Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-04
THE CIRCUS FEVER

The man from out Kensington way
climbed aboard a Chevy Chase car at the
lake, swabbed off the damp seat with the
trailing tails OF his rain coat, showed a
banded smoke-stiek In the lower ieft-hand
corner of his couRtenance and -grunted q
couple of morning salutations.
''Too bad about that bug of Bills." he re-
marked to the man from Forest Glen after
headline glance at his morning paper.
What bug?" queried the Glen-dweller.
Circus replied the man from out Ken
sington way. Mighty rough. too. Some
folks think Bills got the periodics and that
he broke loose this week just from a mean
desire to bull the alcohol market. But he's
got my sympathy. He told me about it,
How did 1t affect him." asked the Glen
dweller. displaying almost human interest.
We'll" replied the man from out Ken
sington way. 1T came on him like the ty-
phoid- Long about week before circus
time, when the sun was beginning to warm
things up and the bill stickers were work
ing overtime on the three-sheets, Bill began
to feel lazy and stretchy and good for moth
ing. and to spend whole lot of time look
ing out OF the window and wondering II the
distilieries were still running night shifts as
they used to when he travelled on his high
gear and consumed pink gasoline like a
motor boat. Then gradually he got thirst
derry, clinkery, ACKNOWLEDGMENT desire to
inhale a jar~fniere full of Joy water and
pour government bonded goods on his hair.
But he managed to hold out during the bill
The man FROM out Kensington way put
the forced draft on his leaf roll. knocked
on the ashes on the Glen-dweller's coat
sleeve and resumed
Then came the day Of the parade. Bill
got up at 6. took dry scrape with a
Turkish instead Of his usual splash in the
pump-product handed himself an eye
opener big enough to cook an egg. and cut
for town, blithe and breakfastess. whistling
through his teeth and with his alcoholized
body pump humping up and down against
his wish bone.
Once In the big city Bin dropped another
ball down the drink chute, drew all but
H.S1 of his bank balance. and picked out a
good place on the avenue. in the heart of
the saloon belt from which to view the
parade. And he kept real busy. Every. time
some high brow with the nose clips clipped
It to him that the Elephants were coming
Bill ducked for the swinging doors to lap
up another high one, and by the time the
head of the parade hit the turn of the broad
lane between the cash foundry and the gas
house Bill was buying cigars for the hired
hands and calling the bar-mix by his very
first name"
Then what?" querfed the Glen-dweller
You shouldn't think he'd have enjoyed the
parade
WHAT cried the man from out Ken
sinston way. Not enjoy the parade? Not
emf Oh. mother! And him lighted up like
church and as merry bunch of Swiss
bel ringers. How could he help enjoying
it? Why, by the time the head of lie
parade came drifting by Bill felt like a cir
Gus all by himself, including the trapeze
work and the middle ring. But he didn't
go down and out. II you think so you don't
know Bill. He can hold more than lake
Michigan wha 'eback, and the good old
ships got to rock some before he hurdles
the flying bridge or takes it on the run for
the bunk.
Well Bill trailed along with the ele-
plants and things and bought himself a
ticket for the big tent. 1t was the same old
story and as grand as ever. The sawdust
felt good to his feet, the c:rcussy smell in
the air tick,ed his nose just right, and every
time this thirst thing came back to shake
hands he'd chase himself under the fifty
cent seats and swing the demijohn off his
left hip. Bill says he never did enjoy a cir
Gus so much. Nose paint is a grand mag
nifier and Bill was carrying weight for age
The clowns had his funny bone black and
blue inside of fifteen minutess, and every
time an acrobat turned a handspring Bill
got all the action Of a continuous PERFORM
take N -" A'-"
1T must have BEEN" suggested the Glen
dweller, briefly.
1T was" acknowledged the man from ont
kenslngton wey. "Bi,l says he don't remem-
Der whole lot after that human pinwheel
stunt except that he was about to kiss
large tired-looking tiger on the nose when
some profanely rude person pulled him
away. and that an attempt to climb to the
second floor front of three-story elephant
was foiled in a similar manner He has a
hay notion of getting his auxiliary gasoline
tank refilled and after that things sort of
merged.
What next?' inquired the Glen-dweller.
Next?' replied the man from out Ken
slngton way. pensively. Bill came to in a
nice little white bed. There was a strap
across his chest and he was crying gently
and eating bromides out of somebody's
hand"
Hospital alcoholic ward, I suppose"
commented the Glen-dweller severely.
Sure" said the man from out Kensing-
ton way. You're on. called the turn nv
self as soon as. 1 came to. BILL l SAYS
were in
Hold on interrupted the Glen-oweller.
Hold on minute. What were you doing
there?' e
"ShucksH said the man from out Ken
sington way. glazing at the Glen-dweller as
he opened his paper with a bang. "Shucks!
nat 90 you suppose I was doing there?
l was taking care of Bill"