FATHER AND SON AT THE CIRCUS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 44, 8 June 1917, Page 3

FATHER AND SON AT THE CIRCUS.

Gorgeous plumes nodded in the street the elephant marched with awkward tread, and the painted young lady in airy costume rode in the lion’s den. The circus had come. The Rev. Mr. Mulkittle stood at the gate and looked at the “ grand aggregation,” and his son eagerly requested him to enter. Mr. Mulkittle promised him he would take him in the evening. When evening came he was in a perfect flutter of excitement, and when the “mammoth steam piano” began to squeal he could no longer restrain himself but cried in impatience at his father’s seeming unconcern. When they entered the menagerie the boy was so bewildered by curiosities that he scarcely knew which way to turn. “This is a Bengal tiger," said Mr, Mulkittle. “ There is a sacred ox, anj here we have a leopard. Here is a sea lion.” , , • “Whatmakes him cough so much? 1 tiked the boy. “He is not coughing. That’s his fcMUral outcry.” “ I thought he’d stayed in the water till he caught cold. What is that ?” “ That is a rhinoceros.” “ That’s a tapir,” said a man with a ted sh»rt, leaning on an iron rod. “ Are you sure ?’J askeU Mr. Mulkittle, Oot enjoying the correction. “ Ought to know, podner; been ferc' x em for a long time.” “ I shall not discuss it with you.” “ That’s a lion.” The boy stood for a moment and gazed in fascination at the beast. “Is that the kinder lion that Samson killed ?”—“ Yes, that’s the kind.” ■ “ Do'you think Samson coulder killed this one?”—“Oh, yes.” “ And if he waster kill him, would he rind honey in him P’—“ No.” “ How came him to find honey in the one he killed “ Because the Lord put it there.” “ Well, couldn’t the Lord put it in this one?”—“ Yes, He could.” “Why don’t he, then?’—“l don’t know.” Why?”—“Because I don’t; that’s why. • Now hush." “ Was the lion’s den that Daniel was 2hrown in like this ?” —“ I don’t know what kind of a den it was, but they are the same kind of lions.” “ I bet if Daniel waster go in there they’d chaw him ; don’t you ?”—“ Not it the Lord was with him.” “ The Lord could make ’em tuck theit tails and scoot, couldn’t He?”—Hush, sir, or I’ll take you i home. Do you hear ■ me? Come on,” he continued, as the band with a loud burst began to play. They went into the circus pavilion, and secured seats. “ Quit that,” he exclaimed, turning to a boy who had pinched him. “ Don’t you pinch me again.” j “ I will if I want to. Do you dare me?” and he pinched him again. Young Mulkittle reached around him, and caught the insulter by the hair, and an 'exciting scuffle ensued. A policeman rushed to ■Jhe scene, seized Mr. Mulkittle, who was trying to separate the boys, and exclaimed : “ Come on here. Fine man, to get two boys fighting. Had my eye on you fo> some time.” “Turn me loose 1 I’m a minister.” “Fine minister! I’ve sized you up, : Come on,” and he hustled Mr. Mulkittle from his seat, shoved him through the crowd out into the open air, so quickly that the boy lost sight of his father, and would have cried out in alarm, but just then the clown began to sing about some- , body in the “garden where the pratie: ’ arrow.”