A Peep Behind the Scenes

and one by one the shows moved off, a

alie that the 'Royal Show of Dwarfs' was just going to

lie,' said the sick woman

,' said the child

her. Mother Manikin took leave of her with tears in her eyes; they were not going to the same fair as Rosalie's father, and she did not know when they would meet again. She gave

to find me, child; and don't you leave me out,

in,' said Master Pu

shook her fist

erties, and young things s

arms round Rosalie's n

dwarfs insisted on kissin

gnal was given for their

fs' left the

er wrappings, which the child took off one by one, and then came an envelope, inside which

her small bag of savings, and she had put it in that envelope with

sick woman, 'I can have

hild; 'I'll get t

her Manikin's name that day; it was not only then that she knelt dow

the way she arranged her pillows and waited upon her. And when evening came, the large square was quite deserted, except b

ed at a sale there. The market-place was quite empty, and no one came near the one solitary caravan-no one except an officer of the Board of Health, to inquire what was the cause of the d

oke very little; but every now and then the child heard

ome withou

arms at o

re I hear

come

ock struck the quarters, but that was the only sound that broke the stillness. Rosalie kept a light burning, and every now and then mended the little fire, that the beef-tea might be ready w

ild heard Toby's voice

said, 'can I come

oby was much distressed to see

l, Miss Rosie, you really mus

the child; 'perhaps the c

for missis; and then we will stop somewhere for the night; if we come to a village, we can stop there, and I'll get a hole in some bar

s exceedingly troublesome, and her breathing was very bad. She was obliged to be propped up with pillows, and even then she could hardly breathe. The child opened the carav

ld but wish it to continue. It made her so glad to hear the coughing cease and the breathing become m

opping here for the nigh

etched on one side of them, and the trees looked dark and solemn in the fading light. At the edge of thi

miles and miles. And on this moor, in a little sheltered cor

ou call out "Toby," I shall be at your side in a twinkling; I always wake in a t

Rosalie; 'I

were throwing dark shadows across the path, and their branches were waving gloomily in the evenin

'I'll sit on the steps of the caravan, if you are frightened at all. No, no;

leep on the heather, and made him take her mother's warm shawl, t

her's side. She sat on the bed, put her head on the pillow, and tried to sleep also. But the intense stillness was oppressive, and m

d sway to and fro-Rosalie trembled with fear. Poor child! the want of sleep the last few nights was telling on her, and had

t no longer alone. She had a strange realisation of the Good Shepherd's presence, and a won

ards, there came a tap at the caravan door. Rosalie jumped from her seat, and peeped out be

she said, opening t

girl's voice. 'Have yo

?' said Rosa

' said the girl. 'Let me come

, for how could she tell who this stranger might be? She had almost det

r?' she said, add

he said with a sob; 'and I saw your li

; and Rosalie could see that she was quite a young girl, about seventeen years old, and that she had been crying until her eyes were swollen and re

d made it hot. And when the girl had drunk thi

ancing at the bed where Rosalie's m

ill. That's why we didn't start with the rest of the company; and the doct

other,' sai

aid Rosalie;

question; she buried her face in

; 'I wish you would tell me what's the

said the girl, wi

osalie, in a puzzled vo

orough, weren't y

ust come from

you see the c

ocession passed us on the road

't you see me on the top of the last car? I

'I remember; and a gr

a trident, and they

ou doing here?'

ldn't stand it any lo

our home?'

ver get there. I haven't a penny in my pocket, and I'm tir

ed so loudly that Rosalie was afraid

aid, 'don't cry! Tell

e,' said the girl, wit

ie; "Little Jess," my m

mother she cried again a

ing her hand on her arm, 'w

d as soon as she was calmer

other; it's that which

n the circus, then,

at a smile it was; 'you don't know my mother or you wouldn't ask that! No; she lives in a vi

lie. 'Are you fright

so bad to her, I'm almost ashamed to go back. She doesn't know

run away?' a

t it seems more like three months. I never was so wretched in

u leave your moth

lived. All the girls in the village were going to it, an

y n

t there were a great many bad people wen

you see it?'

silver and gold, and the gentlemen in shining armour. And then I almost cried with disappointment because I had not seen it too. The girls said it would be i

mother let you

e before she knew anything about it; but it so happened that that day

u go when s

Jessie; 'and I told

sob, and the poor girl's

say?' asked

won't." But as I said it my cheeks turned hot, and I felt as if my mother must see how they were burning. But she did not seem to notice it; she turned back and kiss

gie and baby?' said Rosalie;

rs, and I told Maggie to look after it, and then I put the table in front of the fire, and l

ong we

und it was five o'clock, for the exhibition had not been till the afternoon. I knew my mother would be home, and I did not like to go back; I wondered what she would say to me about leaving the children. So I walked round the circus for some time, looking at the gilded cars, which were draw

to be dressed lik

oked down at my dress-my best Sunday d

now, but perhaps I may get you that chanc

w him. He took me into a room, and there I found a very grand lady-at least she looked like one t

d you say?'

about it that I hardly knew where I was; it seemed just as if some one was asking me

of her then?'

of them hearing me cry, so I hid my face under the bedclothes. The next day we moved from that town; and I felt

e that?' ask

oking out for a fresh girl when they met with me. They thought I had a pretty face, and would do very well. But they were angry with me for looking so miserable, and found more and more fault with me. They were always quarrelling; long after we went to bed they were shouting at each other. Oh, I got so tired of it! I did wish I had never left home. And then we came to Lesborough, and at last I could bear it no longer. I kept dreaming about my mother, and when I woke in the night

e!' said li

re. I know she won't scold mo; I shouldn't mind that

' said Rosalie. 'I don't know what

those children; I do hope they got no harm whe

sted once more against her mother's pillow. And again there was no sound to be heard but the wind swee

ttle woman; her eyes closed, and she forgo