Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a CircusOtis, James
General
Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a Circus
Otis, James
Circus -- Fiction; Runaways -- Fiction
"I hold in this bundle," continued Mr. Treat as he waved the package on
high, "a costume for our bold and worthy equestrian, and a sash to match
for his beautiful and accomplished companion. In presenting these little
tokens my wife (who has embroidered every inch of the velvet herself)
and I feel proud to know that, when the great and auspicious occasion
occurs to-morrow, the worthy Mr. Tyler will step into the ring in a
costume which we have prepared expressly for him; and thus, when he does
himself honor by his performance and earns the applause of the
multitude, he will be doing honor and earning applause for the work of
our hands--my wife Lilly and myself. Take them, my boy; and when you
array yourself in them to-morrow you will remember that the only Living
Skeleton, and the wonder of the nineteenth century in the shape of the
Mammoth Lady, are present in their works if not in their persons."
As he finished speaking Mr. Treat handed the bundle to Toby, and then
joined in the applause which was being given by Mrs. Treat and Ella.
Toby unrolled the package, and found that it contained a circus-rider's
costume of pink tights and blue velvet trunks, collar and cuffs,
embroidered in white and plentifully spangled with silver. In addition
was a wide blue sash for Ella, embroidered to correspond with Toby's
costume.
The little fellow was both delighted with the gift and at a loss to know
what to say in response. He looked at the costume over and over again,
and the tears of gratitude that these friends should have been so good
to him came into his eyes. He saw, however, that they were expecting him
to say something in reply, and, laying the gift on the platform, he said
to the skeleton and his wife,
"You've been so good to me ever since I've been with the circus that I
wish I was big enough to say somethin' more than that I'm much obliged,
but I can't. One of these days, when I'm a man, I'll show you how much I
like you, an' then you won't be sorry that you was good to such a poor
little runaway boy as I am."
Here the skeleton broke in with such loud applause and so many cries of
"Hear! hear!" that Toby grew still more confused, and forgot entirely
what he was intending to say next.
"I want you to know how much obliged I am," he said, after some
hesitation, "an' when I wear 'em I'll ride just the best I know how,
even if I don't want to, an' you sha'n't be sorry that you gave them to
me."
As Toby concluded he made a funny little awkward bow, and then seemed to
be trying to hide himself behind a chair from the applause which was
given so generously.
"Bless your dear little heart!" said the fat lady, after the confusion
had somewhat subsided. "I know you will do your best, anyway, and I'm
glad to know that you're going to make your first appearance in
something that Samuel and I made for you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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