Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a CircusOtis, James
General
Toby Tyler; Or, Ten Weeks with a Circus
Otis, James
Circus -- Fiction; Runaways -- Fiction
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 much
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.”
Ella was quite as well pleased with her sash as Toby was with his
costume, and thanked Mr. and Mrs. Treat in a pretty little way that made
Toby wish he could say anything half so nicely.
The hour which the skeleton had devoted for the purpose of the
presentation and accompanying speeches having elapsed, it was necessary
that Ella and Toby should go and that the doors of the exhibition be
opened at once, in order to give any of the public an opportunity of
seeing what the placards announced as two of the greatest curiosities on
the face of the globe.
That day, while Toby performed his arduous labors, his heart was very
light, for the evidences which the skeleton and his wife had given of
their regard for him were very gratifying. He determined that he would
do his very best to please so long as he was with the circus, and then,
when he got a chance to run away, he would do so, but not until he
had said goodby to Mr. and Mrs. Treat and thanked them again for their
interest in him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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