The Circus Comes to Town

of C

ut of his ticket to the circus, and he stopped crying except for a long

as though laughing, but did not utter a sound. His mouth seemed to keep broadening in a hearty laugh until Jerry thought

ts being nothing but a squeak, he jumped suddenly to his feet and turned a series of handsprings around in a circle, kicking his heels in the air and endin

mouth and then disappeared. That smile seemed to be waiting for encouragement, for after a time it started up again and followed the clown's lips almost to th

Jerry thought he was going to cry. His shoulders hunched forward until the clown was the most forlorn looking obje

very, very red lips. It was the drollest expression of grief h

e clown's countenance. He began that silent laugh again and it grew and it grew until the

ough he had laughed so hard that they ached. He emitted one short, little staccato laugh and st

it and laughed

lly still and sorrowful that Jerry laughed harder. Then the clown started laug

about Danny's perfidy and the tears of Cel

with little graceful leaps in the air, as though he were light as a feather and going to tak

f Jerry again. "So you've found the secret," h

ret?" ask

in his ear, "The s

ughter?" repeated

time to get used to you. It might like somebody else better and leave you for that somebody else, though

of laughter do?" Jer

k it is if only you can keep the secret of laughter at your side. It will m

ome back?"

oped again and his sh

own up, that it comes back even after the secret of laughter has driven it away. But it is different with chil

ke them happy?

ng them

?" pursued J

," responded the cl

ed and his white, c

en, haven't you?"

replied Jer

has come back if you haven't forgotten it altogether. I wonder

gly that Jerry responded a

own's turn to

aimed. "Cupid starts

had no more idea than the man in t

. "That's good! What

cri

ere crying for-becau

y ticket to the circus which I got

to get your ticket so she could

erry, and his grief was coming back so rapid

questioned the clown. "And the crocodile tears

s what Danny wants her

r!" said the clown. "And D

sked Jerry. "Then mebbe he

I'll probably think up a way to get you into

He got to his feet and in his eagernes

I think very hard,"

very hard, won

y. The secret of laughter made your grief slink away for g

," replied J

think, but don't say anything, as I might get to thinking your thoughts

," Jerry

encircled his face, and began slowly rolling his head from side to side. Then with

's a very small boy that you can make ver

ly, holding on to himself to keep from spe

ing Jerry into the circus, Jerry's face likewise brightened. But when Whiteface slumped down into the most discouraged attitude in the world, Jerry knew that that idea wouldn

egan to straighten up and his face to lighten until it was all smiles. Jerry bou

it? Did the

clown. "I'll bu

xclaimed Jerr

pocket. His hand kept sliding down his loose, blue-sp

our pocket?" aske

in it-enough to buy you a ticket to the circus and more, but now I don't se

clown. There was not a sign of a pocket an

pocket," he sa

ocket, there must be a pocket somewhere. If you had

efully, more and

d at last in a voice that wa

rning because I used some of the money that was in it." He sa

ery hard of a way to get you into the circus and almost had the though

had spoiled Whiteface's thought by inte

oing to," he said. "I

would take only fifty cents to

ry miserab

s trying to think of a way to get you in without any money. Then, when our thoughts got

aded in a very contrite voice. "I

ent started playing. It was so near

n. "The band is playing for the parade. I mus

lown turn into an elephant. It was an awful hard thought to think, for the clown stretched out on the ground righ

bounded to his feet and ju

time!" boasted Jerry. "I di

u didn't and our thoughts

before it start

not Jack Robinson

ur name?" a

e clown. "To-morrow it ma

?" questi

clown, smiling. "Now you must do just

" promis

eyes. Are

ight that he saw funny little green

the back again, open your eyes and you will be in the circus. Then you walk right ahead till you come to the first row of

replied

manded the clown

Jerry thought, and then had him sit down on the

into the circus, but don't open your eyes till I tap

," promi

the clown, "you can speak to me if y

saw him in the circus, was about to look up at him. For fear that he yet might

ered the clown, "c

ehead brush something that felt

"good-by till you spe

Jerry in a daze of

ound. A moment later he felt two thumps on his back and he started in to c

n the ci