back home-第21部分

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nce　was　so　fearsome；　but　because　it　was　so　red。　　Six　feet　by　two　of　flaming　crimson　across　the　street　in　the　afternoon　sun　made　it　necessary　for　him　to　take　the　goods　to　the　back　window　of　the　store　to　show　to　customers。　　He　didn't　like　it　a　bit。

No。　　Neither　before　the　large　and　expensive　pictures　of　the　street…parade；　nor　the　large　and　expensive　wild　beasts　did　we　linger。　　The　swarm　was　thickest；　sand　the　jabbering　loudest；　the　〃O…o…oh's；〃　the　〃M！　　Looky's〃　the　〃Geeminently's〃　shrillest；　in　front　of　where　the　deeds　of　high　emprise　were　set　forth。　　Men　with　their　fists　clenched　on　their　breasts；　and　their　neatly　slippered　toes　touching　the　backs　of　their　heads；　crashed　through　paper…covered　hoops　beneath　which　horses　madly　coursed；　they　flew　through　the　air　with　the　greatest　of　ease；　the　daring　young　men　on　the　flying；　trapeze；　or　they　posed　in　living　pyramids。

And　as　the　sons　of　men　assembled　themselves　together；　Satan　came　also；　the　spirit　I；　that　evermore　denies。

〃A…a…ah！〃　sneers　his　embodiment　in　one　whose　crackling　voice　cannot　make　up　its　mind　whether　to　be　bass　or　treble；　〃A…a…ah；　to　the　show　they　down't　do　hay…uf　what　they　is　in　the　pitchers。〃

A　chilling　silence　follows。　　A　cold　uneasiness　strikes　into　all　the　listeners。　　We　are　all　made　wretched　by　destructive　criticism。　Let　us　alone　in　our　ideals。　　Let　us　alone；　can't　you？

〃Now　。　。　。　now；〃　pursues　the　crackle…voiced　Mephisto；　pointing　to　where　Japanese　jugglers　defy　the　law　of　gravitation　and　other　experiences　of　daily　life；　〃now；　they　cain't　walk　up　no　ladder　made　out　o'　reel　sharp　swords。〃

〃They　can　so　walk　up　it；〃　stoutly　declares　one　boy。　　Hurrah！　　A　champion　to　the　rescue！　　The　others　edge　closer　to　him。　　They　like　him。

〃Nah；　they　cain't。　　How　kin　they？　　They'd　cut　their　feet　all　to　pieces。〃

〃They　kin　so。　　I　seen　'em　do　it。　　The　time　I　went　with　Uncle　George　I　seen　a　man；　a　Japanee　。　。　。　。　Yes；　sharp。　　Cut　paper　with　'em。　。　。　。　A…a…ah；　I　did　so。　　I　guess　I　know　what　I　seen　an'　what　I　didn't。〃

The　little　boys　breathe　easier；　but　fearing　another　onslaught；　make　all　haste　to　call　attention　to　the　most　fascinating　one　of　all；　the　picture　of　a　little　boy　standing　up　on　top　of　his　daddy's　head。　And；　as　if　that　weren't　enough；　his　daddy　is　standing　up　on　a　horse　and　the　horse　is　going　round　the　ring　lickety…split。　　And；　as　if　these　circumstances　weren't　sufficiently　trying；　that　little　show…boy　is　standing　on　only　one　foot。　　The　other　is　stuck　up　in　the　air　like　five　minutes　to　six；　and　he　has　hold　of　his　toe　with　his　hand。　　I'll　bet　you　can't　do　that　just　as　you　are　on　the　ground；　let　alone　on　your　daddy's　head；　and　him　on　a　horse　that's　going　like　sixty。　　Now　you　just　try　it　once。　　Just　try　it。　。　。　。　Aa…ah！　　Told　you　you　couldn't。

Now；　how　the　show…actors　can　do　that　looks　very　wonderful　to　you。　It　really　is　very　simple。　　I'll　tell　you　about　it。　　All　show…actors　are　born　double…jointed。　　You　have　only　two　hip…joints。　　They　have　four。　　And　it's　the　same　all　over　with　them。　　Where　you　have　only　one　joint；　they　have　two。　　So；　you　see；　the　wonder　isn't　how　they　can　bend　themselves　every　which　way；　but　how　they　can　keep　from　doubling　up　like　a　foot…rule。

