Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-08-30
A Ranrh Of Catnip.


By EMMA BENNETT MAHON.
Copy 1906. by Daily story Pub. Coz
There was TO be circus IN
town, the first circus Of the sea
son. Bob had seen the posters
on the billboards, and came
home trimming with excitement
and never left off talking about
the coming show all through
dinner. said thought ii
would be nice to go, too, and
finally Aunt Jennie looked across
the table at us and said:
"Well, I'll take you to it, chill
dren. 1t will be all right, will it,
Henry?" she added, turning to
papa. Papa had been looking
over the letters that had come
during the day and hadn't heard
a word, and had to have the
whole thing explained to him.
Then he astOnished us by an
swering promptly:
Il should think it rather awk-
ward for you to go alone with
them, Jane, but if they have set
their hearts upon it, why, I'll go
along"
Aunt Jennie murmured some
thing about it being quite unnec-
essary, and too bad to take him
away from his business, and then
dinner was over and Bob and ]
could hardly wait for the next
afternoon, when the show was to
come off.
Aunt Jennie, you know, is
mammals sister. She has always
lived with us. She is not pretty
and gay like dear mamma was.
Dear, beautiful mamma. 1t is
almost three years since she
went away from us. Oh, it was
dreadful at first. Aunt Jennie
had always taken the care of us,
but how proud we were when
mamma would come in in her
beautiful ball gown and kiss us
good night. 1t was something to
dream about. | remember one
night papa asked Aunt Jennie if
she didn't wish she was going
along, and she said: Mercy, no,
Henry. What would l do at
ballw
Well, after mamma died papa
grew grave and cross and rarely
spoke. Only Aunt Jennie
seemed the same, and it did seem
as if she played more games with
us and made little picnics and
took us out more even than she
did when mamma was alive.
Well, the day got there at last,
and just as we were ready to
start, sure enough, papa got
home from the office, and away
we all went together. You know
how Il circus is most always in
some ont of the way place, par
ticularly in a city where vacant
lots aren't very plenty. We had
to walk quite way after leav-
ing the car. and as we were
crossing the end of a big field,
in the corner of an old stone
wall, Aunt Jennie discovered a
bunch of green catnip. ooh, !
must take it home to SilvertOes,"
she exclaimed. SilvertOes is our
big Maltese cat, you know.
ooh, Aunt Jennie, are you go
ing to carry that old stuff all
around with us?" / asked.
ITS so hard to get it nice and
fresh, dear" she said, "and |
don't mind carrying it a bit"
And papa actually smiled and
said:
always thinking of someone
besides Yourself. Jane"
And Aunt Jennie just buried
her nose in tne catnIp ana didn't
look up.
We finally got to the circus
ground, and, after we had been
all around and looked at the ami
mails, we came into the tent
where the performance was to
be given, and papa got reserved |
seats for us all. They were pref
ty close down to the ground, for
we were a little late and all of |
the really best seats were taken. !
Well, it was a grand show!
Bob and l Always say that, no !
matter what bannanad often |