Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-02-08
CHAPTER XIII
The Circus.


' The Circus.
khs kaxNells were in fact, effect
ay Stirzfny up the ambitions of theL
ossR routing the older members out
~ Q too easy going acceptance OF
O1AG1 a. they are, and giving the
yDunSsr ones vistas of life imbued
Nm moro color and variety than had
0herto entered their consciousness.
~ yst It happened at Durford, on
eeeasion. that this awakening Of new
tDpats and individuality produced un-
16alssd for complications.
sOh yes Hepsey remarked one day
y Mrs.. Betty. when the subject Of
Soayersation had turned to Mrs.
1n5kNs son and heir, Mickey means
- - . good boy. but he's as restless
- kitten ON = hot Johnny cake. He
lsnt bit vicious, but he do run his
Aesas down at the corners, and he's
oWful wearin' on his pants bottoms
e0A keeps me patchin' and mendin'
most Of the ume-'oontributing to the
saA IN view,' a. Abraham Lincoln said.
III, woman like, guess he finds tho
vAxmest spot in my heart when I'm
6e1n' some sort of repairin' ON his
1eothss. 1t would be easier II his in
tentions wasn't SO good. cause / could
aDank him with q clear conscience II
10 was vicious. But after all, Mickey
seems to have q winnin way about
HIM. he knows every farmer within
ehree miles; he'll stop any team he
meets, climb into the wagon seat, take
ths reins, and enjoy himself to his
hearts content. All the men seem to
IKE him; more's the pity! And he
seems to Just naturally lead the 9TH
o. kids in their games and mischief"
~oh well. wouldn't give a cent for
. boy who didn't get into mischief
sometimes" consoled Mrs. Betty.
At which valuation Mickey was then
in process Of putting himself and his
young friends at premium. For,
about this time. in their efforts to
amuse themselves, Mickey and some
ef his friends constructed circus
ring back of the barn. After organic.
ing q stock company and conducting
several rehearsals, the rest of the
boys in the neighborhood were invit-
cd to form an audience, and take seats
which had been reserved for them
without extra charge ON an adjoining
lumber pile. Besides the regular ar
lists there were a number of special
lists or freaks who added much to
the interest and excitement of the
show.
For example, Sam Cooley. attired In
one of Mrs. Burke's discarded under.
skirts. filched from the rag bag, with
some dried cornstalk gummed ON his
face, impersonated the famous beard
Cd lady from Hoboken.
Bully Burns wearing a very hot and
stuffy pillow buttoned under, his Goa,
and thrust down into his trousers, rep
resented the world renowned fat man
from Spoonville. His was rather a
difficult role to fill gracefully, because
the squashy pillow would persist in
bullying out between his trousers and
his coat in most indecent manner
and it kept him busy most of the time
tucking it in.
Dimple Perkins took the part of
the Snake Charmer from Brooklyn
and at intervals wrestled tearlessly
with short piece of garden hose
which was labeled on the bills as an
"Anna Condy". This he wound around
his neck in the most reckless man
ner possible; it was quite enough to
make ones blood run cold TO watch
him.
The King of the Cannibal Islands
was draped in a buffalo robe, with Z
gilt paper crown adorning his head
and very suggestive mutton bone IL
his hand.
Poor little Herman Amdursky wa,
selected for the Living Skeleton, be
cause Of the spindle Hike character o
his nethermost limbs. He had TO re
move his trousers and his coat, and
submit TO having his ribs wound witt
yarn OF torn sheeting. I'M order thu,
what little flesh he had might be Coma
/. pressed 10 the, smallest possible com
pass. The result was astonishingl,
satisfactory.
The wild Man from Borneo wor,
his clothes wrong side out, as Is wei
known wild men from Borneo Away
do; and he ate grass with avidity
Wrymouthed and sauint eyed, he wa
tho incarnation of the cubist ideal
When all this splendid array Of tai
snt issued from the dressing roor
cpd marched triumphantly around tn