The Circus Comes to Town

other for F

to Jerry Elbow to

look wonderingly after the disappearing automobile with the lady who had tossed him the apple for di

ted out the reddest spot on it, and took a big, luscious bite. Instead of chewing the morsel at once, he crushed it against h

rs, ever since Mr. Mullarkey, dead this year now, had found him by the roadside o

ry! What

behind him, for it was Danny Mul

ny called over his shoulder to some

ery largest chunk he could. He knew by long and bitter experience how lit

mouthful and take another bite, as he had intended to do. Chris and No

e, Jerry!" cal

f your apple, Jer

," echoe

e," observed Nora.

ed for a bite. Nora bit off a small piece and was passing it on to Cel

te than that, Nor

was nearly eight and was celebrated in the Mullarkey household

k that she could not cram it into her mouth, de

" reproved Nora. "Mother told

ied Danny. "Take it ou

d out the apple to Danny, then freed her mouth of its

vited Danny, "tak

on Danny's part and he was not at all surprised when Danny, once t

in her mouth so quickly that she came near to choking, a

d Jerry. "Tha

ckly passed, first by Chris and then by Nora, who called

odd feeling that he did not belong to the Mullarkeys, though living with them, came over him again, and he had alr

, its trunk raised high in the air until it almost touched the full, red moon at the top of the poster. The elephant had such a roguish and knowing l

somehow made him think of something, he couldn't just remember what. A dim idea seemed to be trying to break into his mind but couldn't find the ri

had stopped half a block farther on when h

his eyes on that delightfully extravagant elephant which seemed almost to wink at him. Jerry half expected to see the

the core," called Danny aga

ing at the very purple elephant and the very red moon almost on the tip-end of his trunk. He just wouldn't let Danny Mul

ly bad if Mother 'Larkey and littl

our tongue, have

ane, following as usual her elder brot

at so hard, Jerr

ander for a moment from the dazzling poster. Curiosity s

h to see the poster. His shout started the whole

ne years. "The circus is coming to town!" He threw himself on the

ant it," s

h of it, honest I didn't. I just wanted to tease

corner of the poster. Nora was nearly eight years old and proud of her ability to read p

er nose preparatory to crying with disappointment if th

close to the billboard as though that might help him

! Please! I can't wai

for the "writin'" was in queerly formed letter

other for

elephant ju

so high he

down till the

ed Celia Jane, ver

d it to you?" was

ain't comin', i

ra. "It don't say whether it'

said Danny. "It might be just

eree?" asked

gum?" sugg

" affirmed Dan

elephant made him almost think of. He tried and tried with all his might to think what it was, but didn't succeed. Then som

d Danny sharply

anything," replied Jer

elia Jane. "You s

mean, 'Oh, queen

know," re

you say it

us of having said anything and he didn't answer. He was sorry that t

een' means, what did you say 'O

t a loss. Then he brightened, "I

omebody's name?

n't k

an O in front of it, and you sa

n or Irish woman by the name o

ng in real distress at not being able to think

ked Danny in the teasing, affronting

irmed Jerry, his

you are," said Celia Jan

at your name is

at this making fun of his name which alwa

the name as to make it almost unbelievable that it could be a name

as Danny Mullarke

ed Nora. "Eat the core of your apple," she continued, pointi

e," said Jerry and threw

it eagerly, wiped it off on her s

"Don't you eat that core af

owed it. "It's gone," she said. "Besides, i

ence, when a youthful voice called from across the street, "Look

particular how you spoke to "Darn" unless you wanted to get into a fight, and unless you were as old and as big as he was you had no desire to fight with him. He was especially touchy about his name. He had been "Jimmie" at home but once at scho

cept it. You could call him "Darn" or shout "Oh, Darn!" and nothing would happen, but if, in your excitement, you grew too

d very politely. "It

us coming?"

do you suppose they've

here," said Nora.

ones were pasted up to-day-one at Jenkins' corner and the other on Jeffreys' barn. It's B

ing, Darn?"

at youth. "I should say I

g circus?"

with elephants and clowns and a bearded lady and ev

urned back to the billboard, and the Mullarkey children lined up at his side and stood in silent

voice that invited contradiction. His remark was met

want you to ask your mother for

et for the cir

give you f

had inspired it Jerry was unable to tell. After pondering for a time,

ked Chris, with a tinge

to ask moth

s. "You can run the fastest

ts to all of us," replied

You're a mean old

soon spread and first Nora and then Celia Jane wer

ich they could with any shred of justice lay claim. If he did, he knew by experience that they would all unite against him-all except Mother 'Larkey, who, trying to earn money to support them all, could not alway

jump the fence. He felt very friendly to that elephant and well acquainted with it. The roguish loo

d have several fifty-cent pieces, so he started again to run after the other children, keeping close enough to be in time if Mrs. Mullarkey should happen to be distributing fifty-cen