The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-01-24


cut at fun length.
Lutte looked almost exhausted.
81 tell you. joe" he said after IT,
he while, Tets give up going all the
way 10 Roseyale. Let's stay here and
rest and then 90 back to the main
road and wait there until the circus
comes along. l don't think we could
any more than get to Rosevale now
before the circus starts for Temple
ton. What do you say"
AS 1 was about 20 make this propo.
sition myself, Il met with my hearty
approval, and we rolled over on the
soft hay with n delightful sense Of
rest and comfort Lutte lay fat on his
back with his straw hat over his up
turned face, and / was sprawled out
with my head on my arm. remember
that Lutte said something to me that
I did not quite hear, and that I mum
bled n half-lntelligible reply. Then
we were both silent.
/ knew nothing more until I felt
Lutte shaking me roughly and saying,
Joe! Joe! For mercy's sake, wake
upw
l sat up, rubbing my eyes and yawn-
Ing with a vague sense Of not know
ing where l was.
"What time do you suppose It is?"
asked Lutte
81 don't know" I said, with another
yawn, while stretched my arms
above my head and sGoye to throw
off my persistent drowsiness.
"Well, l know that it must be every
minute Of u o'clock. if it is not laterl
Where do you reckon that circus is by
this timer
At this 1 became wide awake. 1
looked blanbly at Lutte, and said:
80 Lutew
you'd better say % Lute' Look
at that sum-
He pointed to the open space be-
tween the branches Of the trees above
us.
"Why. Lutte" I said, "it must be
long after noonw
1T is long after the time for the
circus to reach Templeton. What did
you go to sleep for?"
"What made you go to sleep%
Lutte made no reply to this question.
but jumping to his feet, he said:
Lets hurry out to the main road
and start for home. My, isn't it hot"
We met a man on horseback when
we reached the main road. l asked
him If he would tell us what time 1t
was.
"Ten minutes after l." he said, after
glancing at his watch.
"And the afternoon performance Of
the circus begins at 2, and we are a
good twelve miles from Templetonw
grcaned Lutte.
"And it feels as If the thermometer
were about n hundred and forty in
the shade" I said, as 1 looked down
the long stretch of dusty road, with the
heat quivering above it.
"This looks like riding into Temple
ton on the back Of an elephant! said
Lutte, moodily, when we had gone
aboue half a mile, and we We're al
ready dust-cOvered and perspiring
from every pore "This looks as if
we should make the other boys turn
green with envy! They'll never get
through guying us about this"
"We'Il get home in time for the
evening performance, anyway"
said.
eyes, If we don't melt on the road.
I guess you'll know it the next time
you see me going twelve miles to meet
a circus, and then tumbling off to sleep
while it passes! Oh, We'll never hear
the end Of thisv'
His prediction came near being verl
fed. We were unable to keep our mis-.
hap secret, and all Templeton had a
laugh at our expense 1t was a little
after G O'clock when weary, dusty
hungry and forlorn, we walked into
the village. We went to the evening
performance in the circus tent, but
we had missed seeing the grand street
parade in the morning, and the Other
boys were eager to affirm that 1t was
as good as the regular circus perform
ance They declared that we did no
know what we had missed, but We
found at least some compensation
when we sat on the top row of seats
with two glasses Of pink Lemonade
and two chunks of gingerbread
watching the performances in TIT
ring.-Youth's Companion.
The Choice Seat in the Church.