Everybody made a rush for the exits. Each woman held up her
skirts and fairly galloped to get away from the mice and rats.
They all got out of the tent finally, and then the managers had a
meeting to find out who started the trouble, and what it was best to do
about it. I was sitting alone on a front seat, thinking over the scenes
of the afternoon, and wondering what the young senator's son would do
with the money he had won of me, and whether he had depopulated the
white house of rats and mice, so the president would notice it. I was
thinking about elephants and wondering if they were cowards by nature,
or had acquired cowardice by associating with mankind, when pa came
along and sat down by me, a picture of despair, 'cause Bolivar had
fractured one of his ribs, and the fat woman had paralyzed his knees
sitting on his lap while they brought her to after she fainted when she
thought a rat was climbing into her sock.
Pa sighed, and said: "Hennery, I wanted an exciting life, to keep me
from brooding over advancing age, and I chose the circus business, but I
find it is rather too strenuous for me. Each day something occurs to try
my nerves. I do not claim that you are to blame for it all, but I think
I could enjoy my position with the show if you would take the first
train that goes north, and leave me for awhile.
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