Is pacing it up and down;

And the elephants trudge as they trudged of yore,

With the shabby shebangs, and the steeds galore;

But the glee of the youngsters who shout and roar

At the tricks of the painted clown

Is balm to my soul, and I call encore

To the frowsy old jokes I’ve heard before,

When the circus came to town.

HIS FATHER

We meet him first in frills immersed,