The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1925-11-05
My Fauorite Stories
By lRu1R s. corn
The Prize Smell of the Circus

Harry Dickson, the writer, probably
knows as much about the southern
negro as any white man can ever ex-
pect to know. But even so, In his
search for local color and quaint
lines with which to illuminate his
stories, he constantly is striking
new angle of thought or new angle
Of observation on the part of some
one or another Of his dusky neigh
bors, down in Mississippi.
Once upon time Dickson was on
hunting trip In Sunhower county.
While there, he met an old negro
guide. bear-hunter of superior at
tainments and a person of a quaint
and an original philosophy, All his
life the old man had been buried nj
the back edge of the canebrakes.
Only once or twice had he been to
large town. The dream of his life, il
developed, was to see circus. He
had heard of circuses, he had talked
with persons who had seen circuses
and he treasured tattered program
Of a circus performance which
white man had given him But the
marvels of the red wagon and the
white top never had revealed them
selves to him
Learning of the old mans ambi-
ton, Dickson had an inspiration 1t
was an inspiration born partly Of
philanthropy and partly of selfish
and mercenary motives; for he
Cd ~,
material for one of his stories He
promised Uncle Jim that when next
the circus visited vicksburg, he.
Uncle jim. should see II.
In the middle of the following sum
mer Ringing Brothers came along
with their show. Dickson sent Uncle
Jim money for his railroad fare and
hade him be in vicksburg mt daylight
of certain morning. He met Uncle
Jim at the train
That day was probably the most
crowded day and the most eventful
In Uncle Jlm's entire life. His patron
took him up into the yards to see
the circus unload from the cars, and
took him then to the show lot to
watch the raising of the tents
Under escort of Dickson the old
negro saw the street parade, the
afternoon performance and the side
show and heard the concert. He saw
II all-menagerie, hlppodrome, freaks
and the rest of II. His widely
popped eyes and the look on his face
testified to this enthrallment at be.
holding all these wonders, but not a
word either of commentator or nd
miration fell from his lips. Harry
was rather disappointed. He had
expected constant flow of copy"
Still maintaining his silence Uncle
Jim traied Dickson to his home when
the day was ended He had dinner in
the kitchen with the servants and
little later was to he taken to the
train which would carry him back to
his home In Sunflower county. To
ward dark Dickson went to the back
of the house TO bid his guest farewell.
Uncle jim, with his shoes off. sat
on the lowermost step of the porch
easing his tired feet.
Uncle JIM" said Dickson, I'm
afraid you haven't enjoyed your trip
very much"
ivy, Mist Dickson" said Uncle
Jim. "whut meks you think dat? l
amt never gwine furgit whut seen
today ez long ez lives an Is always
gwlne be grateful to you, sub"
'But you haven't said anything
about the circus What made you so
dumb2"
We'll, sub my eyes beheld so much
dat II seem lax my tongue forgot to
wag"
"Oh, that was 1t? Well. of all the
things you've seen today what i'm
pressed you most2"
IAN of 1t pressed me---from de
start to de finish"
Yes, l know, hut there must have
In your mind above all the others
something that seemed to you more
amazing than anything else. Think
the whole day over, now, and see II
you can tell me what that thing Is"
well, sub, Mist Dickson" said
Uncle Jim. after a period of reflec-
ton. "ef II comes down to jes' one
thing, I'd say de thing witch hit me
de hardest was dat air beast witch
dey calls de camel. Uh, uh-h-h-h-
dat camel u
"Why the camel particularly
asked Dickson.
Mist Dickson" said Jim. hes
got such noble smell"
(Copyright by the MeNauEht Syndicate. Inc.)