Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 900 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a7 i*s 4 ee Ay, a. q “ ai t : hy ;* ¥ - - %- ® 'd . e 4 .. 4 . “ + *_ - ” § « bok te ) A ‘tickets for all the performances, * “* What? You mean to say you Riveusadrink?” I What do *, Jumping-Jack’s Jubilee. hair and tanned face, and his whole raiment consisted of hat, shirt and trowsers, ‘*What’s your name?” the showman asked. ; ‘‘My name’s Jack Reed, but the boys all call me Jumpin’-Jack, fer a nickname, sir.” ‘‘Jumping-Jack?” ce Yes. ) ‘‘Ha, ha, ha! Well, that is a nickname, true enough. Why do they call you that?” ‘* Because I’m a jumper.” “Tet me see you jump, if that’s the case.”’ The boy flung his hat to the ground, leaped up lightly, and to the astonishment of the showman and all who stood near, turned over backward with the greatest ease, as quick as a wink, and came down upon the same spot where he had been standing. | ‘Great Scott!” Harry Murray exclaimed. “‘ Where did you learn to do that, boy?” ** Learnt it myself, sir.” ~** Can you do anything else?” **T can jump over a string a foot higher than my head, with a run, sir; and | can tumble twice, if I get a good start.” The mischief you can! You are a circus in yourself, But, you must have seen some- body do these things to put you in the notion of it, didn’t you?” ‘‘ Yes; there was a circus here two years ago, an’ me an’ some of the other boys took to playin’ circus. I’m the only one that stuck to it, though, and now they say I have circus on the brain.” ‘Well, you have made a go of it, sure enough. Yes, take that pail and get some water and keep this gang of men supplied while they are at work, and I'll give you And, say, I' want to see you again before we go away.” - ‘All right, sir.” The boy grinned from ear to ear, gave the wink tv some of his chums who stood a little distance off, and grabbing up the pail was away like a shot to begin the work that was to bring the promised reward, The showman turned sharply to some of the men who had been lagging at their work while he had been talking with the boy, his voice soon had them all on the jump again at their liveliest, and the big white tent grew and assumed shape with every passing minute, | This was a red-letter day in the annals of Warrenton. For weeks this day had been eagerly looked forward to, especially on the part of the boys of the town, Every foot of available space throughout the town, almost, had been made use of by the bill-stickers, and the gorgeous pictures had been viewed again and again with won- der and delight. And this was the day—the day of all days to the small boy, and the circus was there, a reality! , It was bright and early in the morning. The train bad arrived before daylight, and when the town awoke the wagons were being removed from the railroad to the field where the tents were to be put up. As ever, the boys of the town were on hand as quickly as possible, and ‘* Jumping ”’ Jack Reed was second to none, as may be imagined from the glimpse the reader has now had of him, and the words quoted. Jumping-Jack made all the haste possible to the nearest place where water was to be had, and filling the pail, hurried back again. Before reaching the big tent he had to pass another that was being put up. Here he was stopped, by one of the show- men. : | | | you want?” the boy demanded. ** Water, of course, you monkey!” A* Well, you can’t have any of this, sir.” won't ° . = i fe. . j Ars’ ~~ “i va, 4 ok a . te 4 bg . | ' £ - ag: . 4 . ' LPP ai ve as : a ‘Be = tbh a7 a3 * ree? en ps oa Ho} ity ‘iS e a Y ay s —* ~ a A. ye tae’ ae. Lasts 5 5 fey iy 7S ws pit heer “€, = € sux — 2 Ses eae a 4 — ~~ j : if ¥ at, Fe od 3 . ve. 1 i Meta Anas a eT vt ae ag nee es eden P "Jere! ef ; 4 P| : a ‘> ng ot gllieeh ete “T’m carrying water for the gang in the big tent, and there—”’ ‘ ‘‘We don't care a picayune who you are carrying it for; you hand over that pail or I'll kick a lung out of you!” The fellow was a dark-faced man of thirty, perhaps, and was evidently the boss of the gang at work upon thistent. As he spoke he stepped forward and reached for the pail. _‘* Keep off!” Jumping-Jack warned. ‘‘Give me that pail, confound you, boy!” With this he gave Jack a cuff on the side of his head. Jack had been trying to escape him, but, of course, could not do so with the heavy pail in hand, No sooner had he been struck, however, than he stooped slightly, gripping the pail with both hands, and in the same moment the whole contents was dashed in the man’s face. . Harry Murray, coming from the big tent, was justin time to see the whole perform- ance, He ran speedily toward the scene. With an oath, the drenched man picked up a tent-pin and aimed a blow at the boy which must have killed him if he had been struck. Jumping-Jack ducked his head with the quickness of lightning, and before another blow could be aimed he had ieaped in the air and the heels of both feet were planted squarely upon the man’s breast with force. Down went the man, with a shock that al- most rendered him insensible for the mo- ment, : ‘“That was a close call for you, boy,” said Murray, who reached the spot at that mo- ment. for he is an ugly devil,” Jumping-Jack noticed that the superin- tendent had a pistol in hand, ‘He wasn’t quick enough, that was all,” Jack responded as coolly asif nothing had happened. ‘‘I’ll have to go and fill’er up again,” taking the pail and starting off im- mediately. Harry Murray looked at him a moment, then turned to the man onthe ground and ordered him to get up. ‘* You are making trouble again, are you, Tom Hunter?’ he demanded, ‘‘If you had killed that boy I would have shot you down in your tracks like adog! Don’t you dare to lay a finger on him!” ‘Well, he needn’t been so ’fraid of his water, need he? An’ what business had he to drown me like this?” ‘* You should not have struck him. it all. He knew what he was about.” “Well, you tell him to keep clear o’ Tom Hunter.” The last was said in a muttered tone, and did not clearly reach the ears of the superin tendent, as the fellow turned to his work. Most of Jumping-Jack’s chums had wit- nessed the set to, and they could not conceal the admiration they had for their hero. This was the first time they.had ever seen Jack fight just that way. Murray remained within sight until Jack returned with the second pail of water, and had passed safely into the big tent, and even then, before going elsewhere, he told some of the men to have an eye upon Hunter to see that he did the boy no harm. The showman had taken a liking to Jump- ing-Jack. na few hours the tents were all up and the minor details were being pushed rapidly to completion. ’ ‘ The band chariot and other vehicles, were forming in line for the great street parade, and now there were great crowds of sight- Aa standing around and taking in every- ing. — | Among these well-known character around town, He wasa drunkard, a veritable sot, who, I saw ce od i ey). mx e ce ak Ate . “‘T thought sure he would kill you, was one John Witman, a in his younger days, had had some connec- tion or other with a circus himself, 's He was now sober, or as sober as he was ever likely to be found in this world, and had been talking with the workmen here and there around, about old times, trying to ‘* work ” a pass, ‘ Jumping-Jack had finished his work and was standing near him, They were looking at the band-wagon and other attractions, and while they were thus engaged Tom Hunter came along. Jumping Jack had been taking care to keep out of his way, and so drew back a lit- tleand put himself on the other side of Wit- man, where atree concealed him. partly from view. The drunkard, on the strength of having been in the profession himself, had made his way further to the front than others cared to intrude, and when Hunter came along and stopped near him, Witman engaged him im- mediately in conversation in which Jumping- Jack was destined to hear something impor- tant. CHAPTER II. A STORY THAT SUGGESTED A SCHEME, ‘‘T’m blamed if you don’t git up a good © turn-out, neighbor,” Old Wit paid compli- ment, That was the nickname by which the bum was familiarly known—‘‘ Old Wit,” ‘* Yes, it will do,” growled Hunter, “Jt ’minds me a good deal of what Cook ‘n’ Tucker’s was, fifteen or twenty years ago, an’ I tell you that was a hummer!” ‘‘T’ve heard said that it was a good show,” Hunter merely rejoined. The old bummer prattled on, in his crack- voiced way, saying a good deal in praise of the old show, but ‘‘ allowing” that this one was just a little better; and meantime the parade was forming. Presently the superintendent of the show came running with a little child in his arms, a child nut more than five or six years old, as pretty as a flower and clad in the neatest and at the same time the most striking cos- tume that can be imagined, for such a tot. Murray passed with-her close to where Old Wit and Hunter were standing, ( At sight of the child the bummer’s face turned ashy white, he gave a gasp and a start, involuntarily taking a step forward to- ward her, Hunter noticed him, ‘‘What’s the matter with you?” he de- manded. : . ‘‘That—that kid!’’ the bummer ejaculated, ‘‘ Who—who is she, neighbor?” * You look as if you had seen a ghost, old man, That’s Sam Bruce’s_ brat, curse him! She's on the bills as ‘ Baby Bess,’ ” ‘“Dast me if her face didn’t give me a shock.” | . ‘‘Tt gave you more than a shock, I should think, the way you looked and acted.. Re- minded you of somebody?” ‘That's what it did.” Who?” “That's quite a story, neighbor. But, say, how comes you ain’t in the parade yer- self?’ ‘‘T’ve got the bounce, that’s the reason.” “Whew! ye don’t say?” Pact,” ‘« What fer?” ‘Well, like your case, it’s quite a story. Had some trouble with & boy here early this mornin’, an’ as Murray had it in for me anyhow he used that as a ’scuse and let — me go.” ‘Who was the boy?’ “They call him Jumpin’-Jack, I believe.” | ‘1 know him; smartest chap in this hull town if I do say, hang him!” ‘st ‘“You have no love for him?” ‘‘ Well, not much; but that ain’t to ain’t smart. on the brain.” rhe say he He’s a bay that’s got circug — i = . % 6 cae ~ oe a a “-% py a | ' , Bape 1 - ape ix ‘ ' > f . >, ? ~ “4 s { ' . :