Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1887 — JAKE’S JOLLIFICATION. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

JAKE’S JOLLIFICATION.

|AKU was tall for his /.years, raw-boned, lank, •stoop-shouldered, and, a stereotyped expression of wide-mouthed ) wonder always on his face, he was as fair a specimen of a backwoods Hoosier as one would wish to see. He was just turned eighteen, having reached that period of his existence when he was inclined to occasionally disregard parental authority and in-

dulge in certain pleasures, such as half-hol-iday trips to the county-seat town, attending picnics or dances on the green, an occasional horse-race, etc., to all of which his father entered the most strenuous objections, but generally without avail. But, taken all in all, Jacob Poe was not wholly bad; in fact, he was in many respects a most excellent boy. He had known no)hing but a life of the most slavish toil ever since he had been old enough to “pack” water in a jug to the hands in the field; and as he grew up his duties increased until, several years before we have introduced him to your notice, he had done a man’s work on the farm. He drove team, plowed, worked picking “trash” and rolling logs in the “clearing,” and "made his hand” in the harvest field, and had received for it his clothes, board, and three mouths’ schooling each year. In a vague and somewhat nebulous manner Jake felt that he had reason for being at times discontented and rebellious. He had an illy defined idea that he ought to be do-

ing better in the world than he was doing; but with his limited knowledge of the world and its ways, and his lack of booklearning, he was naturally timid about launching out in any enterprise of his own. One bright morning late in June he had been plowing corn in the bottom field until, becoming tired and thirsty, he tied his horse in the fence-corner while he himself sought a neighboring spring to drink from its cooling waters and to rest in the grateful shade of the thick woods, along the Borders of which lay the cornfield where he had been at work. While reclining at full length on his back on the grassy carpet which old Dame Nature had so kindly laid, and gazing upward into a sky as blue and beaut ful as only a June sky can be, his ear caught ths sound of voices. Instantly he was on his feet, and, casing his eyes in the direction of the highway, which was only a few rods distant, he saw two men seated in a beautiful painted wagon and apparently talking to some others at the roadside. “Jeeminy! What’s that?” he ejaculated, and at once started toward them. As he clambered up onto the fence by the roadside, he saw painted in big letters on the side of the wagon the word “Barnum,” while a little distance away were ten men plastering tbe walls of an old deserted blacksmith shop with flaming posters announcing that the “triple alliance of matchless aggregations,” etc., would exhibit in Kokomo, for one day only, July the Fourth. Jake forgot all about his horse and plow and the corn which was needing his attention so badly. As one by one, and section by section, the great colored sheets went up, his interest increased, until having finally taken in the full grandeur of the coming show, he exclaimed: “It’s a dang shame fer old Barnum to bring hiß cirkus ’long here jest in the beginin’ of wheat enttin’. Why’n thunder can’t be wait till after harvest, then a feller might stan’ sum chaincte of goin’.’! i A moment later, however, the cloud on his face brightened, and the thought which had lifted it found expression; “Thtmner

and liten, I kin go at night; it’s only eight miles to town, and I kin ride it after supper—es pap’ll let me off.” By this time the men had finished (heir work and hastily climbing into tlieir wagon, they drove rapidly away. Jack watched them until they disappeared around a bend in the road, when he slowly got down from the fence and returned to his work. “I reckon,” said old man Poe that day at dinner, “that pervidin’ the weather keeps on favorin’ us, the wheat’ll do to cut by the Fourth; fact right smart chaincte of its beg linin' to turn a’ready.” “Oh, pshaw, pap!” said Jake, “you’re alius crowdin’ the cattle. I think the wheat’s ’bout as backward this year as I ever saw it. Tenny rate I don’t think we kin cut a lick in it till after the Fourth. ’Sides, I’m a goin’ to the cirkus that day, and you might as well make your ’rangements that way now.” It is unnecessary to give (he dialogue which followed Jake’s declaration as above quoted; but suffice it to say the matter was compromised by his father agreeing to let him off in time to attend the night performance in case they were in the wheat field on the Fourth, and if not, Jake was to have the whole day for a holiday. * * *- * * * *

At an early hour on the momiDg of the Fourth, the streets of Kokomo presented a lively appearance. Judging from the almost countless number of country people who crowded and jostled along the pave, sat in stairw'ays and in stores when seats weie to be obtained at all, there was very little wheat cut in Howard County that day. As the hours went slowly by (he crowd increased, until by ten o’clock tbe four sides of the public square were lined with a dense mass of sweltering humanity, while the large, green plat about the Court House, shaded as it was by a goodly number of thrifty young maples, was a veritable picnic ground, on which many were already eating their luncheons so as to be in ample time to get t ckets for the afternoon performance. Need I tell you our friend Jake was among the very earliest arrivals? I fancy

not. He had ridden a colt into town, apd knowing it would not stand “hitched out” all day long, he had put it up at the livery, and with “Dud.” Perkins, his faithful friend and chum, had been down to the show-grounds to see the procession form, had made friends with some of the hostlers in the stables, and by carrying several tubs of water fiom the creek close by, had before ten o’clock, earned their tickets of admission into the show. The parade was grand; in fact, the most skeptically inclined, those who came expecting to be humbugged, said it was the biggest thing they had ever seen, and that the show was suretobe immense. Indeed, many wbo openly avowed that they came only to see the parade, and who had declared that that was all that would be worth seeing, now concluded to stay and witness the afternoon’s entertainment. Among those earliest in their seats under the. huge canopy of canvas were Jake and “Dud.” The show opened, as do all circuses, with the grand entree; and then followed act after act, in such swift and bewildering succession, and of such a wonderful character, that our two friends mutually confessed, as did many others, no doubt, that they wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Finally one of the old clowns cams bounding into the ring, followed by a small but wicked-looking mule, which he introduced as the famous trick mule. He also stated with much elegance of phrase that Mr. Bamum offered one hundred dollars in gold to any one who would be able to ride the little fellow three times around the main ring. Now Jake had, as yet, never seen the four-footed animal which he could not ride. So after much earnest consultation with “Dud, ” he stepped out and offered to make the attempt to stride the little mule that had so far succeeded in pitching his previous riders over his head, and that almosf before they knew it. The ringmaster offered to hold Pedro, as the mule was called, while Jake got on; but Jake declined his kindness. Quick as a flash he was on the animal's back, and had locked his long legs under its belly and entwined his arms about its neck; then lying forward, he took one of its ears between his teeth and began to bite it fiercely. Amazed at this new treatment, and stung with pain, Pedro forgot to cut his antics, but dashed off at furious gallop, and almost before the slowmen —or t e crowd either, for that matter —had realized it, had run three times about the ring. As Jake quickly slid from the little fellow’s back, the cheers and sLouts of' the aud.ence wore almost deafening, while he, hardly realizing what he had done, stood and gazed first at tha sea of faces, then at the clown, the mule and the ringmaster, like one in a dream. Still more was he fiust rated when Mr. Bamum himself stepped into the ring, and, taking Jake by the hand, praised him for his pluck, tact and excebent horsemanship, and presented him with the purse containing one hundred dollars in bright shining gold. Jake,-in a confused way, thanked him, and was turning to go when the old showman caught him by the arm, and with him standing by his side mounted a lrgh stcol. He then introduced Jake to the audience, and amid a hurricane of applause the poor fellow was allowed to take his seat. Jake was the lion of the hour, and he is to-day the hero of his neighborhood. For miles around be is known as Pedro Jake, “the feller, and the only feller, who ever rid the trick mule at Barnum s < irons. ’’

[?]