The Yale expositor., 1900-09-14

SuImeTIlule can WOrk Us.
Is the canvas-tented, sawdust-scented,
much-frequented circus!"
"a circus! Comm to town. Old
Marth Stebbins, pressing out her
youngest grandchild's Sunday gown,
paused with iron suspended. For the
lands sake, Billie! Do tell! Are you
sure?"
Billie was thrilled by the interest
which his news had awakened. There
fore, he looked as imperturbable as
possible. He hoisted himself up on the
table, and sat there picking sandburs
off his sleeves, and swinging his bare
legs.
Gimme a cooky, an I'll tell you all
about it,"
There was no compromising with
Billie. He was a young man OF his
word. OF this his grandmother was
aware. She looked at him hard mo-
ment. Then she set the iron down.
and went into the pantry. She came
back with two cookies.
"There," she said; "now go on!"
After I'd been to mill l went up
town. There was two men putin pic
lures on the blank wall near the livery
stable. They'd got 'em up already by
the lumber yard Another feller was
goin' into the shops, and gettin' signs
put in the windows. And, l say
grandma, you just want to see them
pictures. They y're-they're jimming-
gee"
Grandma ironed on, but less ener-
getically than before the return Of Bill
lie. Go on an tell me about them
pictures" she urged. IL used TO ike
awful well 10 go to circuses when ! was
young. Seems like I went to every one
that come to our town. One amt been
near this place since | come here to
Awe with your ma. That was when
Emily Louise was born-hfteen years
ago"
Billie went on to tell her of the glor-
les of the posters. He gallantly gave
ladies the preference in his descrp-
ton. He first told her about the bare
armed female, standing in the Roman
chariot, driving the plunging steeds;
about the little girl, standing on a
white Shetland pony; about the ra-
diant damsel in the abbreviated skirt
who made flying leaps through paper
hoops; about the muscular sisters who
swung from trapezes. Then the men
came in for their share of admiring re-
marks. He was halfway from the
ringmaster to the clown, and grandma
was listening with breathless delight,
when a step was heard in the hall.
Grandma guitly picked up her cold
iron and pattered across the kitchen to
the stove for a hot one.
Mother! You got that ironin' most
done?"
The voice suited the face. a hard,
intolcrant face, with dull eyes and con-
yerging lines around the mouth.
m silly, Belinda!" cried back the Old
lady with nervous cheerfulness. Amt
morn'n half dozen more pieces. Billie
here's got back from mill"
She moistene1 the tips of her fin
gers tn Ter tongue, and spatted away
on the iron to test its temperature.
81 can see that" tartly. Billie, your
father git off with that stock? That )
good. Now, don't want you settin'
round like this when there's his chores
to be done wells your own. You hear?"
"Yes'm."
There was n brief silence when she
had gone. Martha Stebbins seemed to
see through a mist the garments she
was ironing. Suddenly the kitchen
seemed smaller and hotter than it had
five minutes ago. All at once, too, the
lovely ladies', and dashing men, and
wonderful animals of the circus seemed
more distant, inapproachable.
"Are-you thinkin' you'll be let go,
Billie?"
Dunno" He lifted his foot anl
looked pensively at the stonebruise on
the toe. "Will if can. I'll see if |
can't get a job carryin' water for the
elephant Lots of boys get in that
way"
"The elephant" She looked across
at him with Frightening eyes. "Have
they got real elephant along? l aint
teen elephant don't know when.
Something wistful in her tone
struck Billie. He was not particular
ly bright boy, but he was affectionate
in a dumb and clumsy way He had
never known the JOY of self-expression,
but he and grandma had had some Sc
crets of their own. These secrets, in
volving as they frequently did her con-
nivance and her silence, were neces-
sary to his humanity and protection.
Now he wished-he hardly knew what
he wished.
"Say, grandma, l kinder think you'd
like to go TO the circus yourself!"
mel" she shrilled. 20, dear, MOI!
Whatever put such an idea in your
head Me--I'm that old! And besides
gracious, If l amt gone and scorched
that shirt! l hope your ma won't no
ltice It, but l got that fiustered--to
think of such a thing!"
Billie looked puzzled. well, some
how" he persisted, stubbornly, II do
think so, gramma. And" he added