Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-10-03


a widow myself. Is it spelling bee
or anything of that sort?"
ooh, no. They have got a tent and
collection of wild animals. It's what
you might call natural history ex-.
hibition. Did you ever see a live lion
or tiger, Aunt Sally?"
'No, never did"
Ever see an elephant or a zebra or
a giraffe?"
mo"
well, you can see s.eem now and
help the widows and the orphans the
same 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
a dollar. when set out to do any
thing for the benefit of charity I'm not
one to scrimp at it. There won't be
any gambling or horse racing, will
there?'
Mercy no. The bill says there will
be nothing to offend the most fastidi-
Gus. Come on
They had quarter Of a mile to go 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 her
glasses on she might have read signs
on the gayly painted wagons to arouse
suspicion, but she passed into the tent
with the innocence of a child of five.
1t was the menagerie, and nephew
Joe guided her around and saw that
she missed nothing. 1t was real treat
to the woman, and she felt herself
growing bit reckless under her wave
of enthusiasm. She ate peanuts and
drank lemonade, and after taking an
other look at the Bengal tiger, which
had killed seven men and was anxious
to finish off seven more as soon as pos
sible, she said: -
"Joe, this is real nice, and I'm Cad
we came. What are the folks going in
to that other tent for?"
"Oh, that's part of the show, you
| know. There are folks who don't care
| to look at wild animals, and so they
have some riding and tumbling in there
for them"
"But why can't we see it?'
| Eve can, and it won't cost a cent
| more.''
They went In and found seats, and
the circus performance opened. How
was the guileless Aunt Sally to tell
that it was circus? It was her first
attendance, and she never even had 9
performance described to her. She
grinned from the time the clown first
appeared, and the hurdle jumping ano
bareback riding brought "Ohs," ant
"Ahs!" from her until everybody
around her was delighted. She bought
lemonade and peanuts every time thu
boy came along, and when the perfor
nance at last was over she said to he
| nephew:
Joe, could go to such show ever.
day in the week and not see enough
l don't know who got it up for the ben
; eft of the widows and orphans, but Tn
telling you he was a mighty sensibl
feller. If it had been husking be
he wouldn't have taken in half tn
money. If you hear Of any more show
like it this summer you let me know
and we'll co.
Something really new had come int
Aunt Sally's life, and she talked of
all the way home. Joe left her to d
most OF the talking. He was now pre-
pairing for the impending calamity.
It came within fifteen minutes G
their arrival home. Mrs. Bronson, 8
neighbor, was at the house on an Ell
rand, and as. soon as Aunt Sally be
gan to describe the show given for tn
benefit of the widows and orphans tn
cat was out of the bag.
do you know what you've dom
Aunt Sally Warner?" asked the calle
in serious tones.
why, I've had good time
> Yes, you've had a good time, br
! you are going to pay an awful price fe
!, it. I wouldn't be In your shoes for a
, the money this side of Jericho"
But what do you mean? Isnt
? everybody's duty to help the widow
and orphans?"
! mot if it's going to send your sol
! to the bad place. Aunt Sally, you'1
been to circus!"
mo, l haven't! / wouldn't go to
: circus for thousand dollars, and yc
know it,