ight of enchantment.

The circus had a very sick horse, a beautifully marked mare, sorrel and
snow white with glass eyes, as they are termed. The beautiful creature
was housed in the stable of the Marshall House. The animal was evidently
one of value to the circus folk as many of them visited the stable; all
seemed anxious as to the mare's recovery. After the afternoon
performance, Dr. Thayer, his wife and daughter were in the stable
administering to the sick horse. The circus man was completing
arrangements to have the tavern keeper care for the mare and send her on
to the show, if she were able to travel by the time the company reached
Uniontown.

Isaac Vance assured the circus people that everything possible would be
done for the mare, and turning to Alfred, laying both hands on the boy's
shoulders, facing him toward Mr. Thayer, said: "And here's the lad who
will take your mare to Uniontown. He can ride any horse or mule you
have. You should have this boy with your show, he is an actor right. Our
people swear by him, he can beat anything you have in the nigger
minstrel line."

Then Alfred, with a freshness born of ignorance, said: "Yes, Mr. Thayer,
you have a fine circus but your minstrels ain't much, not as good as
those with Van Amberg's Menagerie, and everybody says so."

Mr. Thayer and his wife both seemed greatly amused at the frankness of
the boy. The showman quizzed Alfred as to what he could do in the
concert. Alfred, as all other "rube" amateurs have done and always will
do, wanted to engage to give the entire concert. Thayer had more
patience then than Alfred has now as he listened to the boastful
assumptions of the boy.

Finally he said: "If you will get a letter from your father granting me
permission to employ you, I will give you the opportunity of your life,
but do not come to me without the permission of your parents, as our
show does not employ minors. It's against the law."

It was further arranged that Alfred should take the Lilly mare to
Uniontown the day the show exhibited there. Mrs. Thayer led Alfred to
one side and, pressing two dollars into his hand, charged him to visit
the sick horse several times daily, and no matter if those in charge
asserted that they had given her sufficient water, Alfred was to offer
the animal drink. She so charged the stable man, stuttering Hughey
Boggs.

After the night show Alfred called at the stable. The mare seemed very
sick. He offered her water which