"Though taking things unlawfully is wrong, conditions can occur in
which so young a culprit is not at fault. This young chap has had no
bringing up, but has run wild. A child will not know right from wrong
if not taught; and, as it is a primary animal instinct to obtain food
in any way, I will simply put this boy in a school which Branton Hills
maintains for just such youths."
At this both row two and row four burst out in such a storm of
hand-clapping that Gadsby found that this visit had shown his young
folks, from actual contact with a child without training, how important
child-raising is; and how proud a city is of such as act according to
law.
XIV
In almost any big town, around Autumn, you will annually run across
that famous agricultural show known as a County Fair; and, as Branton
Hills had a big park, which you know all about, right in front of
Nancy's and Frank's small bungalow, it was a most natural spot for
holding it. And so, as this happy pair's third Autumn got around,
stirring activity in that big park also got a-going; for railings for
stockyards don't grow all built; yards and yards of brown canvas don't
just blow into a park; nor do "hot dog" and popcorn stands jump up from
nothing. And Nancy, rocking on that bungalow porch, could watch all
this work going on. And rocking was about all that Nancy could, or, I
should say, _should_ do, just now.
What a sight it was! Trucks; small cars; wagons; a gang with a tractor
plowing up hard spots; a gang picking up rocks, grading humpy spots,
and laying out ground plans. Masons building walls, and all kinds
of goods arriving, by tons. But out of all that confusion and ado a
canvas town will grow, strung from top to bottom with gaily flapping
flags and hanging bunting, and that customary "mid-way" with its long
rows of gaudy billboards, in front of which circus ballyhoo artists
will continuously bawl and shout out claims about sword-swallowing,
tattooing, hula-hula dancing, boa constrictor charming, or a Punch and
Judy show.
At a County Fair two things stand out as most important: farm stock
and that oval track around which swiftly trotting colts will thrill
thousands; and, I'll say, shrink a bank account or two! But, of all
sights, I don't know of any with such drawing ability for kids as just
such a carnival lot. So, daily, as soon as school was out, throngs
of happy, shouting, hopping, jumping boys and girls would dash for
that big park; looking, pointing, and climbing up on auto tops, into
lofty oaks, onto tall rocks, or a pal's back; for if anything is
difficult for a boy to obtain a sight of, nothing in climbing that an
orang-outang can do, will balk him!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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