An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,-- You better mind yer parents, an' yer teachers fond an' dear, An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear, An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about, Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you Ef you Don't Watch Out! [Illustration: 023] BILLY MILLERS CIRCUS-SHOW At Billy {023}Miller's Circus-Show-- In their old stable where it's at-- The boys pays twenty pins to go, An' gits their money's-worth at that!-- 'Cause Billy he can climb an' chalk His stockin'-feet an' purt'-nigh walk A tight-rope--yes, an' ef he fall He'll ketch, an' "skin a cat"--'at's all! [Illustration: 024] He {024}ain't afeard to swing an' hang 1st by his legs!--an' mayby stop An' yell "look out!" an' nen--k-spang He'll let loose, upside-down, an' drop Wite on his hands! An' nen he'll do "Contortion-acts"--ist limber through As "Injarubber Mens" 'at goes With shore-fer-certain circus-shows! [Illustration: 025] {025} [Illustration: 027] He's {027}got a circus-ring--an' they's A dressin'-room,--so's he can go An' dress an' paint up when he plays He's somepin' else;--'cause sometimes he's "Ringmaster"--bossin' like he please-- An' sometimes "Ephalunt"--er "Bare- Back Rider," prancin out o' there! [Illustration: 028] An' {028}sometimes--an' the best of all!-- He's "The Old Clown," an' got on clo'es All stripud,--an' white hat, all tall An' peakud--like in shore-'nuff shows,-- An' got three-cornered red-marks, too, On his white cheeks--ist like they do!-- An' you'd ist die, the way he sings An' dances an' says funny things! End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Orphan Annie and Billy Miller's Circus-Show, by James Whitcomb Riley