Harper's Young People, April 18, 1882 / An Illustrated Weekly

TRAINING THE OLD BLIND HORSE.
Now I'll see about makin' the saddle, said Bob, 'cause I've seen 'em a good many times in a circus, an' I know jest how they're made. While I'm doin' that, you fellers must be fixin' 'bout who else we'll have in the show. Leander Leighton will come up here to-morrow, so's we can hear how he plays, an' we must have everything fixed by then.
Why didn't he come to-day? asked Ben, thinking that all the members of the firm should have been present at this first rehearsal.
LEANDER IS ENGAGED AT HOME.
Well, you see, he had to split some wood, an' he had to take care of the baby. I offered to help him with the wood; but he said he couldn't get away any quicker if I did, for just as soon as the baby saw another feller waitin' 'round, she'd yell so awful hard he'd have to stay in all day.
This explanation as to the absence of the band appeared to be perfectly satisfactory to those present, and they began to discuss the merits of certain of their companions in order to decide upon the proper ones to enlist as members, since the number of their performers was not so large as they thought it should be in a show where an admission fee of three cents was to be charged.
Just as they were getting well into their discussion, and, of course, speaking of such matters as managers should keep a profound secret from the public, Bob cried out:
There comes Abner Bolton! He's always runnin' 'round where he ain't wanted; an' I wonder how he come to know we was here? I'll send him off mighty quick, now you see.
The boy who had disturbed Bob so greatly was so near when he was first discovered that by the time the threat had been uttered he was close upon them. He was a small boy, not more than eight years old, and hardly as large as a boy of six should be; he walked on crutches because of his deformed legs, which hung withered and almost useless, barely capable of supporting his slight weight.
Now, what do you want? asked Bob, in an angry tone.