Beatrice was a mother . . . and the embitteredringmaster of the circus Hunsdorfer featuring threegenerations of crazy ladies living under thesloppiest big top on earth. Nanny was no problem. Shesat and stared and stayed silent as a venerablevegetable should. Ruth was half-mad and easilybought with an occasional cigarette. But how is theworld would Beatrice control Tillie--keeper ofrabbits, dreamer of atoms, true believer in life,hope, and the effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moonmarigolds . . .