THAT FREE LIST

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1987, 18 February 1914, Page 8

THAT FREE LIST

'A DOORKEEPER'S LOT, That a. doorkeeper at a'circus should have the faculties of a Conciliation Com-' missioner was the . impression givcn.by a little comedy enacted- at the entrance of Wirth's menagerio yesterday after* noon. -. Fa.ter--.and Materfa'mirias, with the. numerous olive branches, wero steadily occupying the'.ofliciftl's' attention in ticket eblleetiinjj,' wheii the 'tide was. stemmed by tho'return, of a v.dy, who desired her money back- ... -". Accompanying 'her'was a. loudfyshrieking 'hop© of the \ family, who' earlier was all .agog to see the wild beasts, but whoso courage' all ooase'd a'wny at the- sight of the elephants, and he. wanted nothing bettor, than to be taken Ikmw, And that jjmckly. The ticket collector was explaining the impossibility of granting a refund.of the money—ho djd ■.! nbt.. know vyh'etfier Madam lie'rself .had not had a.good view Of tho, aiiimals—rVv;hen_ another problem pteseiited'.itself in the" person of a lady who desired -admissip-ri for hersolf and yourigster on the oiie ticket. "How old is the phild,.lady?" queried the dowkeepor—-ft'ith tne .wisdom of wide-world- wanderings,, ho had mentally crossed tho- sturdy-looking lad off tho "under three" list. >■-.-.. '• "Oh I" replied tho mother, as if she was not quitp certain," "just- about three, I think;' and,, if ygji, dGn^, n ld,t him in for nc)tlnrigV-v'l woii.'t 'g6 ; 'ih'| oither," was tKc energetic uHittiatirm.

. Sorely, was , the . doorkeeper being badgered by botii ladies,'wjien a geijtleflia.n with a 'siring, of flva children sought to assume a pacificatory part. ! "Lookl" said ho to the. ladies. "I've.j r>i\\i for all Missed aiid two of them .are: uiider tliree." But tho peacemaking was in vain. One of tlio ladies glared at him—a who-afo-you-to-interfere sort of look—whilo tho. -other' sweetly demolished hirn with: "You've certainly got jnoro children,rand probably also more money, than other people." This upset the- equanimity of tbo doorkeeper, and ero lie- recovered his business alertness, five-year-old- Tommy was. viewing the beasts of tho jungle- oil the free list, biit the 'merriment' diet not iudueo a loosening of the- cifous purse-strings on ik§ other lady's shilling.