Gee, but pa was mad.  He said he was as good as any nigger, and that made them mad and they threw boiled potatoes and scrambled eggs at pa, and we had to retire, but when pa complained to the boss canvasman, he told pa to go and eat with the freaks and try and keep in his place.

[Illustration:  They Threw Boiled Potatoes and Scrambled Eggs at Pa.]

We got breakfast at another table, and then we went out on the lot to superintend the putting up of the big tents.  The greatest thing was a wagon containing a miniature pile driver, run by steam, which was driven around outside of where the big tents were to be, and it drove down the big stakes so quick it would make your head swim, and the grounds were covered with Peoria people who wanted to see how it was done.

Pa imitated the boss canvasman by walking around the lot with his coat over his arm, and a dirty shirt on, trying to look tough, and he bossed the sightseers about, and acted cross, and told a man and woman with a baby wagon to get off the lot, but pa was called down by the principal owner of the show good and plenty.

Said the owner to pa:  “Remember, the success of our show depends on the friendship and good will of the people who think enough of us to come out to see us set up keeping house, and that they are all our guests, and if they get in our way we should go around them, and look pleasant.  We must not get the big head and show that our hair pulls, and that we are tired and cross.  This is a place of amusement, and all connected with the show are expected to heal up sores, instead of causing bruises, and if you ever see an employee of this show treating a visitor unkindly, send him to the ticket wagon to get his wages, and tell him to go away quick, and stay away long.”

You could have lit a match to pa’s face, it was so red hot, but he learned a lesson, for I saw him holding a tired mother’s baby up on his shoulders, so it could see the drove of camels come up to the lot from the train, soon after.  It was great to see all the tents go up as if raised by machinery, and after all were erected, and the rings were graded, and the animals in the menagerie tent all fed and watered, and the performers in the dressing-room ready for the afternoon performance, pa was the proudest man ever was.  He walked all around, inspecting everything, and kicking occasionally at something that got balled up, and when the crowd came to buy tickets, he stood around the grand entrance, looking wise, and he was so good natured that he bet ten dollars he could guess which walnut shell a bean was under, which a three-card monte man was losing money at, and pa lost his ten with a smile.  He said he wanted to be kind to the patrons of the show.

This was my first appearance in the show business.  I had to stand up beside the giant, to show how little I was, and then I had to stand up beside the midget to show how big I was compared with him.  It went all right with the giant, because he was so big I was afraid of him, but I thought the midget was about my age, and needed protection, and when the crowd surged around us I said:  “Don’t be afraid, little fellow, I will see that no one harms you.”  The look he gave me was enough to freeze water.