The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-01
THE EVENING STORY
Aunt saIEx.s ConscIence.

Saily Warner, relict of Joab Warner,
" no departed this life after a fall from
the loof OF his barn. Aunt Sally had
no chlIdren- of her own but did have
! half dozen nieces and nephews. and
among the latter was the roIlicking,
IfoAcking Joe Henderson who was 20
years old at the +'''ae the great calamity
ieH upon the house of Warner Refer
ence Is not made TO the fall from the
rooI OF the barn, but to a calamity that
overlook Aunt SaIy's conscience.
Ole Gay nephew Joe, whose parents
| llNed TYe or six miles away. arrived at
Aunt Sally's on an GRAND she was
ABOUT 10 set out for the village of
EeoWsonNllle TO do some trading and
Joe volunteered to go along as driver
| OF old Dobbin. Aunt SALLY had not been
over that road for a month. and she was
surprised 10 see circus pictures pasted
/ up on every barn on the route Since
cnAlohood she 80 had a fondness for
circus pictures, but had been brought
up 70 6eheve that eternal punishment
6Walied every one who passed the
doors OF the circus itself During his
ilIetlrne Joab had discharged various
/ hifed men for staying day off to go
/ to the circus, and he had refused to
1 zeal with certain men who had accepted
lree tickets for the privilege of posting
pictures on their barns.
! As the good aunt and her nephew
/ logged along the dusty highway and
came TO barn after barn decked out in
/ SayeSt colors of printers ink Joe heard
/ her signing He didn't stop to ask him.
/ self whether she was signing over the
/ death of Uncle Joab or the fact that she
couldnt attend circus promising so
much entertainment, but he forthwith
proceeded to concoct plan.
! II q single person could conspire it
would have been called a conspiracy as
/ We'll as plan. He made no comment
! on the barebacked riders-on the women
jumping through hoops-on the rhinoce-
ros grazing along the banks of the At
1 LII
| about IN the Indian thicket He lust
! sat still and chuckled, and when he
! wasn't chuckling he was talking about
gong to Alaska to dig for gold.
When they reached town and found
| things in hustle he had to make some
| explanations. He explained that an ex-
hibition was to be given that afternoon
for the benefit of widows and orphans
but he didn't say too much While Aunt
Sally was making her purchases the
| merchant might have referred to the
exhibition" and called it by some other
name if nephew Joe hadn't given him
/ the wink
When ten yards of calico. fifteen Of
Sheetlng, three towels, one table cloth
and thread, pins and needles had been
bought Aunt Sally suddenly remember
said:
If there is anything going on for the
| benefits of widows and orphans l ought
to be interested, being as l am widow
of that sort?"
"Oh, no. They have got a tent and
a, collection of wild animals It's what
you might call natural history exhibit
ton. Did you ever See a live lion or
tiger, Aunt Sally?"
NO, 7 never did,
Ever see an elephant or a zebra or
giraffe?"
NO
We'll, you can see them now and
I rel %
time. It's fifty cents apiece. but I've
got the money for my ticket"
But shall pay for both of US" re-
piled Aunt Sally as she handed over q
dollar When set out to do anything
FOR the benefit of charity I'm not one
"a scrimp at it. There won't be any
gambling or horse racing will there2''
Mercy, no. The bills say there will
> be nothing to offend the most fastidious
Come on
They had quarter of a mile to 60 to
reach the tent, and during the walk
Aunt Sally was puzzled that so many
people should have turned out in the
cause of charity If She had had hel
glasses on she might have read signs
) on the gaily painted wagons to arouse
suspicion. but she passed into the tent
: with the innocence of a child Of five.
: 1t was the nenagerie, and nephew
: Joe guided her around and saw that she
| missed nothing. 1t was q real treat .tC
t the woman. and she felt herself grow
: ing bit reckless under the wave OF
enthusiasm. She ate peanuts and drank
/ lemonade. and after taking another look
at the Bengal tiger which had killed
8 seven men and was anxious to finish of
seven more as soon as possible, she
said:
Joe. this is real nice and I'm glad
= we came. What are the folks going
into that other tent for2'
"Oh, that's part of the show, you
know There are folks who don't care
7 to look at wild animals. and so they
have some riding and tumbling in there
for them
But why can't we see it2"
we can, and it won't cost a cent
, more
They went in and found seats and this
circus performance opened. How was
the guileless Aunt Sally to tell that il
was a circus2 1t was her first attend
ance. and she had never even had a
performance described to her. She
: grinned from the time the clown first
:, / appeared. and the hurdle jumping and
: bareback riding brought "ohsi" and
-ahs!" from her until everybody around
= her was delighted. She bought lemon
! ade and peanuts every time the boy
came along, and when the performance
I was over at last she said to her nephew
Joe. I could 90 to such a show every
/ day in the week and not see enough
I don't know who got it up fo~ the
I benefit of the widows and ornhans. but
a I'm telling you he was a mighty sensi-
: BILE teller. If it had been a husking-
. bee he wouldn't have taken in halt
the money. If you hear Of any more
/ shows like it this summer you let me
know and Wen 60"
Something really new had come into
Aunt Sally's life. and she talked of il
: all the way home. Joe let her dc
most of the talking. He was preparing
= for the impending calamity.
It came within 10 minutes of their ar
/ rival home. Mrs. Bronson. a neighbor
was at the house on an errand, and as
! soon as Aunt Sally began to describe
the show given for the benefit of the
$ widows and orphans the cat was out Of
2 the bg~.
DO YOU know what you've done, Aunt
Sally Warner?'' asked the caller in seri-
olls tones