The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-05-24
TALE OF A CIRCUS.

anu Hlppodrome, stopped in surprise
when some one tugged at his elbow
ana then looked down into the up
turned lace of youngster at his side.
heh his face lighted and, drawing
ms big hand out of his overcoat he
slapped the young fellow heartily on
the shoulder.
"Phil!' he exclaimed. where did
you come FROM"
Just blowed in from Decatur" the
other answered, lightly, and what are
you doing here, Uncle?"
old Abe turned about and pointed
10 Dill poster across the street.
on am over at the l. this week
with my dogs" he said. But what
are you doing in Chicago, sonnie?"
'Nothin' particular" answered Phil
ip' i want to sign out as soon as
the season opens up. suppose your
OUTFIT will be pulling ont soon?"
i am going back to st. Louis in
three weeks" old Abe answered. I'm
getting bigger canvas made. TIN
be twice as big as that. old one, Phil.
What do you think of that?"
Well, that's going some" said Phil
briefly. They walked on in silence for
few minutes.
Uncle" said the young fellow.
stopping and pointing to restaurant
across the street, I'm hungry and I'm
broke-clean strapped. Had to soak
my ticker to get here, and paid my
last nickel for a shine last night"
The Snowman led the way across the
street to the little Clark street lunch
room and pushed the boy into a chair
at table. The young fellow ordered
pork and" and old Abe wanted an
Irish stew.
Now said old Abe, when they
were alone, I've got some questions
for you to answer, Where have you
been since last Fourth of July-you
and Johnson? What became of
Knobbs?"
"Knobbs-Knobbs?" said the other.
What of-what's the matter with
Knobbs?"
We'll, Johnson and you and Knobs
disappeared from Shelbyville, Ill.,, on
the night of the Fourth of July. Some
blankets were taken and some other
stuff disappeared. Now, what do you
know about it, Phil?"
You don't-why, | didn't take 'em
--s'elp me, l didn't. | tell you, uncle,
Johnson and | got left behind that
night and hnnfa1 rn
month before We gave you up for
lost
"Circuses, as rule" said old Abe,
amt ginerally so hard to find. AS
for that pesky monkey. do believe
you know just where he is. Now,
what do you know, Phil?"
WAS the monkey and the blankets
all you missed?" asked the other.
NO." said the older man, I'VE
missed our trap drummer and first
cornet, and we missed 'em bad That
was bad trick for you and Johnson
to play"
1T was this way" said Phil as he
slipped his coffee. johnson an me,
that night we was tired and rolled out
in cornfield. 1t was a fine night,
not too cool an not too warm, an we
didn't wake up until it was long after
sun-up next mornin'.
"As we later learned" Phil laughed;
anyhow, we lit out after you'uns, and
then was stopped. What detained us
was somethn' peculyar Ghosts, 1t
was-perhaps old Nick himself-was
what detained us. Leastways so said
everybody we came across"
Phil" old abe laughed, you're not
good at lynn"
This is every bit the truth-what
I'm tellin'. Listen: We staid all night
with farmer Teller what had seen it
the night before. He saw the burned
thing in the henhouse and, devil or
no, 1t was particular fond of eggs,
cause the next mornin' they found no
less than the empty shells of dozen
eggs lynn on the floor.
Nov, he said that long in the mid
die of the night he had been walked
by the squawkin of chickens in the
henhouse. Sounded like all the hens
WAS Dtiu llui utl Gu, lS odlu, anu lie
hustled out an found the thing sittin'
comfortable and confidentlike in hen
box, suckin' eggs. 1t smiled at him
good-natured like; then let out howl
and jumped into the window. 1t set
in the window moment, and the
farmer said it waved its hand at him.
OF course that farmer might have
been a liar. That was what detained
u.s. We organized searchin' party
and hunted for the thing"
Poor Knobbs," old Abe broke in.
Il suppose he's dead now. OF course
you didn't find him"
"Knobbs?" said the other. What
of Knobbs?"
THAT devil of yourn was Knobs,
sure's I'm alive. Because Knobs was
powerful fond of eggs-raw eggs.
Knobbs had a peculiar way of throw
in kiss at you when he was partic-
ularly happy. OF course it was
Knobbs."
"Ill just bet it was, come to think
of It," the first cornet answered. Il
had ought to have known it" He
stopped speaking moment and asked
the waiter to draw him another cup