonged below of pain and
despair. AS the man began TO beat it,
father interfered.
The poor beast is sick" said father;
"let it lie here in the shade and rest
awhile. II is fairly painting for
breath"
\ man on horseback came riding
back. what's the matter Lere?" he
asked.
"Old Egypt is played out, ard itsmy
opinion that he's played out for good.
Hes been sick for month, and he'll
never be any better.
Il guess you're right" said the man,
jumping off his horse and looking at
the campls outstretched neck and
closed eyes Hes done for, so you may
as well leave him and attend TO the
others; they're struggling" The men
coolIy walked away, leaving poor old
Egypt 20 his fate.
Fetch some water" said father.
I'VE must do what we can for the poor
beast"
He drank eagerly the water we gave
him. and it revived him little. We
brought him grass and he ate IL greed
uy.
''He isn't very pretty. is hep" said
IcP