The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-26

Now, yo' heahs dat, all oh YOU" ad-
dressing his numerous satellites. hit
well ter lib an leahn, an dat de
troof. l vehy much delegated ter
yo,' sub, fob dat interegashun. dough
hit look lex mems would des stop err
smilin', chen eff hit mex EN- hab de
peahance OBJ disha animule."
Thus he went the rounds. comment
ing, picking up gratultous pieces Of
information of doubtful authenticity
and annoying himself to the full. Fear
full of not being on time, he at last
proposed going into the big tent 1t
was still a good half hour before the
performance was scheduled to begin,
but the rural population had poured in
early, and Uncle Bob was anxious in
regard to getting good seats. The
| and file of Uncle Bob's procession
moved on into the canvas paradise. AL
ready crowds of dusky faces lined one
side of the huge tent. and the white
population were also well represented.
The reserved seats were slowly filling
with the elite of Pine Crest.
Uncle Bob was in a silent rapture
of blissful delight; next to, or perhaps
who shall say?-superior to. the at
! fractions of camp meeting, an "des
layin' out in prar," was the circus,
with it's manifold array of pleasures,
and distracting designations, which
bordered just enough on the worldly to
give zest to the occasion. He was the
life of the party explaining, and ex-
postulating, when the restlessness of
Mark and Hanna made this last nee
essary; jesticulating, and debating,
with a lavish display Of perpetual mo-
ton, which drew good natured though
subdued laughter from the surround
ing seats.
The audience thickened, through the
Tapping entrance they came pouring in
until every tier was filled. The band
stroled in, gaudily attired, and began
the ravishing entertainment of tun-
ing and scraping to the accompani-
ment of sundry jokes, and some badln-
age, interchanged among themselves.
At last they struck up gaily in the
opening march, playing, with OCCASION
al interludes, until the eventful mo-
ment, when, with flourish and pomp
of color and display, the grand caval-
cade OF horses and riders rode out in
to the ring, and thrilled the hearts of
the admiring audience with their mag
nifcence. From that crucial period I'M
til the close of the entertainment there
was breathless attention, wild bursts
Of hilarity-once the grave decorum of
country audience was broken
down--and such display Of enthus-
idSiH WLltil IiuSL surely nave eICOuT-
aged even the blase performers to
their best endeavor. At each anti
quated joke of the Clown, which the
unsuspecting intelligence OF the rural
community accepted as fresh from
the mint of humor, Uncle Bob roar
ed in the very revelry of appreciation,
One, In particular, appeared to call
forth a gust of mirth which kept on
in series of exploding cackles like
detonations from a subsiding volcano
after the audience had laughed itself
dry.
The attention of nearly everybody in
the tent was attracted towards the
old man. The Clown observed the d.
rection OF the mirth-producing sounds.
He had picked up some not inconsider-
Pine Crest and the inhabitants there
OF. during his morning about town,
and he was. in consequence, not en-
tirely ignorant OF Uncle Bob's social
Importance in the little community.
His mind was made up. Giving the
programme and the ringmnster the 90
by, he gaily vaulted across the ring
in a series OF side somersaults and.
regaining his feet with a bound, bran
dished across the charmed circle with
q blood-curdling war whoop, making
his way through the terrified tiers OF
men women and children, who fell
back az his approach, TN Uncle Bob's
seat WAS reached.
Sprlnging up. he seated himself by
mis- side, every eye was turned In their