The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-18
TALE OF A CIRCUS.

InCl6 Ane SlOdut proprietor dut
manager of Sloan's Mammoth Circu.
and HIpp0drome, stopped in surpris,
when some one tusged at his elbow
and then looked down into The mp
turned face of a younsstor at his side
Then his face lighted and drawing
mis- big hand out of his overcoat, he
slapped the young fellow heartily OF
the shoulder.
Phil" he exclaimed. Where die
You come from?"
Just blowed in from Decatur, the
other answered. lightly and what are
you doing here. Uncle2"
Old Abe turned about and pointed
10 bill poster across the street
oh, 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. Il want to sign out as soon as
the season opens up suppose your
outfit will be pulling out soon?'
Il am going back to St. Louis in
three weeks" old Abe answered I'm
getting a bigger canvas made TN
be twice as big as that old one, Phil.
What do you think Of tltat29
Wen, that's going some, said Phil
briefly They walked on in silence ior
q few minutes.
Uncle said the youns fellow
.0pqins and pointing 10 I'd RESTAURANT
across the street, Pm hungry ana I'm
broke-clear strapped Had to soak
my ticker to get here, and paid my
last nickel for 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
al a 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
boon since last Fourth of WN-you
aud Johnson? What became of
Knobbs?"
"Knobbs-Knobhs?" said the other.
What of-whars The matter with
kno0bs?"
We'll Johnson and you and Knubbs
from Shclbgyille. IT,. on
lhc night OF the Fou@h of July. some
blankets were taken and some other
stuff disappeared Now what do you
know about h. Phil?'
You dou't-why didp't take 'cm
-s'clp me. I didn't 7 'olI you. uncle.
johnson aud I got left behind Jhai
night and $50 hunted Cor you for %
month before We gave you up for
'0at'
"Circuscs~as q ra'r' aI old Abe. 4
aint gineralIy 3D. nJr4 i1 find As F.
for that pesky mon .ey. do believe f.
tou know just where he is. Now. .
what do you know. Phil2"
Was the monkey and the blankets /
I'D you missed" asked the other.
No, said The older man. we
missed our trap drummer and first
rornct and we missed EN- bad That
Has a bad trick for you aud Johnson
70 play"
III was this way" said Phil. as he
ltlt"A lilH Hbiff- tll-@NN tA me-
nat night we was tired and rolled our
d a cornheid. ID was q fine night.
bot too cool an not too warm. an We
.idnt wake up until it, w55 long after
Hnup next mpnin'-
-As We later learned" Phil laughrf.
anyhow. We lii out after youuus. aud
hon w7e stopped What detained u.
saa somrthiu re0Hltsr Ghosir. d.
.as-. perhaps old Nick hmsrlf-uas
What detained us. Lcsstwasa ap said
vsrybody We came ACROSS.
PHIL old abe laughed. you're not
o0d al lyin"
This is every bit the tru.h-what
m teliin' Listen: We staid all night
nth a farmer Teller what had seen q
be night before. lie saw the burned
hing in the henhouse and. devil or Z
o. It was particular fond Of eggs.
.ause the next mornin' they found no
IS than the empty shells OF a dozen /
ggs lyin' on the floor
Now. be said that long in the mid
Pc of The night De- had been wakcd
y The squaVbin' Of chickens In the ,
enhoHzs Sounded like all the hens
IS bein mHTdsre5. b. said and be ,
ustled cut an found the thinz =ittin /,
lmforfabis ard ccnfdsntIils sn han
4