Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-04-09

AUNT SALLY'S
CIRCUS
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

| DrlSk Olu lduy, aHu Iue care or two
squalling young uns and all the house
work fell on her shoulders. She could
walk a mile with any one, and the
Monday washing was always out be-
! fore noon.
Aunt Sally was noted for her pa
tience and good temper, but there came
a day in this her old age to try her
soul. A circus was coming to town,
and to the utter amazement of her
daughter, son-in-law and all others she
expressed determination to be spec
tator
"Why, ma, you are a member of the
church" exclaimed the daughter.
80 l am, but don't members of the
church want to see a rhinoceros and
giraffe?"
And your minister will preach
against the whole thing" added the
son-in-law.
The circus was a week away vet.
and during that time the matter was
brought up again and again, but Aunt
Sally stuck to her resolution.
The day of the circus came at last,
and after a hasty dinner Aunt Sally
donned her sunbonnet and freshly iron
ed calico dress and HE'D her way to the
circus grounds. One last appeal was
made to her as she was ready to go.
The daughter had red flannel petit
coat that had been worn only three
winters. This was offered up as a sac
rifice, but was rejected Son-in-law
and daughter were so angry that they
stayed at home. 1t was believed that
Aunt Sally had borrowed the necessary
half dollar somewhere, but in this they
were mistaken. She was going with
out money and depending on Provi-
dence to see her through.
We who have depended on the same
thing know in advance what answer
Aunt Sally got when she walked softly
up to the ticket takers and, putting on
her most winning smile, said:
"Will you please let a poor old wom-
an in to see the anaconder forty feet
long"
She was, of course, laughed at and
told to go hence. Hence" wasn't
very far with her. In walking around
the big tent she saw a boy crawl I'm.
der the canvas, and she lost no time
in following suit. She rose up among
the benches and took a seat, and if
any one ever enjoyed a circus it surely
was she. She didn't miss a hand
spring, and when the performance was
over she fingered and inspected the
animals until turned out} On her ar
rival home she was met by silky
looks, but nothing dampened her hap
piness. She came near going over to
the minister's to repeat some of the
clowns jokes and ask where the wick
edness came in, but had to be salts
fed with saying to the daughter:
MAY, l want to go to heaven with
the rest of you, but as sure as you
live if another circus comes along I'll
attend it and have just as good a time
as l did today!'
Next morning the early risers of the
village were treated to a rare spec
tacl6:AAunt Sally was out on the grass
in front of the house in scant attire
turning handsprings or trying to. She
made pretty fair work of it until her
son-in-law came out and carried her
into the house. where she was given
an awful lecturh on the enormity of
her offense. but she failed to realize
the enormity part.
Look here, now" she said in reply.
I'm sixty-fve years old. and I've got
to keep limbered up to be worth any
thing around the house. We've got a
lot of goose grease down cellar, and
I'm going to rub myself all over and
keep at this handspring business. I'll
soon be able to do more work"
"I'll leave the house If you dor.
threatened the son-in-law.
"Tll send for the minister to talk to
your added the daughter
children. I've got to timber up or
my knees will soon be like sticks.
hain't doing nuthing to disgrace no.
body. and | shan't stop for the minis
ter. wish l could borrow a bareback
boss of somebody. | think I'll go over
and ask Deacon Peagram for his old
gray mare"
After breakfast of she went, and
as she couldn't get the horse she came
back home to arm herself with
clothes pole and attempt to walk the
top rail of a six rail fence She couldn't
be carried in this time. and the son-in-
law ran for the parson. The good man
left his sermon unwritten and came on
the trot. Aunt Sally waved her hand
to him and fell off the fence and
turned cart wheels around a large
circle Not until she was out Of breath
and had kicked her heels high in the
air was she got into the house. Then
the parson began to tell her how awful
it was. but he had gone the wrong
way about it.
'If can't go to heaven and the cir
Gus, too, then I'll keep up these tricks"
said Aunt Sally as she set her jaw.
"But think of the wickedness! VIII
I go to heaven or not?'
"You know what it says about the
wicked"
ayes, but will get there or be kept
out?"
"If you repent
"But l don't. have done nothing to
repent Of. Parson, it's either heaven
or more limberness!"
"WeII. being it's you, yes"
And although Aunt Sally quit her
"Iimberness" she attended three more
circuses before she died, and her tomb
stone bears the legend, Gone to Her