Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1918 — PHILOSOPHY OF WALT MASON [ARTICLE]

PHILOSOPHY OF WALT MASON

The winter nearly killed me off: it gave me grip and whooping cough, the .mumps, the measles and the itch, the rheumatiz and gout and sich. I’m thankful that I have survived- —the circus season has arrived! Today the first show came to town; it took three men to hold me down. For always when the circus comes, the ancient blood within me hums. I never weary of its sights, its atmosphere and ra-e delights. I love the grand free street parade, I love the lukewarm lemonade, the gymnasts, india-rub-ber men, the crocodiles from distant fen, the lovely girls with diadems composed of sparkling plate glass gems. I love the tigers in their cage, moth eaten lions in a rage, the camels with their hilly backs,

the snakes, the warthogs and the I yaks. I love the wild hyena’s yell, I love the good old circus smell; there’s nothing like that fine rich . scent outside the canvas circus | tent. The same old fragrance that ,1 knew in youth, when all my skies were blue, and I played hookey that imy eyes might see the tented para' dise. And when I hear the circus growl, the mingled groan and roar s and howl, the bark, the mutter and the whine, the same old thrill runs u p my spine. ——— -