Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-10-17
HENRY HAS GOOD TIME
AT TIE VILLAGE CIRCUS

hooks upon men as mere cLmberers OF
he earth and creatures to be taught
heir place." said the elder Miss SimD-
con. "was moved to speak with COM
niseration of Mrs. Eulster's husband.
Nobody at our summer resort ever
smoke of him as Mr.. Dulster-he was
always described as the property Of
his wife.
Mrs. Dulster was what is called a
lorceful woman and in settling the
affairs of the universe she incidentally
settled Henry's. If he opened his
mouth to express an opinion Mrs. Dull
Ster would Immediately interrupt and
say: Now, Henry, you don't know
ANYTHING about it, and anyhow your
idea is not at all what you think it
ISL She decided every question in
the Dulster family and Henry never
did anything he wanted to. It was
positively pathetic one night to see
him watch the other men having blue
berry pie in addition " their Ice
cream when his wife would not let
him.
Henry had sort of frightened up
when the Taylor girls and some others
Of the young crowd swooped down
IN our corner with the announcement
that q special launch was going to
take all who wanted to 60 to the cir
Gus in the village the next day and
didn't we want to come along?
IT saw Chryssie stffen, as did Mrs.
Dulster. Chryssie has the notion that
because she and I are near 40 VIC
should hobble with canes and take
snuff in the chimney corner-that Is
what is always making trouble be-
tween us-but l like q circus just as
much as I did when was ten years
old. From the flash in Henry's eye 1t
appeared that he did, too.
"'No, thank you,' said Mrs. Dulster,
grImly. 4 hope we have outgrown
such foolishness! Circus, indeed!
Pack of nonsense!'
81 agree with you, Mrs Dulster
said Chryssie, glaring at me.
How much 1t looks like rain' I
remarked, absently. Henry appeared
disappointed. had defended him on
several occasions and my weak &C
uuiescence in the ultimatum Of Mrs.
Dulster and Chryssie seemed to sur
prise him.
ut would be like old times to go
to that circus, Miss Simpson, Henry
murmured In my ear little later. l
wish Mrs. Dulster cared about such
things He sighed.
Then and there made up my mind
to take Henry Dulster to the circus!
People take other folks small boys
and If he wasn't q hectored, disap-
pointed small boy never saw one!
Besides, wanted to go myself.
Mrs Dulster did not appear t.
mind the next morning when I asked
her husband to row me down the lake
to the place where they got water
lilies. Henry enjoyed rowing and we
had a good time as we went along.
The village at the other end Of the
lake was in sight before he remem-
bered to ask me just where the lilies
were.
My goodnessl' said I, gazinG
about blankly. We must have missed
the turn into the bayou! What Z
shame! Never mind; we're almost to
town. I've got little shopping to do
and
And I'd like some CIGARS said
Henry, eagerly. Mrs. Dulster allows
him only one day.
THE way he beached that rowboat
was a caution. We found the streets
full of people from the country and
the different resorts close by and
caught a glimpse of the elephants IN
the street parade. Henry shifted the
atmosphere like a hound after rab-
bit. It's a great circus, judging from
the bills he said. wistfully.
"'Mr. Dulster,' / said breathlessly,
7 dare you to so to the clrcusl We're
here-and we might as WE'LL Let's
do it,
Henry stared at me. Then he
guIped and the color flew to his face
I'm with you!' he said, with deter
mination.
We'll, Henry and I did that circus
up properly. We got there early and
we ate sticky popcorn balls and cheap
candy and had pink lemonade, and
we fed peanuts to the animals and
went to every single sideshow and
tried to watch four rings at once and
scolded because we couldn't and ke2:
squealing at each other, Oh, look a,
that! and had a perfectly glorious
time.
After 1t was all over and we were
drifting out with the crowd we re-
membered that we had to go back to
the hotel I was twice as afraid OF
Chryssie as he was Of his wife and |
was right In the middle Of imagining
TIE most scathing things she could
say to me when we ran straight into
the hotel crowd. There loomed Mrs.
Dulster and Chryssie trying their bes;
to act as though they had had miser'
able time, but they couldn't do It,
II do have inspirations sometimes.
~ r