Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-07-11
AUNT SALLY'S
CIRCUS
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Lit
erary Press.
By M. QUAD

age of sixty-ive and was living with a
married daughter. She was little,
brisk old lady, and the care Of 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 yet,
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
dCnned her sunbonnet and freshly iron
ed calico dress and hied her way to the
circus grounds. One last appeal was
made to her as she was ready to go.
The daughter had a red flannel petit
coat that had been worn only three
winters. This was offered up as q 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:
"WiIl 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 81lky
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, want to go to heaven with
the rest of you, but as sure as you
live if another circus comes along II
attend it and have just as good time
, as ] did today"
Next morning the early risers of the
village were treated to a rare spec
! tacle. Aunt Sally was out on the grass
! in front of the house in scant attire
turning handsprings or trying to. Sh
made pretty fair work of it until he
son-in-law came out and carried ne
into the house, where she was giver
an awful lecture on the enormity o.
her offense, but she failed to realiZ
the enormity part.
"Look here, now" she said in reply
'I'm sixty-fve years old, and I've go
to keep limbered up to be worth any
thing around the house. We've got ;
lot Of goose grease down cellar, an,
I'm going to rub myself all over ant
keep at this handspring business. II
soon be able to do more work"
'I'll leave the house if you do!
threatened the son-in-law.
"I'll send for the minister to talk t
! your added the daughter.
children. I've got to timber up O
my knees will soon be like sticks.
]
body, and l shan't stop for the minis
J ter l wish | could borrow barebac
boss of somebody l think I'll go owe
and ask Deacon Peagram for his oil
gray mare"
After breakfast off she went, ant
as she couldn't get the horse she cam
back home to arm herself with
clothes pole and attempt to walk tn
top rail of a six rail fence. She couldn'
be carried in this time, and the son-in
law ran for the parSOn. The good maj
left his sermon unwritten and came o.
the tS0t. Aunt Sally waved her ham
to him and fell off the fence an
turned cart wheels around a larg
circle. Not until she was out of breat
. and had kicked her heels high in tn
air was she got into the house. The
the parSon began to tell her how awfU
it was, but he had gone the wron
way about it.
IF can't go to heaven and the Gil
Gus too, then I'll keep up these tricks,
\ said Aunt Sally as she set her jaw.
But think of the wickedness! WI
/ go to heaven or not?"
You know what it says about tn
wicked"
Eyes, but will get there or be keE
> out?"
: "If you repent
+ "But l don't have done nothing I
( repent of. Parson, it's either heave
or more limberneSS"