Toby Tyler

that had so suddenly opened before him. He tried to express his gratitude

f your uncle Daniel should see you working here, he mi

, confidently; "for he's told me lots of times t

me time handed him a piece of pasteboard. "There's a ticket for the circus, and you come around to see me about ten o'cloc

ord's hands in the excess of his gratitude. But not knowing exactly how such a show of thankfulness might be r

some insight into the business; but Mr. Lord advised him to remain away, lest his uncl

at was going on was redoubled, and in his anxiety that everything should be done correctly and in the proper order he actually, and perhaps for the first time in his life, forgot

d to prevent his feet from straying toward that tempting display of dainties which he was to sell to those who came to see and enjoy, and who would look at him with wonder and curiosity! It was very hard not to be allowe

as he did so. The afternoon performance passed off as usual to all of the spectators save Toby. He imagined that each one of the performers knew that he was a

own-such as a boat, a kite, and a pair of skates-and in order that his actions might not seem suspicious. Before he left the grounds, however

t he wore glasses and was cross eyed, he winked at Toby. A wink from Mr. Lord must have been intended to convey a great deal, because

mensely and took away nearly all the sting of the scoldin

he first time that he was doing wrong; and as he gazed at Uncle Daniel's stern, forbidding looking face, it seemed to have changed somewhat from its severity, and caused a great lump of something to c

hing, and this very surprising state of affa

over his glasses at Toby's well filled plate, which was usually emp

h a sigh; "but I've been to the cir

I give ye, eh, an' got so

l had given him; and, amid all his homesickness, he could not help wondering i

lled down his cheeks as he thought that perhaps never again would he see any of them. These dumb animals had all been Toby's confidants; he had poured out his griefs in their ears, and fancied, when the world or Uncle Daniel had used him unusually hard, that they sympathized with him. Now he

made. He went to his room, made a bundle of his worldly possess

t to Toby he took his bundle from him, saying, as he did so: "I'll pack up your bundl

had taken from him all desire for good things. It is also more than possible that Mr. Lord had had experience enough with boys to know that they migh

of animals to another; then to see the performance in the ring, and bac

erest him, and the animals did not attract until he had visited the monkey cage for the third or fourth time. Then he fancied that the same venerable monkey who had lo

flattened his little pug nose against the iron than the aged monkey came down from the ring in which he ha

if the animal had spoken; but as he did not,

s afternoon, an' somebody told you that I

t he winked an affirmative answer; and he looked

ame near crying at the supper table tonight; an' Uncle Dan'l looked real good an' nice, though I never thought so before. I wish I wasn't goin', aft

ased speaking the monkey reached out one little paw, which Toby

ks around, as if you was the only friend I've got in this great big world. It's awful when a feller feels the way I do, an' when he do

little brown paw, which the monkey now withdr

n'l says I don't, an' I s'pose they know; but I tell you I feel just as bad,

er the tent, and he knew that the su

and again. "Remember what I've told you, an' don't forget that Toby Tyle

he now told Toby that he would show him

and then followed his employer out of the tent, among the ropes and poles and ge