And　another　thing。　　Every　day　they　rub　themselves　all　over　with　snake…oil。　　Snakes　are　all　limber　and　supple；　and　it　stands　to　reason　that　if　you　take　and　try　out　their　oil；　which　is　their　express　essence；　and　then　rub　that　into　your　skin；　it　will　make　you　supple　and　limber；　too。　　I　should　think　garter…snakes　would　do　all　right；　if　you　could　catch　enough　of　them；　but　they　're　so　awfully　scarce。　　Fishworms　won't　do。　　I　tried　'em。　　There's　no　grease　in　'em　at　all。　　They　just　dry　up。

And　I　suppose　you　know　the　reason　why　they　stay　on　the　horse's　back。　　They　have　rosin　on　their　feet。　　Did　you　ever　stand　up　on　a　horse's　back？　　I　did。　　It　was　out　to　grandpap's；　on　old　Tib。　。　。　。　No；　not　very　long。　　I　didn't　have　any　rosin　on　my　feet。　　I　was　going　to　put　some　on；　but　my　Uncle　Jimmy　said：　　〃Hay！　　What　you　got　there？〃　　I　told　him。　　〃Well；〃　he　says；　〃you　jist　mosey　right　into　the　house　and　put　that　back　in　the　fiddle…box　where　you　got　it。　　Go　on；　now。　　And　if　I　catch　you　foolin'　with　my　things　again；　I'll　。　。　。　。　Well；　I　don't　know　what　I　will　do　to　you。〃　　So　I　put　it　back。　　Anyhow；　I　don't　think　rosin　would　have　helped　me　stay　on　a　second　longer；　because　old　Tib；　with　an　intelligence　you　wouldn't　have　suspected　in　her；　walked　under　the　wagon…shed　and　calmly　scraped　me　off　her　back。

And　did　you　ever　try　to　walk　the　tight…rope？　　You　take　the　clothes…line　and　stretch　it　in　the　grape…arbor　…　better　not　make　it　too　high　at　first　…　and　then　you　take　the　clothes…prop　for　a　balance…pole　and　go　right　ahead　…　er　…　er　as　far　as　you　can。　　The　real　reason　why　you　fall　off　so　is　that　you　don't　have　chalk　on　your　shoes。　　Got　to　have　lots　of　chalk。　　Then　after　you　get　used　to　the　rope　wabbling　so　all…fired　fast；　you　can　do　it　like　a　mice。　And　while　I'm　about　it；　I　might　as　well　tell　you　that　if　you　ever　expect　to　amount　to　a　hill　of　beans　as　a　trapeze　performer　you　must　have　clear…starch　with　oil　of　cloves　in　it　to　rub　on　your　hands。　　Finest　thing　in　the　world。　　My　mother　wouldn't　let　me　have　any。　　She　said　she　couldn't　have　me　messing　around　that　way；　I　blame　her　as　much　as　anybody　that　I　am　not　now　a　competent　performer　on　the　trapeze。

I　don't　know　that　I　had　better　go　into　details　about　the　state　of　mind　boys　are　in　from　the　time　the　bills　are　first　put　up　until　after　the　circus　has　actually　departed。　　I　don't　mean　the　boys　that　get　to　go　to　everything　that　comes　along；　and　that　have　pennies　to　spend　for　candy；　and　all　like　that；　whenever　they　ask　for　it。　　I　mean　the　regular；　proper；　natural　boys；　that　used　to　be　〃Back　Home；〃　boys　whose　daddies　tormented　them　with：　〃Well；　we　Il　see　…　〃　that's　so　exasperating！　…　or；　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　tease；　when　you　know　we　can't　spare　the　money　just　at　present。〃　　A　perfectly　foolish　answer；　that　last。　　They　had　money　to　fritter　away　at　the　grocery；　and　the　butcher…shop；　and　the　dry…goods　store；　but　when　it　came　to　a　necessity　of　life；　such　as　going　to　the　circus；　they　let　on　they　couldn't　afford　it。　　A　likely　story。

〃Only　jist　this　little　bit　of　a　once。　　Aw；　now；　please。　　Please；　cain't　I　go？　　Aw　now；　I　think　you　might。　　Aw　now；　woncha？　　Aw；　paw。　　I　ain't　been　to　a　reely　show　for　ever　so　long。　　Aw；　the　Scripture　pammerammer；　that　don't　count。　　Aw；　paw。　　Please　cain't　I　go？　　Aw；　please！〃　　And　so　forth　and　so　on；　with　much　more　of　the　same　sort。　　No；　I　can't　go　into　details。　　it's　too　terrible。

