The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-04-30
Aunt Sally's
Conscience
BY CLAUDE PAMARES
CoDmiyht, 200, bp Homer Splag'e

no children or litf own, Uul ulu NAVE
half dozen nieces and nephews, ant
among the latter was the rolllcking
frolicking joe Henderson. who wa'
twenty years old ut the time the grea
ner Reference is not made to the fal
from the roof OF the barn, but to /.
calamity that overlook Aunt Sally
conscience.
one day nephew Joe, whose parents
lived five or six miles away, arrived a.
Aunt Sallys on TN GRAND. She was
about to set out for the village OF
Jacksonville to do some trading" and
Joe volunteered To 30 along as driver
OF old Robin. Aunt Sally had not
she was surprised 10 see circus pie
lures pasted up on every barn on the
route. Since childhood SHE had had {,
tondness for circus pictures. but had
been brought up to believe that eternal
punishment awaited every one who
passed the doors of the circus itself
During his lifetime Joab had disciarg-
ed various hired men for staying Il day
of 10 go 10 the circus, and he had re-
fused to deal with certain men who
had accepted free tickets for the priyi-
leae OF posting pictures Oh their barns.
AS the good aunt aud her nephew
jo>gcd along the dusty highway ana
came to barn after barn decked out in
gayest 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 .Joah or the fact that
She couldn't attend a circus promising
so nAlch entertainment, but he forth
with proceeded to concoct plan.
IL single person could conspire 1t
would have been called Il conspiracy ~
wen as n plan. He matte no comment
On the barebacked riders. on the Wom-
EN- jumping through hoops, on the rhi-
noceros grazing along the banks of the
African river and the hyena sneakng
about In the Indian thicket. He just
sat still and chuckled, and when he
wasn't chucklng he was talking about
going to Alaska TO dig for gold.
When they reached town and found
things In n hustle he had to make
some explanations. He explained that
an exhibition was 10 be given that
afternoon for the benefit oil widows
and orphans, but he didn't say too
much. While Aunt Sally WAS making
her purchases the merchant might have
-. u al
ii by some other name II nephew doe
hadn't given him the wink.
When ten yards of calico. fifteen of
sheeting, three towels, one table cloth
and thread. pins and needles had been
bought Aunt Sally suddenly remem-
bered something and turned to Joe and
said
IF there is anything going on for
the benefit of widows aud orphans !
ought TO be Interested. being as | am
or anything or that sort"
"Oh, no. They have got II tent and
OF Wild animals. It's what
you might call IA natural history exhibi-
ton, Did you ever see live lion or
tiger, Aunt Sally"
NO, | never did"
Ever see an elephant or u zebra or
sratfe?"
mo"
We'll, you can see them now and
lelp the widows and orphans the same
line. It's 30 cents apiece, but I've /
got the money for my ticket"
But | shall pay for both of u.s. re
,lied Aunt Sally as she handed over |
/ dollar. when | set out to do any |
hing for the benefit of charity I'm not !
,ne 10 scrimp at 1t. There wont he |
my gambling or horse racing, will |
EereE"
Mercy, no. The bills say there will |
n nothing to offend the most fas
idlous Come on"
They had n quarter Of q mile to go TO |
each the tent, and during the walk |
aunt Sally was puzzled that so many |
'cOple should have turned ont inNthe 1
ause of charity If she had had her /
lasses on she might have read signs
"a the gayly painted wagons TO arouse
uspiciOn, but she passed into the tent |
With the innocence of a child of 1--WE
1t was the menagerie, and Nephew
De guided her around and saw that |
he missed nothing. 1t was real treat /
D the woman, and she felt herself |
rowing a bit reckless under the wave
{ enthusiasm. she ate peanuts and
rank lemonade. and after taking an.
Their look at the Bengal tiger which
"a killed seven men and was anxious
. finish Off seven more rs soon as pos
IDLE she said.
Joe. this is real nice. aud Tm glad
a came. What are the folks going
ito that other tent for?"
oh. that's part of the show. sou
now. There are folks who do2't care
, look ut wild animals. and so they
ave some riding and tumbling In there
,r Them"
"Bnt why can't we see it,"
We can, and it won't cost a cent
ore"
They went In and found seats. and
Ie circus performance opened. How
as the gulleless Aunt Sally TO tell
lat ii was circusi 1t was her first /
.tendance. and She had never even
al a performance described 10 her.
be grinned from the time the clown
st appeared. and the hurdle jumping