Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-10-08
The Story Teller.

great SHOWS COOk ~ Tue TdilS
McAlpine's Combined Colos-
sal Hippodrome and Consum-
nation of Wonders was expected to
pass through Trescott. The youngest
generation Of this village-that is to
say, all that part Of 1t that could move
on two legs-had been anticipating this
event for fully three weeks. The ma
jority of the barns and sheds In the
vicinity had proclaimed the allure
ments of spangled bareback riders,
roaring lions. snarling tigers, daring
contortlonists and trapeze performers.
elephants, monkeys and women who
stood on tiptoes on the backs Of swift
horses and passed unscathed through
hoops Of fire.
All this had been seen and admired
by Jacky Hopkins and Matilda Vinton,
besides score of others. Jacky was
ten years old. and Matilda was four
years his senior. According to the
Juvenile gossip Of the village. they were
':jest gone on each other"
The passing Of the circus gave rise
to picturesque ambitions In the young
hearts Of Trescott. The career Of that
patron saint of New Hampshire. Dan
lei Webster, faded into insignifcance
in comparison with the attainments OF
the heroines and heroes pictured In
rainbow colors. Such youthful yearn-
ings for fame are familiar to all who
have not forgotten that they were once
roung and are generally Of brief dura-
tion.
81 think. Jacky. my pa an ma are
meaner than the meanest. cause they
won't let me 60 ter the circus termor-
rer." said Matilda. "but you can just
bet I'm a-goin'."
Jacky's little blue eyes widened In
surprise Scarcely day passed that
Tilda's dynamic nature did not send
thrills wonder up and down his
diminutive spine.
"''hy. Ida. you wouldn't run Off
de-, ter Woodbine all alone, would
you?"
"Co'se l would, Jacky-that is, II
I Jest had the money ter get inter the
circus with. An wanter jine it. too;
I wanter jine the circus"
Little Jacky gasped in amaZement.
"You jine the circus. Tilda Vinton!
You couldn't do nothin'. Tilda. Why.
what was you thinkin' dOin'"
"Oh, jest know could! Jest let me
git dressed up as them wimmin be
an'-an' sleep In oil sheets, an l jest
bet I could do anything. You know,
Jacky Hopkins. l can do lots O. things
thet you can't. You couldn't git on the
rldgepole O. pas barn an walk acrost
it jest as If it was a tight rope. An
I've Skinned up thet big pine back O.
your house. an you didn't git up but
half way. An I jumped forty feet
from the upper hayloft in ourbarn down
onter the hay, an you didn't dast try.
'Tain't cause you amt smart. only I'm
made ter be in circus"
She put her arm about the little fel-
lows waist, with all the superiority
Of her fourteen summers. Jacky was
impressed. Visions Of the wonderful
exploits he had seen Tilda perform
since the advent Of the circus posters
rose before him. There wasn't q boy
in the village who could do what Tilda
had done, and he was the only one
who had frankly admired her, while
the others had hidden their chagrin
by calling her tomboy and other names
which only delighted her with their
unintentional flattery.
Now she had stimulated his boyish
fancy, and he believed she was right.
She was the greatest living wonder to
him, and he longed to help her.
"Guess you'd do. Tilda, arter you'd
been trained" Jacky admitted.
"An' it's real mean ter think thet l
can't be what was made ter be. How
d'you s'pose anybody was ever able ter
be anything onless their folks let 'em
try"
81 never thought O. goin' down ter
Woodbine. an know my folks
wouldn't let me. But, then, couldn't
do anything. Now. with you, Tilda,
it's different. You can do things, an
your folks had orter let you"
"Well. I'm jest a-goin' ter. somehow;
thet's all"
And SO Tilda resolved to join the
circus. The really unfortunate thing
about Matilda was that she generally
put through all she made up her juve-
nile mind to do. and. still worse, often
times she was equally firm In not do
;,f ,I,of ho MT fo
Their delicious speculation on the fu-
ture was interrupted by the imperative
summons Of Jacky's mother.
There's your ma a-callin'," Matilda
sneercl "She's allus coddlin' you.
You'll never grow up If you don't git
outern her way. Arter I've fined the
circus I'll git chance for you ter sell
lemonade"
"Oh. good. Tilda! I'd do jest any
thing ter go with you! An don't fergit
ter be up by o'clock termorrer SOS
ter see the circus go through"
1t was long time before Jacky went
to sleep that night. He was haunted
with the mingled desire to help his
"girr' to fulfill her ambition and the
temptation to contribute thereto by en-
dowing her with all his worldly wealth,
lust $2.47. which he had made plum.
min"
Jacky had an account In the bank.
and after the berry season each sum-
mer, when he had purchased pair Of
shoes to wear in the winter to school,
O. necessity he dispensed with In the
summer. he put the rest in the bank.
He was allowed to keep the money In