Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-03-13
A BUNCH OF CATN|P
Aunt Jennie Takes II to the Cir.
Gus and Big Lion Starts
Panic.
BY EMMA BENNETT mAHoN.

had seen the posters on the billboards
and came home trimming with excite
ment and never left of talking about
the coming show all through dinner.
I said l thought It would be nice to
go, too, and finally Aunt Jennie looked
across the table at us and said:
We'll, III take you to 1t. children.
1t will be all right, Will 1t. Henry" she
added. turning to papa. Papa had
been looking over the letters that had
come during the day and hadn't heard
a word, and had to have the whole
thing explained to him. Then he as
tonished US by answering promptly:
Il should think 1t rather awkward
for you to go alone with them, Jane.
but IL they have set their hearts upon
1t, why, III go along"
Aunt Jennie murmured something
about II being quite unnecessary, and
too bad to take him away from his
business, and then dinner was over
and Bob and | could hardly wait for
the next afternoon, when the show
was to come OF.
Aunt Jennie, you know. Is mammals
sister. She has always lived with US.
She Is not pretty and gay like dear
mamma was. Dear, beautiful mamma.
II is almost three years since she
went away from us. Oh, 1t was dread
full at first Aunt Jennie had always
taken the care of US, but how proud
we were when mamma would come IN
in her beautiful ball gown and kiss us
goodnight. 1t was something TO dream
about. 4 remember one night papa
asked Aunt Jennie II she didn't wish
she was going along, and she said:
Mercy, no. Henry. What would ] do
at ball?"
We'll, after mamma died papa grew
grave and cross and rarely spoke.
Only Aunt Jennie seemed the same,
and II did seem as IL she played more
games with US and made little picnics
and took us out more even than she
did when mamma was alive. Papa
would sit through dinner and not say
word. and at night when we would go
into the library to say good night. he
would murmur: Poor, motherless
childrenl" till Bob said one night. try
ing to cheer him up: But we've got
Aunt Jennie. you know" and papa
never said 1t after that. But we were
surprised when. all OF sudden, he up
and said he would go to the circus.
Well. the day got there at last. and
Just as we were ready to start, sure
enough. papa got home from the office.
and away we all went together You
! know how a circus is most always In
some out OF the way place. particularly
in city where vacant lots aren't very
plenty. We had to walk quite a way
after leaving the car, and as we were
crossing the end OF big field. in the
corner of an old stone wall, Aunt Jen.
ME discovered bunch of green cat
nip. 'Oh. must take it home to Sill
vertoes," she exclaimed. Silvertoes is
our big Maltese cat, you know.
"Oh, Aunt Jennie. are you going to
us?' asked.
TITS 80 hard to get it nice and
fresh, DEAR" she said, and ! don't
mind carrying 1t bit" And papa
actually smiled and said:
Always thinking of some one be-
sides yourself, Jane"
And Aunt Jennie Just buried her
nose In the catnip and didn't look up.
We finally got to the circus ground.
and, after we had been all around and
looked at the animals, we came into
the tent where the performance was
TO be given, and papa got reserved
seats for us all. They were pretty
close down to the ground. for we
were little late and all of the really
best seats were taken.
Well, it was a grand show. Bob
and always say that. no matter what
happened after. oh. there was such
splendid riding, and beautiful lady
all in white and gold. who jumped
through hoops, and an Indian juggler
who swallowed swords and pulled
yards and yards of ribbon out of his
mouth, and a man who 'looped the
loop" on bicycle and made you just
hold your breath. Oh. couldn't begin
to tell you all the wonderful things
there were.
Finally, a keeper brought big lion
out into the ring and made 1t jump
over the horses backs and through
hoops and do all sorts of tricks, when
all OF SUDDEN guess nobody ever
knew what happened-the lion got
sulky and wouldn't jump any more,
and the keeper raised his whip to
strike it and 1t gave the most fright
full roar and sprang at his throat The
man jumped aside. but the lion kept
straight on, out of the ring and right
over the little strip of ground between
us and 1t.
oh, 1t was awful. For a moment
you could hear pin drop. Everybody
sat straight and rigid in his seat, and
then the air was suddenly filled with
the most dreadful shrieks and groans,
and people were rushing in every di-
rection. climbing over the seats and
one another. knocking one another
down and trampling on each other.
IT.