With such remarks away they went

With such remarks away they went At this or that around the tent; The wire that not an hour before The Japanese had traveled o'er From end to end with careful stride, Was hunted up and quickly tried. Not one alone upon it stepped, But up by twos and threes they crept, Until the strand appeared to bear No less than half the Brownies there. Some showed an easy, graceful pose, But some put little faith in toes, And thought that fingers, after all, Are best if one begins to fall.

When weary of a sport they grew, Away to other tricks they flew. They rode upon the rolling ball Without regard to slip or fall; Both up and down the steep incline They kept their place, with balance fine, Until it bounded from the road, And whirled away without its load. They galloped 'round the dusty ring Without a saddle, strap or string, And jumped through hoops both large and small, And over banners, poles and all.

In time the elephant was found And held as though in fetters bound; Their mystic power controlled the beast,— He seemed afraid to move the least, But filled with wonder, limp and lax, He stood and trembled in his tracks, While all the band from first to last Across his back in order passed.