The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-11-05
UNCLE BILL AND AUNT
MANDY AT THE SHOW
By Peter Stanley

~Hurrah, now: the mules aire hitch
ed to the wagon and standin' at the
gate; hurrah; the show'l be done over
fore we git started. It's done six
o'clock, and l want to git on the road
fore so many gifts he'd o. me; never
like to be in the rear in anything I
go at; it's bad policy"
Little past six o'clock in the morn
ing of the big show at Ocala, Uncle
Bills big two-mule wagon moved off
from the old homestead at Stixville
loaded to its capacity with boys and
girls Of the neighborhood. who were
chaperoned by Uncle Bill and Aunt
Mandy.
Cit up there, Bill; what's the mat
ter with. now, Beck? None Nv that
shying and cuttin' the fool this
mornin'. Sit down there, Henry, you
and Johnnie; you'll be out on top Nv
your heads fust thing ye know. Watch
'enn, Mandy, and don't let 'em fall
outen the wagon. I've got ter watch
the mules and keep 'em in the road.
We don't want ter come in with any
cr1pples and lanes"
'Bresh your hair outen your yes,
Mary, and look out there, Susan, don't
loose your handkerchief. Johnnie, you
sit here side Nv little William SO he
can hold on to you. George, pull up
your stockings; we don't want ter go
there looking like set of niggars."
Mandy. do let the children alone.
People are not going ter the show ter
look at one another: they are goin'
ter see the animules. Course they
could look at each other and see some
fine specimens Of the animal kingdom,
but what we're goin' ter see terday is
educated, sensible animules."
BY ten o'clock Uncle Bills wagon
load of happy human beings had
reached the suburbs of the city, and
as he thought best to leave the mules
outside the city limits for fear they
might get a scent of the animals and
safe-keeping, and the children, led by
Uncle Bill and Aunt Mandy, walked
into town.
Hello. there. Uncle Bill. Come to
the show did you?"
by the shadow Nv General Jackson.
Deacon Walkerstraight. Yes, yes.
gathered all the children In the COM
munity and come to the circus-Mandy
and 1. But I'm surprised-er, or
little sur-er-I didn't think you was
looming, Deacon"
''Well, Uncle Bill, really didn't want
TO come, you know, but the boys-they
hadn't ever seen any animals, you
know. and I just had to bring 'em or
have a racket"
Eyes, yes. Bring the boys to the
circus. When I was a boy 1 wouldn't
missed it fer the world. I'm gittin' old
now, and-well, the old saying: Once
man and twice a child Well, we'll
see you again. Got ter git the tickets"
Right in here, Ell? Alright. Now,
Mister, see here, I want tickets fer all
these and some whole ones, fer Mandy
and me. If any NV these children re-
quires whole ones let 'em come; we
don't want any confusion; come ter
see the thing through, you know. and
by the living saints (if there is such a
thing) we're goin' ter see her, boys"
Reserve seats, Uncle Bfll?"
mo, no, Mister; I amt buyin' any
seats till git in there and see where
they're at. I bought reserved seats
once before got In the show and
when I got there like ter had ter fight
a young galoot ter git 'em where 1
wanted 'em. Then another thing:
paid fifty cents apiece fer 'em and
could have got 'em inside for twenty
five. See. I've been there, Mister, If I
am frum Stixville."
Come on, william; here's lot other
folks want to git there and buy
tickets. And well be too late if you
don't mind"
"Ah, Mandy, you don't know these
people like do. They a1us take time
ter wait on Uncle Bill They consider
1t an honor, madam. ter have me trade
with 'em. They know they're gittin'