The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-27

gave a spring and landed neatly on the
mules back.
The beast looked around in surprise
| and the spectators shouted with mer-
riment, for it seemed as if the mule
were too much surprised to do any OF
his tricks.
They laughed a little too soon, for
the animal punched his feet, bumped
his back quickly, and sent Willie flying
into the air. where he sprawled about
and clutched in the hope of getting
! something on which to hold.
| Down he came thinking surely every
! instant was his last one on earth. He
! closed his eyes to shut out the horror
of the scene. He felt a Slight jar and
| through his mind passed the idea that
he was being killed.
He imagined he must be dying and
then heard the spectators yelling with
glee
Slowly he opened his eyes to find he
had dropped back upon the mule,
which had turned its head and was
looking to see what had happened.
He brayed with surprise when he
saw 1t was only a boy and a very in
nocent looking one at that so he he
hawed a couple of times more, as If he
wanted to laugh because of what was
to follow. kicked his heels a few
times to get a good start, punched his
feet, bumped his back with an agility
that was marvellous, and once again
Willie flew into the air.
But he went up only to drop easily
to the starting point.
The thousands of people in the tent
howled with delight.
The ringmaster, whose name by the
way, was Knapp. although just then
he did not look very sleepy, saw he
was in danger of losing the hundred
LII l. L.
citedly to make the mule throw Will
lie, but that animal at last realized
that he had been beaten. The beast
stopped alongside the ringmaster and
Willie, slipping from his back, made a
neat little bow and ran to his seat be-
side Woo Wang.
That was great, wasn't it?" said
Woo, while the people continued to
shout.
ut certainly was" replied Willie
But do you see the ringmaster point
ing at us? 1 wonder if he will really
give me that hundred dollars
Woo turned and saw the ringmaster
talking very earnestly with a short,
thick set man. a man who had very
heavy eyebrows and a square jaw.
Afte riding the trick mule Willie
and Woo sat in their seats eating pea
nuts and candy during the rest of the
OAlCi mum PEI IOI ana AFTER IL
was over they wandered into the
dressing room closely followed by the
ringmaster who spoke as soon as they
got out of the crowd of pleasure seek
ers.
you fooled him that time, my boy"
he said with a leer as he patted Willie
on the head. Did you ever do much
riding"
mo, sir. was never on horse be-
FORE
"What?" the ringmaster almost yell
ed in his asronishment. You never
rode horse? Then how did you ever
have the nerve to try the mule?"
Il didn't know whether / could or
not but thiught l would try" and he
puffed out his chest in an effort to APP
pear of Importance.
Upon being questioned Woo told the
men that he had Willie were from
Treetown. that they had come purpose
ly to see the show, but didn't have re-
turn tickets, and wanted the hundred
dollars to pay their fares.
Mr.. Rice seemed much pleased with
the answers and a few moments later
turned the two boys over to Capt.
Weber, the trainer of the elephants.
The captain was an elderly man with
a funny hook on his nose, and wore
a pair of eye glasses, which made his
eyes seem like little sparks of fire deep
in his head. In days long gone the cap
tain had done duty on the field of bat
tie, but bullet had shattered the
bones of one of his legs. and he had
started out as an elephant trainer. In
spite of his strange calling he was a
pleasant fellow, and he kept the boys
laughing at his funny stories of cir
Gus life. He fed them with candy and
made the hours so pleasant it was dark
before they realized that they did not
have the hundred dollars and that it
was time to go home.
But they had a long search to find
Mr.. Knapp, the man who was to pay
the cash. Willie was getting frighten-
ed and when Mr.. Rice saw tears in
his eyes, he decided to tell the worst
and he did in few words:
I'VE have always wanted boys like
you to ride in the circus. We will give
you each fifty dollars a week to stay
with us. and you will have to ride
only twice day and become great and
famous men,"
Willie began to cry and say he
wouldn't stay.
You won't. en-" and the burly Mr.
Rice grabbed each lad by a arm.
"Now see here. You kids are to stay
with this show. and you are to do as
l tell you. Over there in that corner
you will find a couple of sets of
clothes. Put them on at once or I'll
whip you within an inch of your lives
He said this in such a fierce manner
that the two youngsters were frighten-
ed. The way they hustled into those
clothes made even Mr.. Rice turn his
head and laugh.
When the boys were ready to go in
to the big circus tent Woo, for the
first time. noticed Willie in his tights
and spangles. He laughed until the
tears rolled down his cheeks and Will
lie, having lost his fear, smiled many
times at the figure Woo cut in his pink
costume.
While they were laughing and chat
ting Mr.. Rice gave them each a box on
the ears, and ordered them to go on
with the trick mules. This they did,
ard in few minutes were riding the
beasts in spite of all the tricks which
their trainer had taught them.
Seeing that their tricks could not get
the riders from their backs. the mules
at last rode around peacefully, and the
boys did a great many acrobatic feats,
which brought great applause from the
crowded seats.
They were turning somersaults and
leaping into the air when all at once
Woo and Willie began to bounce rapid
ly. each time going about a foot high
er as though they were rubber balls
being thrown with force on the hard
backs of the animals. They kept this
up until they were going very high at
each bounce. and Willie began to grow
| frightened. He didn't know why he
jumped, but he couldn't help it.
He began to figure 1t out and saw
hnf 10 he Nrr1.A nnh