CIRCUS OR HEAVEN.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2658, 13 October 1882, Page 3

CIRCUS OR HEAVEN.

After the circus had opened to the public yesterday, a grey-haired coloured brother, who held the hand of a boy of fourteen as both stood gazing at the tent, shook his head in a solemn manner and observed:—'lt's no use to ory 'bout it, sonny, kase we am not gwine in dar no how.' ' But I want ter,' whined the boy. 'ln course you does. All chill'en of your aige run to evil an* wiokedness, an* dey mus' be sot down on by dose with experience.' ' You nsed to go,' urged the boy. ' Sartin I did, but what wao de result ? I had sioh a load on my conscience, dat I oouldn'c sleep nights. I ;oum powerful nigh bein' a lost man, an' in dem days the price of admishun was only a quarter, too.' ' Can't we both git in for fifty cents?' 'I speck we might, but to-morrer you'd be bilin' ober wid wickedness, an' I'd be a black-slipper from de ohuroh. Hush up, now, kase I hain't got but thirty cents, en' dar' am no show for orawlin* under de canvas!' The boy still continued to ory, and the old man pulled him behind a waggon and continued : ' Henry Clay Soott, whioh had you rather do—go inter de oiri ous an* den take de awfullest lickiu' a boy eber got or have a glass of dat red lemonade an' go to heaben when you die ? Befo' you decide let me explain dat I moan a liokin' which will take ebery inoh of de hide off, an' I also mean one of dem big glasjes of lemonade. In addishun, 1 would observe dat a circus am gwine on iu heaben all de time, an' do price of admishun am simply nominal. Now, sah, what do you say ?" Tho boy took the lemonade, but he drenk it with tears in his eyes.—" Free Press."