`` Bears ! oh , do tell about them ! '' exclaimed Bab , in great excitement , for at the only circus she had seen the animals were her delight . `` Buck had five of 'em , cross old fellers , and he showed 'em off . I played with 'em once , jest for fun , and he thought it would make a hit to have me show off instead of him . But they had a way of clawin ' and huggin ' that was n't nice , and you could n't never tell whether they were good-natured or ready to bite your head off . Buck was all over scars where they 'd scratched and bit him , and I was n't going to do it ; and I did n't have to , owin ' to Miss St. John 's standin ' by me like a good one . '' `` Who was Miss St. John ? '' asked Mrs. Moss , rather confused by the sudden introduction of new names and people . `` Why she was ` Melia , -- Mrs. Smithers , the ringmaster 's wife . His name was n't Montgomery any more 'n hers was St. John . They all change 'em to something fine on the bills , you know . Father used to be Senor Jose Montebello ; and I was Master Adolphus Bloomsbury , after I stopped bein ' a flyin ' Coopid and a infant Progidy . '' Mrs. Moss leaned back in her chair to laugh at that , greatly to the surprise of the little girls , who were much impressed with the elegance of these high-sounding names . `` Go on with your story , Ben , and tell why you ran away and what became of your Pa , '' she said , composing herself to listen , really interested in the child . `` Well , you see , father had a quarrel with old Smithers , and went off sudden last fall , just before tenting season ' was over . He told me he was goin ' to a great ridin ' school in New York and when he was fixed he 'd send for me . I was to stay in the museum and help Pedro with the trick business . He was a nice man and I liked him , and ` Melia was goin ' to see to me , and I did n't mind for awhile . But father did n't send for me , and I began to have horrid times .
If it had n't been for ` XXXXX and Sancho I would have cut away long before I did . ''
Ben Melia Montebello Pedro Progidy flyin owin ridin ringmaster standin