back home-第23部分

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ok　out。　　If　he　should　raise　the　window　and　smile　at　you；　and　get　to　talking　with　you　maybe　he　would　introduce　you　to　his　pa；　and　tell　him　that　you　would　like　to　go　with　the　show；　and　his　pa　would　be　a　nice　sort　of　a　man；　and　he'd　say：　〃Why；　yes。　　I　guess　we　can　fix　that　all　right。〃　　And　there　you'd　be。

Or　if　it　didn't　come　out　like　that；　why；　maybe　the　boy　would　be　another　〃Little　Arthur；　the　Boy　Circus…rider；〃　like　it　told　about　in　he　Ladies'　Repository。　　It　seems　there　was　a　man；　and　one　day　he　went　by　where　there　was　a　circus；　and　in　a　quiet　secluded；　vine…clad　nook　only　a　few　steps　from　the　main　tent；　he　heard　somebody　sigh；　oh；　so　sadly　and　so　pitifully！　　Come　to　find　out；　it　was　Little　Arthur；　the　Boy　Circus…rider。　　He　had　large　sensitive　violet　eyes；　and　a　wealth　of　clustering　ringlets；　and　he　was　very；　very　unhappy。　　So　the　man　took　from　his　pocket　a　Bible　that　he　happened　to　have　with　him；　and　he　read　from　it　to　Little　Arthur；　which　cheered　him　up　right　away；　because　up　to　that　moment　he　had　only　heard　of　the　Bible。　　（Think　of　that！）　　And　that　night　at　the　show；　what　do　you　s'pose？　　Little　Arthur　fell　off　the　horse　and　hurt　himself。　　And　this　man　was　at　the　show　and　he　went　back　in　the　dressing…room；　and　held　Little　Arthur's　hand。　　And　the　clown　was　crying；　and　the　actors　were　crying；　for　they　all　loved　Little　Arthur　in　their　rude；　untutored　way。　　And　Little　Arthur　opened　his　large　sensitive　violet　eyes；　and　saw　the　man；　and　said　off　the　text　that　the　man　taught　him　that　afternoon。

And　then　he　died。　　It　was　a　sad　story；　but　it　made　you　wish　it　had　been　you　that　happened　to　have　a　Bible　in　your　pocket　as　you　passed　the　secluded；　vine…clad　nook　only　a　few　paces　from　the　main　tent；　and　had　heard　Little　Arthur　sigh　so　pitifully。　　It　was　those　sensitive　eyes　we　looked　for　in　the　sleeping…car　windows；　and　all　in　vain。　　I　think　I　saw　the　wealth　of　clustering　ringlets；　or　at　least　the　makings　of　it。　　I　am　almost　positive　I　saw　curl…papers　as　the　curtain　was　drawn　aside　a　moment。

But　whether　a　boy　stands　gazing　at　the　sleepers；　or　runs　over　to　the　lots；　there　is　something　pathetic　about　it；　something　almost　terrible。　　It　is　the　death　of　an　ideal。　　I　can't　conceive　of　a　boy　coming　down　to　the　depot　to　see　the　circus　train　come　in　another　time。　　Hitherto；　the　show　has　been　to　him　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　romance。　　It　comes　in　the　night　from　'way　off　yonder；　it　goes　in　the　night　to　'way　off　yonder。　　It　is　all　splendor；　all　deeds　of　high　emprise。　　It　stands　to　reason　then；　that　the　closer　you　get　to　it；　the　closer　you　get　to　pure　romance。　　And　it　isn't　that　way　at　all。

What　gravels　a　boy　the　most　of　all　is　to　have　to　do　the　same　old　thing　over　and　over　again；　day　after　day；　week　in；　week　out。　　Once　he　has　seen　the　circus　come　in；　he　cannot　blind　himself　to　the　fact　that　everything　is　marked　and　numbered；　that　all　is　system；　and　that　everything　is　done　today　exactly　as　it　was　done　yesterday；　and　as　it　will　be　done　tomorrow。

〃What　town　is　this？〃　he　hears　a　man　inquire　of　another。

〃Blest　if　I　know。　　What's　the　odds　what　town　it　is？〃

Didn't　know　what　town　it　was！　　Didn't　care！

The　keen　morning　air；　or　something；　makes　a　fellow　mighty　unromantic；　too。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　thin　blue　wood…smoke　from　the　field…stoves；　and　the　smell　of　the　hot　coffee　and　the　victuals　the　waiters　are　carrying　about；　some　to　the　tent　where　the　bare　tables　are　for　the　canvasmen；　some　to　the　table　covered　with　a　red　and　white　table…cloth　as　befits　performers。　　These　have　no　rosy　cheeks。　　Their　lithe　limbs　are　not　richly　decked　with　silken　tights。　　Insensibly　the　upper　lip　curls。　　They're　not　so　much。　They're　only　folks。　　That's　all；　just　folks。

