The San Francisco call., 1904-11-06


around an look at me- I didn't blame
'em. I was goin' to study them that
Gay, why Shouldn't they study meE
Il you've got to live all the time in the
same house with folks. it's just as well
20 know all you can about en-
Pretty soon 1 opened UP the basket
# lunch. ! knew they hadn't had
much to eat al home that mornin
cause Jim couldn't cook very well, an
besides they hadn't had time. An
thought they'd better eat now while
ihey was on the road cause there'd be
TOO much 70 see after they got to town
They eat as IL they hadn't had thing
since the chicken sent 'ern.
The circus was at the county-seat,
an I don't believe that either one of
The boys had ever been 10 the place.
All the town they knew was just the
title village three or four miles away
from their home.
There was just crowds comm in
from all directions. so the road got
pretty crowded, but there'd been a rain
the night before so the dust was laid,
an we made good time.
After awhile We got to town an
drove UP in front Of a store. Jim
wanted to get somethin' before We was
married. don't know what, the ring,
maybe We left the boys settin' in
the buggy an went into the store
They had plenty TO see. an Jimmie
had his hands full wstchin' out for the
team. When we got into the store,
Jim said he wanted to go an get
shaved. but ! says. No, sir, we ain't
goin' TO wait for that If you can go
all the time without bein' shaved or
havin' your whiskers trimmed, you can
get married without It's pretty near
time for the parade. an We'll just
have time TO get married before that
I don't want the boys TO miss a thing
that they can possibly see to-day
was glad he didn't say anything while
we was IN the buggy about bein'
shaved. cause it's just as well that the
boys shouldn't know how their pa
has 10 have things said 10 him once
in awhile. It kind O. keeps their re-
spect for him. don't you think?
The circus was to be at the fair
grounds. an the minister we went TO
lived up that way, so We drove right
up there, an was married, just the
minister an his wife an daughter an
the two boys bein' there. Then they
asked US to stay there at their house
an watch the parade from their
porch. 1t was a mighty good place,
cause the whole thing had TO pass
right by, an we watched il till it all
got past, then we went over on the
other side OF the block an watched it
come back I never see two boys en-
Joy anything more than they did that.
We had hitched the team in the min
listers yard. an after the parade we
drove up TO where the circus tents
was up TO see the man walk the tight
wire, an 10 see the girl go up in the
balloon. ! thought the boys would go
up, too, an when We drove over in the
shade Of the trees by the fair ground
fence 10 eat dinner they couldn't any
more eat than they could fly. l made
'em try, an when they got done there
was some more of a hole in the big
basket Of lunch I'd brought. Jim had
bargained with the minister to put the
team in his barn, so after we'd finished
eatin', he drove of with the team an
the two boys. knew they'd rather be
with him, an I waited at the gate for
'em to come back. They got back
pretty soon, for we wanted TO see
ev'rything. beginnin' a. the sideshow,
an takin' the rest in order. We was
about the first to go into the side
show, an We stayed there till We heard
the man callin', 'Menagerie now open
in the big tent Then we went in to
see the animals, an stayed there till
almost time for the show to commence
in the ring. had told Jim to get re-
served seats when we was downtown,
SO we had plenty Of time an no hurry
in. an twas worth all II cost extry.
I thought We all might as we'll be COM
Portable, bein' il was the boys first
circus an my weddin' day. We just
got into our seats when the show be-
gan. Jim sat on one end Of the row,
with Jimmie next to him, an frankie
next TO me. They hadn't found time to
say much TO anybody, either Jim or
me, their mouths was open so much Of
the time I had 'em leave their coats
in the buggy, cause il was so hot, but
they had to have their shoes on TO
keep from bein' hurt when they was
stepped on. So they was fairly COM
Portable.
we all enjoyed the show. 1t was the
first big one I'd ever seen, an Jim was
kind O. gettin acquainted with his
boys a little. He seemed kind o.
surprised to hear some OF the things
Jimmie could tell about the animals in
the menagerie. Read 'em in book at
school. an remembered 'em, too.
thought the boys would split laughin'
at the clowns, an I'd set an watch
the boys half the time. an Jim some,
an the show the rest. I see pretty
near ev'rything. but ii looked kind o.
different loolln' at it from the stand
point OF a Etepmother with two boys
70 raise.
Finally. wnen the trained dogs come
on, frankie could hardly stand IT. 1
was lookin' at somethin' goin' on in
one ring, an Jimmie was tailxin' to his
pa. so frankie. when he see them little
dogs on the platform in front OF him,
he SAYS. -Just look at 'ern Jimmie but