The Circus Comes to Town

n That Crie

ing. That made him dream all the more about the real circus which was coming and wish that he could see it. He was very careful not to put his longing into words, so

en play circus any mo

d, pointing disdainfully at the discarded c

ed. "And how might you

so," Danny replied in

and which had become so rare of late. "Yes, I guess national history would be after telling about

'Larkey said, because her nose went all crinkly, and he

nny in the elephant costume would have been to them now only a little boy in an old green wrapper much too large for him, dragging about a stuffed bl

to see what the prospects were for a good yield of hazel and hickory nuts in the fall, and had just entered the edge of town when they saw Darn Da

h nothing had never ha

" Danny agreed. "L

ldn't think they were the least little bit afraid of him, but Jerry and Celia Jane first fell silent and then C

y were in the act of passi

ed Danny. "We just b

in the fall," Nora informed him, in a

news would help keep Darn in his present state of good hum

goin' to the circus. We're goin' to have reserved seats, a

xclaimed Celia Jane. "I thought it co

any back to it," Darn informed her. "We're goin' to h

ould suit me all rig

d Chris and Nora and

to see the circus

close enough to see?" q

an't keep you from

wn question as though it had been asked

he el'funt?" Jer

u had eyes," rep

goin' to unload

back of the depot, at five o'clock in t

!" crie

oo!" asser

t so that Danny could not say he couldn't go becau

Darn asserted wi

hen after a moment he asked

ut whether Jerry goes or not," Danny inte

't," contra

t he?" No

e poor farm go to the circus,

th Jerry!" cried Danny hotly. "I

mly, in that restrained, superior, informati

m I, Danny?" Jerry

. "Darn's jest tryin' to make you

e poor farm before the cir

y in a shaky voice. "

ormed him, "and you won't ha

ill she, Danny?" asked Jerry in a voice t

rner, you jest let Jerry be. You ain't go

ted Celia Jane, suddenly affectionat

coolly down at him until Jerry was so uncomfortab

id calmly, "because Mrs. Mullarkey's too poor to keep yo

ke both ends meet but that she was never going to be able to do it. He some way knew that Darn Darner was telling the truth and that soon he would be torn

shan't take me! I'

mmented Darn unsympathetically. "

're goin' to take Jer

ried Nora. "He's jest

t he was goin' to take Jerry to the poor farm Wednesday morning. He said Mrs. Mullarkey had agreed as to how she'd hafta let h

ned. He tried to think of something to say that would show he was

ing down her cheeks. She flung both arms arou

without Jerry?" asked

Believed that Mother 'Larkey would let them take him away! He had been somewh

d twitched and the tears that had been f

omfort him. Then he turned to the tormentor

care him. His oozing courage flamed up in a final flare of desp

Darn! Darn! Darn!

gave Jerry a resounding slap in the face. "No kid like you can

nding him over the head and shoulders with his fists. Chris and Nora went to Dann

ing bitterly, and Celia Jane flopped down by him,

once with all her gentleness vanished, gave vent to thei

Darn! Darn! Darn Darn D

rushed to meet him, fists doubled up ready for battle. He had fought many boys bigger than himself, but he fled before the numerical strength of the present enemy, flinging back over his shou

a quavering wail of anguish. Celia Jane emitted a thinner, shriller wail. Nora came back to c

oking down at the huddled forms in the road. Chris, after a time, found himself weeping in sympathy an

exclaimed a startled, mystifi

pringing to her feet. A man was just getting out of a two-seated buggy. All sound of his approach

carried even through the clamor into Jerry's consciousness. He raised

w to the p-p-poor farm Wednesday mo

rkey children," observed th

Danny, and Chris i

Elbow," the man remarked,

out the man's neck and

d, as Celia Jane got up out of the ro

her, Dan Mullarkey, very well. He told me once how he found you b

ant, deep quality of his voice. He stopped crying except for the long, s

t taking you to the poo

," Jerry

ps, puzzled. "I say dar

Darner," Da

Mr. Phillips.

ther said so,"

ked. "Now you children climb into the buggy and I will

to home,"

Nora, looking at the sun. "It's

ment as he placed Jerry on the front se

climbed into the back seat. Mr. Phillips clucke

Darn's words began to wear off. He felt that this new friend's words, "That will have to be look

shuddering sobs, but when the Mullarkey home was reached, they

e running out to see why her childre

xiously, "that you're brin

"I'm Tom Phillips. I knew your husband quite well. I found these children crying in the road because

y in her arms. "And you to find it out from some one else when I'd

ed Nora in a

then?" asked

Dan's insurance money is all gone and how I am to make enough to keep the bodies and souls of all you

e he knew Mother 'Larkey wouldn't let him go if she co

of my own children go there or be adopted out, if I didn'

and I can bring some influence to bear upon him. I don't see why the county can't let you have as much as it would cost it to keep Jerry at the farm. I belong to the

arkey. "If the county will allow me for Jerry's keep, I'll take better care of him

I can do," sa

hafta go?" Celia

plied. "Keep a stif

ady feeling certain that the dange

said Mr. Phillips, "and let you

off. He thought he had never seen a man who looked so big and stro