But　when　ideals　die；　great　truths　are　born。　　To　such　a　boy　at　such　a　moment　there　comes　the　firm　conviction　which　increasing　years　can　only　emphasize：　　Home　is　but　a　poor　prosaic　place；　but　Home　…　Ah；　my　brother；　think　on　this　…　Home　is　where　Breakfast　is。

〃Hay！　Wait　for　me；　you　fellows！　　Hay！　　Hold　on　a　minute。　　Well；　ain't　I　a…comin'　jis''s　fast's　ever　I　kin？　　What's　your　rush？〃

It　is　the　exceptional　boy　has　this　experience。　　The　normal　one　preserves　the　delicate　bloom　of　romance；　by　never　seeing　the　show　until　it　makes　its　Grand　Triumphal　Entree　in　a　Pageant　of　Unparalleled　Magnificence　far　Surpassing　the　Pomp　and　Splendor　of　Oriental　Potentates。

The　hitching…posts　are　full　of　whinnering　country　horses；　and　people　are　in　town　you　wouldn't　think　existed　if　you　hadn't　seen　their　pictures　in　Puck　and　Yudge；　people　from　over　by　Muchinippi；　and　out　Noodletoozy　way；　big；　red…necked　men　with　the　long　loping　step　that　comes　from　walking　on　the　plowed　ground。　　Following　them　are　lanky　women　with　their　front　teeth　gone；　and　their　figures　bowed　by　drudgery；　dragging　wide…eyed　children　whose　uncouth　finery　betrays　the　〃country　jake；〃　even　if　the　freckles　and　the　sun…bleached　hair　could　keep　the　secret。　　From　the　far…off　fastnesses；　where　there　are　still　log…cabins　chinked　with　mud；　they　have　ventured　to　see　the　show　come　into　town；　and　when　they　have　seen　that；　they　will　retire　again　beyond　our　ken。　　How　every　sense　is　numbed　and　stunned　by　the　magnificence　and　splendor　of　the　painted　and　gilded　wagons　as　they　rumble　past；　the　driver　rolling　and　pitching　in　his　seat；　as　he　handles　the　ribbons　of　eight　horses　all　at　once！　　The　farmer's　heart　is　filled　with　admiration　of　his　craft；　as　much　as　the　children's　hearts　are　at　the　gaudy　pictures。

The　allegorical　tableau…car　solemnly　waggles　past；　Europe；　and　Asia；　and　Africa；　and　Australia　brilliant　in　grease…paint　and　gorgeous　cheesecloth　robes。　　And　can　you　guess　who　the　fat　lady　is　up　on　the　very　tip…top　of　all；　on　the　tip…top　where　the　wobble　is　the　worst？　Our　own　Columbia！　　It　must　be　fine　to　ride　around　that　way　all　dressed　up　in　a　flag。　　But　a　sourer　lot　of　faces　you　never　saw　in　your　life。　　No。　　I　am　wrong。　　For　downright　melancholy　and　despondency　you　must　wait　till　the　funny　old　clown　comes　along　in　his　little　bit　of　a　buggy　drawn　by　a　little　bit　of　a　donkey。

〃And；　oh；　looky！　Here　comes　the　elephants；　just　the　same　as　in　the　joggerfy　books。　　And　see　the　men　walking　beside　them。　　They　come　from　the　place　the　elephants　do。　　See；　they　have　on　the　clothes　they　wear　in　that　country。　　Don't　they　look　proud？　　Who　wouldn't　be　proud　to　get　to　walk　with　an　elephant？　　And　if　you　ever　do　anything　to　an　elephant　to　make　him　mad；　he'll　always　remember　it；　and　some　day　he'll　get　even　with　you。　　One　time　there　was　a　man；　and　he　gave　an　elephant　a　chew　of　tobacco；　and　…　O…o…ooh！　　See　that　man　in　the　cage　with　the　lions！　　Don't　it　just　make　the　cold　chills　run　over　you？　　I　wouldn't　be　there　for　a　million　dollars；　would　you；　ma？

〃What　they　laughing　at　down　the　street？　　Ma；　make　Lizzie　get　down；　she's　right　in　my　way。　　I　don't　want　to　see　it　pretty　soon。　　I　want　to　see　it　naow！　　Oh；　ain't　it　funny？　　See　the　old　clowns　playing　on　horns！　　Ain't　it　too　killing？　　Aw；　look　at　them　ponies。　　I　woosht　I　had　one。　　Johnny　Pym　has　got　a　goat　he　can　hitch　up。　　What　was　that；　pa？　　What　was　that　went　'OoOOoohm！'〃

