“Dey all got autermobiles what dey will use. Dey don’t have to buy car-tickets,” argued Joe.
“The autos use gasoline, you know, and it is a long ride. Besides, Joe, why do you ask such a question. The cash taken in wouldn’t do you any good?” wondered Uncle Ben.
“I was t’inkin’—we could start a fund fer dat city home yeh know—de one you’se said oughter be run fer Little Citizens. I ain’t got no home to live in when I gets back to Noo York and it’s cold in winter, lemme tell you!”
“Joe, I am going to take up that very subject with these people when they get here and show them the good that home-life has done for you all. Now if you will promise to keep this secret, I’ll explain just why I’m anxious to have them see you boys and girls perform and do your best in some way.”
Joe eagerly agreed to keep the secret, and Uncle Ben continued:
“I’ve been planning about that City Home ever since we discovered Maggie could sing and Nelly could design, and some of you boys could play so well on musical instruments. I see that it will be necessary to bring all those interested welfare workers together here to see for themselves just what good a home in the city will do to you all. It isn’t the circus so much, as the idea to get them here and see the improvement in Little Citizens.”
Joe grinned at the confidence shared with him and said he would do all he could to make the show a success.
Uncle Ben then stopped at Mother Maggie’s Nest to ask her which of her songs she had decided to sing at the entertainment. Maggie was so joyously happy at the opportunity to sing in public that she rattled off ten songs, one on each fingertip as she counted—or she would have forgotten some.
“Oh, Mister Uncle Ben, if we only had gold wagons and an elephant! But of course we can’t have such wonders!”
“Some of the boys want a steam calliope to play the music for the parade,” ventured Uncle Ben.