Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
COIN TO THE CIRCUS.

thoughts DNeu on tne nay crop, JaDeZ
Parker suddenly ran across something
TO attract his attention.
Two miles from home and on barn
by the roadside two men were at work
FASTING up circus posters They had
the front of the barn pretty well COW
cred. and they finished their work as
Jabez sat and looked at them. There
were lions. tigers. elephants. giraffes,
gdlloping horses and what not, with
woman walking a tight rope and
clown making everybody laugh, and
the good old man. who had never seen
a circus in his life. even as d boy. sat
there long after the men had departed
and figured it all out in imagination.
Presently he heard Il VOICE saying:
burn my buttons. but I'm goin' 10
take in that circus or bust
II was his own voice. and it almost
jumped him off the seat. His heart
was in his mouth for a moment, but
then he gained courage TO say 'getap'
to the old horse and muttered TO him
self:
Yes. SIR. I'm nearly sixty years
old and never saw Il circus, but I'm
goin' to begin now. l expect ma will
make Il terrible fuss over II, but | amt
goin' TO let her turn me aside. l dunno
what's come over me. but if it's wicked
TO go TO Il circus then I'm goin to be
wicked"
He reached home to unharness and
go to work again. and he said nothing
of what was in his mind until supper
had been eaten and the milking done.
Then as he sat on the piazza with his
old wife he carelessly remarked:
Ma. l see that George Williams
barn is all covered with circus pie
lures
And he Christian man. gasped
the wife.
WAL, you know. folks don't look at
circuses the way they used to-
What do you mean by that. Jabez:"
Why, circus amt considered wick
ed. | dunno as they ever was wicked,
but folks used to think that way
Il don't want to hear you talkia'
that way, JaDeZ. The circus was al
ways wicked and always will be. Its
one of the broad roads leadin' down
to perditiOn."
I've never seen Il circus said Ja-
beZ after awhile.
And you never will-nOt as long as
you live with me-"
I've often wondered where the wick
edneSS comes in
Then you must be blind, Don't wo-
men. or things called women. dress up
IN short skirts and ride hoSsback and
jump through hoops: Can you imagine
anything more wicked than that?'
What makes you call that wicked:"
Because il is. aud you know il, and
there's no use to talk. about, it any
more. I've lived with you for thirty
nine years. and | know you from head
TO heel. JabeZ. was you thinkin' of
goin' 10 that circus"
Kinder thinkin'.'
Il had fcelin' i'll my bones that you
was. WAL, you stop it. | won't have
IL for Il minute"
Say, ma. I'm a-goin'."
"JabeZ Parker
Yes. sir, I'm a-goin'. I've never
been To Il circus, but I'm goin' 10 take
one i'll before die. I'm a-goin' To see
the elephants. lions and tigers. and I'm
IL -goin' to see them women i'll short
skirts. | don't believe it'll hurt me
any more than to see II boss race ut the
county fair"
But l told YOU to turn your back
when they raced
Yes. but | wanted 10 see which boss
came in ahead. | saw, and l don't be-
lieve | was one mite the wickeder for
it,
But a circus, JabeZ-a circus. i tell
you Won can't go. If you do you
needn't expect to find me here when
you come home | never could live
with you for an hour agin."
Jabez Parker was the soul of good |
nature. but when aroused he had Il
streak of the mule In him. He had |
said he was going To- the circus, and his |
wifes opposition only made him the |
more determined The subject was |
dropped that evening and was hardly |
referred TO during the next week. Then |
the date OF the circus came along. and |
one morning Jabez said:
Ma. IN he home in time TO do the /
milkin'."
What do you meani"
I'm goin to town TO see the circus-
The wife looked at him and saw that I!
he was determined, and she said no
more until he was ready TO drive away.
Then she observed:
"Goodby, JabeZ. / don't 'spose we
shall ever see each other ag'in"
He echoed her goodby and drove off.
and she sat on the piazza and cried for
an hour. She was still al IL when some
one drove up. and she looked up To see
her minister standing before her. To
his innIltrV = IN tho aF hnr |
row she told her tale. and when il was
finished he said:
There's my wife and boys out in the
Hurry up and get your Sun
day clothes on"
But what for?'
We'll find room in the carriage for
you, and III buy your circus ticket"
JabeZ got home half an hour ahead |