〃Whoa；　Nell；　whoa　there！　　Steady；　gal；　steaday！　　Ho；　there！　　Ho！　Whoa　…whoa…hup！　　Whad　dy　y'　about？　　Fool　horse。　　Whoa　。　。　。　whoa　so；　gal；　soo…o。　　Lion；　I　guess；　or　a　tagger；　or　sumpum　or　other。〃

And　talk　about　music。　　You　thought　the　band　was　grand。　　You　just　wait。　Don't　you　hear　it　down　the　street？　　It'll　be　along　in　a　minute　now。

There　it　is。　　That's　the　cally…ope。　　That's　what　the　show　bills　call：　〃The　Steam　Car　of　the　Muses。〃　。　　。　　。　　Mm…well；　I　don't　know　but　it　is　just　a　leetle　off　the　pitch；　especially　towards　the　end　of　a　note；　but　you　must　remember　that　you　can't　haul　a　very　big　boiler　on　a　wagon；　and　the　whistles　let　out　an　awful　lot　of　steam。　　It's　pretty　hard　to　keep　the　pressure　even。　　But　it's　loud。　　That's　the　main　thing。　　And　the　man　that　plays　on　it　…　no；　not　that　fellow　in　the　overalls　with　a　wad　of　greasy　waste　in　his　hand。　　He　's　only　the　engineer。　　I　mean　the　artist；　the　man　that　plays　on　the　keys。　　Well；　he　knows　what　the　people　want。　　He　has　his　fingers　on　the　public　pulse。　　Does　he　give　them　a　Bach　fugue；　or　Guillmant's　〃Grand　Choeur？〃　'Deed；　he　doesn't。　　He　goes　right　to　the　heart；　with　〃Patrick's　Day　in　the　Morning；〃　and　〃The　Carnival　of　Venice；〃　and　〃Home；　Sweet　Home；〃　and　〃Oh；　Where；　Oh　Where　has　my　Little　Dog　Gone？〃　　He　knows　his　business。　　A　shade　off　the　key；　perhaps；　but　my！　Ain't　it　grand？　　So　loud　and　nice！

〃Well；　that's　all　of　it　。　。　。　。　Why；　child；　I　can't　make　it　any　longer　than　it　is。

What　do　you　want　me　to　drive　round　into　the　other　street　for？　You've　seen　all　there　is　to　see。　　Got　all　your　trading　done；　mother？　　Well；　then　I　expect　we'd　better　put　for　home。　　Now；　Eddy；　I　told　you　'No'　once；　and　that's　the　end　of　it。　　Hush　up　now！　　Look　here；　sir！　　Do　you　want　me　to　take　and　'tend　to　you　right　before　everybody？　　Well；　I　will　now；　if　I　hear　another　whimper　out　o'　ye。　　Ck…ck…ck！　　Git　ep　there；　Nelly。〃

Some　day；　when　we　get　big；　and　have　whole；　whole　lots　of　money　we're　going　to　the　circus　every　time　it　comes　to　town；　to　the　real　circus；　the　one　you　have　to　pay　to　get　into。　　For　if　merely　the　street　parade　is　so　magnificent；　what　must　the　show　itself　be？

How　people　can　sit　at　the　table　on　circus　day　and　stuff；　and　stuff　the　way　they　do　is　more　than　I　can　understand。　　You'd　think　they　hadn't　any　more　chances　to　eat　than　they　had　to　go　to　the　show。　And　they　can　find　more　things　to　do　before　they　get　started！　　And　then；　after　the　house　is　all　locked　up　and　everything；　they've　got　to　go　back　after　a　handkerchief！　　What　does　anybody　want　with　a　handkerchief　at　a　circus？

It's　exasperating　enough　to　have　to　choose　between　going　in　the　afternoon　and　not　going　at　all。　　Why；　sure；　it's　finer　at　night。　Lots　finer。　　You　know　that　kind　of　a　light　the　peanut…roaster　man　has　got　down　by　the　post…office。　　Burns　that　kind　of　stuff　they　use　to　take　out　grease…spots。　　Ye…ah。　　Gasoline。　　Well；　at　the　circus　at　night；　they　don't　have　just　one　light　like　that；　but　bunches　and　bunches　of　them　on　the　tentpoles。　　No；　silly！　　Of　course　not。　　Of　course　they　don't　set　the　tent　afire。　　But　say！　　What　if　they　did；　eh？　　The　place　would　be　all　full　of　people；　laughing　at　the　country　jake　that　comes　out　to　ride　the　trick…mule；　and　you'd　happen　to　loo