The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-26
"UnCle Bob" at the Circus
BY LAURA FITZHUGH PRESTON.

stunning effect; his garb was the con-
ventional one of his youth-for he ut
terly disdained later fashions-a high
stock, stove pipe hat, rather the worse
for the years which had passed over
it, a pair of tight, we'll worn light COL
ored trousers, and a dilapidated long.
blue military coat with furnished
shoulder straps, and shining row
of brass buttons, proudly ornamenting
its front from chin to termination. In
his hand he carried a decidedly dand-
fled looking cane, which he switched
quite with an air of fashion, as he
walked along at the head of his little
procession. His appearance presented
a cross between the titled diplomat and
local policeman.
Closely following. were M'randy
and the two twins" Mark and
Hanna, each holding aloft small flag
in one hand and an all day sucker in
the other The other members of this
select coterie were suitably attired, in
accordance with prevailing modes and
personal tastes.
They were soon swallowed up in the
crowds that lined the road, all bound
for the circus. Stout elders and church
dignitaries, glistening with good humor,
merrfrnent, and expectation, 1ostling
up against the sheep Of their folds and
the goats who stood without.
Horns were footing, small boys were
shouting, ticket vendors were talking.
volubly in front of the tents; round the
multitudinous stands which had sprung
up like mushrooms everywhere, were
congregated groups of country folks
, whom the well-to-do darkies regarded
with undisguised condescensfon, as be-
longing to a class considerably lower
ed in the social scale-poor white trash
, in other words. These latter retail
lated. when the pressure of the crowd
brought them into contact, by yindic-
tive glances of whitening dislike. The
true negro is a born aristocrat, and the
lowly born know and resent the fact
Uncle Bob decided to make The round
with the animals first, though his old
head was turned, first one way, then
the other by the bewildering array of
attractions offered: the Fat Lady, the
Human Skeleton. the Giant, the De-
vouring Anaconda. etc.
Now des look aheah"-he cackIed de-
lightedly, pausing in front of a cage
of performing monkeys: IF dey amt
des de cutes' animules / ebeh is see:
min me OBJ some cu'se kline OBJ peoples
in disha wohl: dismem'ers 'zackly
who dey is''-scra tching his head rem
iniscently-"don' put yo' han froo dem
bahs. Mark, dey mout bite; des look at
'em, playin wild dat leetle baby maun-
ky. / clar ter grecious, Becky''-in
sudden and pleased recognition EFF dey
don min me OBJ M'randy an de- twins
and his genial guffaw was echoed by
all the crowd of white and black sur
rounding the cage. Mrandy, who up
to this time had been silent with awe
and admiration, at this grew indignant:
IT clar ter grecious, Unc' Bob" she
broke forth I'm protest, "ef you ain des
allays study'n' up some piece OBJ mis-
ELECTROMAGNETIC Uncle Bob went
on.
Now dars err anlmule," pauRing be-
fore a monster hyeana: t''if he ain grin
min, DIES ee sho es my name Unc' Boo"
That animal" observed an inter
ested bystander, winking az the crowd
and imposing shamefully, on the simple
creduiity around him, lis the nearest
approach 10 man known; man laughs,
animals never do; the hyena " the soil
tary exception. Therefore are man and
The hyena related by ties unknown In
any other department Of the animal
kingdom" Uncle Bob listened en-
thralled,