The Circus of Dr. Lao by Charles G. Finney Read Free Book Online Page A

color; a soft vinous odor was diffused in the air. He handed the beaker to Mr. Rogers. "Try a sip."
     John tasted it. "Sherry," he said.
     Apollonius tasted it. "I'd call it muscatel," he corrected. "What do you say it is, madam?"
     Mrs. Rogers tried the wine. "It's a little like that in church," she said thoughtfully. "Of course, that's the only wine I ever drank before, so I don't know how to compare it."
     "Well, it's not sacramental wine," said Apollonius. "I'm sure of that. But drink it up before Doctor Lao sees it. He doesn't like to have alcohol on the grounds."
     Edna Rogers tugged at her mother.
     "Mother, have him do something we like," she pouted.
     "Do you care for flowers?" asked Apollonius.
     "A little," said Edna.
     "Naw, we don't like 'em," said Willie.
     "Oh, yes, make some flowers for the children," said Mrs. Rogers.
     The thaumaturge made passes in the air, and pink rose petals fell all about the family and on their shabby shoulders. He made more passes, and violets grew about their feet. Black flowers, yellow edged, climbed the sides of the tent. Mauve flowers with fuzzy tops and thin green leaves sprang up among the violets. A great grey flower on a hairy stalk floated up over their heads. It had a beard like a goat. Spikes and spines clustered the edges of its uneven petals.
     Apollonius regarded the big blossom in wonderment. "Goodness," he said, "I never made a flower like that one before in all my life. I wonder what kind it could be. Do you know, mister?"
     "Naw," said the plumber. "I don't know a whole lot of flowers. Just the common kinds like dandelions and all."
     "Well," said Apollonius, "it's a big brute, whatever it is."
     "I think you do the cleverest tricks," said Mrs. Rogers. "Don't you, children?"
     Touched to the quick, the mage said: "Oh, these aren't tricks, madam. Tricks are things that fool people. In the last analysis tricks are lies. But these are real flowers, and that was real wine, and that was a real pig. I don't do tricks. I do magic. I create; I transpose; I color; I transubstantiate; I break up; I recombine; but I never trick. Would you like to see a turtle? I can create a very superior turtle."
     "I do," said Willie. "I want to see a turtle."
     The magician kicked away some of the violets until he came to the bare soil. Enough of this he scraped up to fill both hands. He molded the earth between his fingers, smoothing it and shaping it and patting it and rubbing it. It became yellow and thick and malleable.
     "Oh, oh!" said Alice. "Look, it's changing into a turtle. Gee, that's a wonderful trick."
     Apollonius placed the turtle on the ground. Its head was withdrawn into its shell. He tapped on its back with a twig. "That generally makes them stick their heads out," he explained.
     After a moment or so of being tapped the turtle did stick its head out. But instead of a single head it produced two. The heads were side by side, joined to the neck like the forks of a stick. The two heads opened their four eyes and two mouths and yawned. Then each head tried to start in a different direction.
     "Oh, goodness," said Apollonius disgustedly, "I would botch the job just when I wanted to do a really neat piece of magic for you. Imagine making such a freak of a thing! Two heads! Really, I apologize. I'm ashamed at my ineptitude."
     "Oh, that's all right," said the plumber. "I guess them things are kinda hard to make right anyway."
     Some more people came crowding into the tent, Doctor Lao following them.
     "Uh, Apollonius," whispered the doctor, "I promised these folks you would resurrect a man from the dead for them. You'll do it, won't you? They all expressed themselves as being very much interested in watching you at it."
     "Why, certainly," the wizard whispered back. "But,