THE SMALL BOY AND THE CIRCUS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1721, 26 August 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE SMALL BOY AND THE CIRCUS.

[“Rome Sentinel.”] The small boy now looketh upon the circus poster when it is red, white, and blue, and becometh intoxicated with delight. For what is it which carrieth more joy to the heart of the small boy than a dead wall covered with circus posters ? Echo might answer, a dead-head ticket covered with the legend “Admit One.” And as the boy gazeth on the pictures of indescribable animals, and upon the impossible antics of lightly clothed men and women, his imagination maketh all the pictures realities, and he is willing to stake his reputation as a marble player that the coming circus is the best in the world. And ho longeth to go. Soon he is joined by other boys of his age, and they all gaze upon the posters and drink in the beauties thereof. And they marvel among themselves. And one boy sayeth he has never seen so wonderful a display of circus pictures. And they soon fall to speculating among themselves ns to whether each performer really doeth all the things which he is represented as doing. And another one sayeth he has seen as wonderful performances as are pictured out on the posters. But his companions laugh him to scorn and say, “ What are you givin’ us, taffy ? ” So it cometh to pass that the boy who hath seen all these things is forced to hold his jJoace (providing be has not always devoured it), for verily the majority ruleth among the boys. Soon the all-important question cometh up regarding the prospect for crawling under the canvas, and they wax enthusiastic, and, in their minds, they are all in the circus on the front seat, each one having found a good place to crawl under. But soon one of their number recollecteth the fact that he was once caught in the act, and as he dilates on the strength of the canvas men in general, and the one who collared him in particular, the courage of the group oozes out of their individual linger ends. But the company adopteth preamble and resolutions to the effect that it is necessary that each boy attend the circus. And each one layeth out a mute in his neighborhood, and woe unto the piece of old iron which his fingers clutcheth, for verily in the end it contributeth to the circus fund.

Any man who hath ever been a small boy hnoweth these things to bo true.