Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-06-12
A BUNCH OF CATN|P
Aunt Jennie Takes It to the Cir
GUS and Big Lion Starts
Panic.
BY EMMA BENNETT MAHoN.

the nrSt circus OF the season. BOD
had seen the posters on the billboards
and came home trimming with excite
nient and never left off talking about
the coming show all through dinner.
I said | thought 1t 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.
It will be all right, will it, Henry?" she
added, turning to papa Papa had
been looking over the letters that had
come during the day and hadn't heard
word. and had to have the whole
thing explained to him. Then he as
tonished us by answering promptly:
81 should think 1t rather awkward
for you to go alone with them, Jane,
but if they have set their hearts upon
1t, why, I'll go along"
Aunt Jennie murmured something
about 1t 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 off.
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 mammal
1t is almost three years since she
went away from us. Oh, it was dread
ful 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. | remember one night papa
asked Aunt Jennie If she didn't wish
she was going along, and she said ::
"Mercy. no, Henry. What would ] do
at a ball?"
We'll, after mamma died papa grew
grave and cross and rarely spoke.
Only Aunt Jennie seemed the same,
and 1t did seem as if she played more
games with us and made little picnics
and took us out more even than she
did when mamma was alive. Papa
word, and at night when we would go
into the library to say good night. he
would murmur: Poor, motherless
childreni" 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 a 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 a 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
j ME discovered a bunch of green cat
, nip. "Oh. must take 1t home to Sill
, vertoes." she exclaimed. Silvertoes Ii
our big Maltese cat, you know.
"Oh, Aunt Jennie, are you going tC
- carry that old stuff all around with
l. us?" asked
( It's Sc hard to get 1t nice anC
2 fresh. dear" she said, "and l dom
mind carrying it a bit" And papa
actually smiled and said
Always thinking of some one be
sides yourself. Jane"
And Aunt Jennie just buried he
nose in the catnip and didn't look up
We finally got to the circus ground
and. after we had been all around an'
looked at the animals, we came int
the tent where the performance wa
TO be given, and papa got reserves
seats for us all They were prett.
close down to the ground, for W
were a little late and all of the reall
| best seats we're taken.
Well, 1t was grand show 30
and always say that, no matter wha
happened after Oh, there was sue
i splendid riding. and a beautiful lad
all in white and gold, who jumpe
through hoops, and an Indian juggle
who swallowed swords and pulle
yards and yards of ribbon out of hi
mouth, and a man who Topped tn
loop on a bicycle and made you JUS
a hold your breath. Oh, | couldn't begi
to tell you all the wonderful thing
Is there were.
all Finally, Keeper brought big Ito
out into the ring and made 1t jun
" over the horses backs and throug
D hoops and do ell sorts Of tricks, whe
Il all OF q sudden guess nobody eve
knew what happened-the lion &c
sulky and wouldn't jump any NOR,
and the keeper raised his whip I
strike 1t and 1t gave the most frigh
h full roar and sprang at his throat. Tn
d. man Jumped aside, but the lion keI
r. straight on, out of the ring and rigf
n. over the little strip of ground betwee
ID us and It.
lie Oh. It was awful For a momer
u you could hear pin drop. Everybod
is sat straight and rigid In his seat, an
ID then the air was suddenly filed wit
re the most dreadful shrieks and groan
N and people we're rushing in every d
le rection, climbing over the seats an
10 one another, knocking one anoths
e down and trampling on each othe
and the lion came right on. its whit