Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-10-24

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 cooly, 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 a 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 | went up
bown. 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're-they're jimming-
gee."
Grandma ironed on but less ener-
gettcally than before the return of Bill
lie. go on an tell me about them
pictures" she urged. II used to like
awful well to go to circuses when l was
young. Seems like l went to every one
that come to our town. One amt been
near this place since l come here to
live with your ma. That was when
Emily Louise was born-ffteen years
ago"
Billie went on to tell her of the glor-
ies Of the posters. He gallantly gave
ladies the preference in his descrip-
tion. 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-
dfant 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 step was heard in the hall.
Grandma guiltily 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,
intolerant face, with dull eyes and con
verging lines around the mouth.
Mostly, Belinda!" cried back the old
lady with nervous cheerfulness. "Ain't
morn'n half dozen more pieces. Billie
here's got back from mill"
She moistened the tips of her fin
gers with her tongue, and spatted away
on the iron to test its temperature.
u can see that" tartly. billie. your
father git off with that stock? That's
good, Now, 1 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 a brief silence when she
had gone Martha Stebbins seemed to
see through mist the garments she
was ironing. Suddenly the kitchen
seemed smaller and hotter than 1t 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 and
looked pensively at the stonebruise on
tho toe. will If l can. I'll see if |
want get job carryin' water for the
elephant. Lots of boys get In that
Way"
"The elephant" She looked across
It him with Frightening eyes. Have
they got real elephant along? I amt
seen elephant I don't know when"
Something wistful in her tone
I struck Billie. He was not particular
ly bright boy, but he was aGectionate
in 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, We're neces-
sary to his humanity and protection.
Now he wished-he hardly knew what
he wished
Say, grandma, kinder think you'd
| like to go to the circus YOURSELF"
Mel" she shrilled. 20, dear, no!
Whatever put such an idea in your
head Me-Im that old! And besides
gracious, if I amt gone and scorched
that shirt! hope your ma won't no.
tice it, but I got that 1ustered-to
think of such thing!"
Billie looked puzzled. well, some
how" he persisted, stubbornly. 81 do
think so, gramma, And" he added