Even　those　of　us　whose　daddies　said　plainly　and　positively：　　〃Now；　I　can't　let　you　go。　　No；　Willie。　　That's　the　end　of　it。　　You　can't　go。〃　　Even　those；　I　say；　hoped　against　hope。　　It　simply　could　not　be　that　what　the　human　heart　so　ardently　longed　for　should　be　denied　by　a　loving　father。　　This　same　conviction　applies　to　other　things；　even　when　we　are　grown　up。　　It　is　against　nature　and　the　constituted　scheme　of　things　that　we　cannot　have　what　we　want　so　badly。　　（And；　in　general；　it　may　be　said　that　we　can　have　almost　anything　we　want；　if　we　only　want　it　hard　enough。　　That's　the　trouble　with　us。　　We　don't　want　it　hard　enough。）　　We　boys　lay　there　in　the　shade　and　pulled　the　long　stalks　of　grass　and　nibbled　off　the　sweet；　yellow　ends；　as　we　dramatized　miracles　that　could　happen　just　as　well　as　not；　if　they　only　would；　consarn　'em！　　For　instance；　you　might　be　going　along　the　street；　not　thinking　of　anything　but　how　much　you　wanted　to　go　to　the　circus；　and　how　sorry　you　were　because　you　hadn't　the　money；　and　your　daddy　wouldn't　give　you　any；　and　first　thing　you　'd　know；　you　'd　stub　your　toe　on　something；　and　you'd　look　down　and　there'd　be　a　half　a　dollar　that　somebody　had　lost　…　Gee！　　If　it　would　only　be　that　way！　　But　we　knew　it　wouldn't；　because　only　the　other　Sunday；　Brother　Longenecker　had　said：　〃The　age　of　miracles　is　past。〃　　So　we　had　to　give　up　all　hopes。　　Oh；　it's　terrible。　　Just　terrible！

But　some　of　the　boys　lay　there　in　the　grass　with　their　hands　under　their　heads；　looking　up　at　the　sky；　and　making　little　white　spots　come　in　and　out　on　the　corners　of　their　jaws；　they　had　their　teeth　set　so　hard；　and　were　chewing　so　fiercely。　　You　could　almost　hear　their　minds　creak；　scheming；　scheming；　scheming。　　I　suppose　there　were　ways　for　boys　to　make　money　in　those　times；　but　they　always　fizzled　out　when　you　came　to　try　them；　to　say　nothing　of　the　way　they　broke　into　your　day。　　Why；　you　had　scarcely　any　time　to　play　in。　　You　'd　go　'round　to　some　neighbor's　house　with　a　magazine；　and　you'd　say：　〃Good　afternoon；　Mrs。　Slaymaker。　　Do　you　want　to　subscribe　for　this？〃　　Just　the　way　you　had　studied　out　you　would　say。　　And　she'd　take　it；　and　go　sit　down　with　it；　and　read　it　clear　through　while　you　played　with　the　dog；　and　then　when　she　got　all　through　with　it；　and　had　read　all　the　advertisements；　she'd　hand　it　back　to　you　and　say：　　No；　she　didn't　believe　she　would。　　They　had　so　many　books　and　papers　now　that　she　didn't　get　a　chance　hardly　to　read　in　any　of　them；　let　alone　taking　any　new　ornes。　　Were　you　getting　many　new　subscribers？　　_　Just　commenced；　eh？　　Well；　she　wished　you　all　the　luck　in　the　world。　　How　was　your　ma？　　That's　good。　　Did　she　hear　from　your　Uncle　John's　folks　since　they　moved　out　to　Kansas？

I　have　heard　that　there　were　boys　who；　under　the　dire　necessity　of　going　to　the　circus；　got　together　enough　rags；　old　iron；　and　bottles　to　make　up　the　price；　sold　'em；　collected　the　money；　and　went。　　I　don't　believe　it。　　I　don't　believe　it。　　We　all　had；　hidden　under　the　back　porch；　our　treasure…heap　of　rusty　grates；　cracked　fire…pots；　broken　griddles　and　lid…lifters；　tub…hoops　and　pokers；　but　I　do　not　believe　that　any　human　boy　ever　collected　fifty　cents'　worth。　　I　want　you　to　understand　that　fifty　cents　is　a　whole　lot　of　money；　particularly　when　it　is　laid　out　in　scrap…iron。　　Only　the　tin…wagon　takes　rags；　and　they　pay　in　tinware；　and　that's　no　good　to　a　boy　that　wants　to　go　to　the　circus。　　And　as　for　bottles　…　well；　sir；　you　wash　out　a　whole；　whole　lot　of　bottles；　a　whole　big　lot　of　'em；　a　wash…basket　full；　and　tote　'em　down　to　Mr。　Case's　drug…　and　book…store；　as　much　as　ever　you　and　your　brother　can　wag；　and　see　what　he　gives　you。　　It's　simply　scandalous。　　You　have　no　idea　of　how　mean　an