12 



HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 



the birds and the strange beasts of field and 

 stream might sing madrigals, or low becomingly 

 in on the calls of the vendor, they produced an 

 ensemble which those viewing will not soon for- 

 get. 



The story is one of pictures, ratheir more 

 than for words here; however,, a bit of description 

 may not come amiss. 



You, who entered through the turnstiles 

 clicking merrily for the occasion, found yourself 

 on a clean-swept but -rustic byway leading up the 

 hills. Broad, grassy fields relied away from you 

 here, and in these some Llamas disported. Friend 

 Llama, somehow, is an inquisitive chap, and the 

 vendors took advantage of this. Just near h s 

 paddock they stationed society girls, in the dain- 

 tiest white Oriental garments — the sort the lucky 

 traveller will meet with in French Algiers. The 

 Llamas had never seen anything quite like these, 

 and hovered round that end of the meadow; mean- 

 while, they helped d,ra\v the crowds, and these 

 invested in attractive guide-maps and programs 

 — little gems at only 25c ! 



On a ways, too, a French soldier — a zouave, 

 rather, to be exact — wearing glittering bayonet 

 at his gun-end and his scarlet uniform fairly 

 radiating the sun-shine, managed to induce the 

 fallow deer to tay (round and watch him at safe 

 distance; and folk who saw the deer also saw the 

 programs which he offered and, of course, they 

 bought, in turn. 



A touch of Nature, don't you know, makes 

 all the world akin and here these wild things of 

 field and stream gave just that added touch. 



Yonder a brooklet came down on the recks, 

 splashing from gold-fish bowl to bowl. A wee 

 girlie took her place near to sell pin-wheels for 

 the fair, and when Jackie Roosa came to see the 

 pretty fishes, doting auntie emptied purse for the 

 fluttering pin-wheels also there. 



With stone's throw, . where the trees grew 

 almost tallest, the big elephant wagged h(]r tiny 

 tail and enjoyed the sun. Meanwhile, from the 

 howdah on her back, criers called nert perform- 

 ance of the circus, and, as if to beg each passer- 

 by to follow, a proud peacock strolled his way, 

 heedless of the passers, to the door. . From its 

 cage beyond, the lion roared his welcome and, 

 at three, the usual feeding time, his bay was re- 

 echoed by other felines by the score. 



Naturally, you were going to "take in" the 

 circus — genuine, old-style, one-ring, country cir- 

 cus — sort you enjoyed out in the country in your 

 childhood, but first you would see the other sights; 

 then, that anon. 



Just the vendors, women in every phase of 

 costumery, the broad French possessions offered, 



would warrant your coming to study; no two 

 gowns alike; often no. two with identical embroid- 

 ery or other ornamental piece. Over where the 

 maribou stork stalked on his one leg next the 

 lake, as if to say : " Come, follow on and be rid 

 of your last shekels !" 



Two demoiselles fair had little trays with 

 cigarettes for men; for milady, bottles of eau de 

 cologne. On a bit, where the monkeys leaped 

 and danced and chattered in their cages, wee 

 French girlies sold bisque dollies to the other 

 children from their arm-baskets there. 



No, of course you made no systematic tour, 

 once you had come thus far. You, and no one 

 other ! You had caught the holidaying, out-of- 

 dcor spirit; you were at the fair ! And you 

 stopped when you would; when you would, you 

 continued. 



The elephant, the camels, the Shetland pon- 

 ies, or now was that a mule painted thuswise, 

 were passing" once more in circus processional, 

 and, like everyone else ,,you stopped at the road- 

 side to watch and wait. 



Turning from this, a parrot called at you; 

 turning, you found a tempting refreshment booth 

 near. Coffee, strong and like the French like, 

 milk, half cream this, other delectables, could be 

 had at this "life- saving station" as they called it 

 here. 



Of course, you stopped to indulge and while 

 you did (clever, indeed, the planning, for never 

 is mind in better giving mood than when the 

 body is new refreshed] pictures of some of these 

 fatherless French children greeted, plead'ng that 

 you adopt. Only $36.50 a year,, and this, then, 

 to be paid monthly, would adopt a French orphan 

 for a twelve month; you could pick your child 

 here and this then, for one year at the time. 



Going on, "Algerines," in daintiest garments 

 led past runways with strange creatures of the 

 wild and amid pools where as rare water-birds 

 disported, to the French market per se. Things 

 of beauty, things of service, things to tempt the 

 inner man, one and all were there. There were 

 white-garbed booths with the tall French phlox 

 and with the roses dear to the Frenchman. There 

 were stalls of the estragon; you could flavour 

 vinegar with this, or chip the leaves into salad 

 instead. There were cans of pate-de-fois gras and 

 there were jars of French mustard; or, if you 

 wished, there were great bunches of beets. 



Chances are some young woman soon induced 

 you to really market, French fashion; that is, to 

 invest in an entire basket of wares. Carrots and 

 beans and lettuce and cabbage intermingled with 

 the beets then. A young Alsatian girl, with the 

 great black bow of ribbon on her head that char- 



