American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-10-05
OLA HAUTE ECOLE.o

A long oval tent. half stable. half green
room. of Harman's circus; for it was
travelling circus, and not given to over
loading itself with superfluous baggage
badly lighted. strong smelling. the can
vasS brown with wear and Old age, tn
grass HnderfOot beaten down by the hOof
of the horses, and trodden into the miry
ground; an animated scene, with tn
riders and attendants and musicians scat
tered about; but strange and novel to me
standing there. while John Hartman, frs
groom to my father, rested himself aftel
the fatigues of the first part of the pro
gramme. He was sitting astride his chair
with his thumbs caught in the alternate
arm-holes of his waistcoat, and his round
| red face alternately serious and merry, as
he ran over his history of the last ter
years. He lett lis to help his brother
| who was always i'm the hOrsemanship line,
in the management of the circus; but since
then Tom Hartman had died, and our old
groom become the sole proprietor.
Tom would be pleased to see the old
place and the people tonight" he said,
| noddng at the curtain, which shut off the
ring. and the crowded seats, where the
| spectators were awaiting the second part
of the programme; land he would be
pleased to see Ali and mamZelle there,
poor Tom would. And to see her ride
too. Look at them. Mr.. George. They
Z. l.
He pointed to a white Arab horse. stand
ing close behind me. with girl in tall
ridiEg-hat and dark blue habit upon the
saddle. She looked up with slight smile
at 1arman'S remark and then flushed,
and started visibly, as our eyes met.
''Hullo, mamZelle - laughed Hartman.
Did you fancy he was going to join us
and We're you thinking what Il pretty
clown he would make?''
He rose from his chair. and, leaning
against the horses shoulder, looked up at
the girl with a merry grimace. But she
took no notice of him; there came no an
swaring smile this time upon her face.
well, well, mamZelle? - said Hartman,
as though she had answered his last ques-
tion s. if you don't think he will do for 4
clown, We'll put him upon horse, and he
can 90 in for your line. He can ride Il lit
tie. L taught him to ride almost
before he could walk. Didn't |,
Mr.. George?'' appealing to me.
$ And what a mite you looked upon old
Thistledown that day, to be sure; and
now you are man and an officer, and
will be marrying soon, no doubt, and
having mites of your own
The girls lips moved when Hartman
said was an officer: but he turned away
without waiting for her to speak. and
called out to the men on the other side of
the tent.
"You may make your fortune tonight,
mamzelle," he said, glancing up at her.
row. There goes the music. Are you
all ready? Good" and pushing aside the
curtain, he led the horse 4 few steps into
the ring.
Mademoisel!e s'told,'' as Hartman had
expected she would; and, if she pleased
the rustics, she created quite a sensation
among the ''swells in the front row. 1t
xx-ac rhaxr wb annIanfIa,l la most. If was
they who led the recall when the per-
formance was over. Hartman was in ec-
stacies of delight. Il knew she would
make hit," he kept on saying, rubbing
his hands.
And when the girl returned the second
time into the tent, as the applause still
continued, he led the horse again toward
the curtain for the further recall.
s. am not going in again tonight she
said shortly. jerking the reins out of his
hands, and checking the horse.
''But mamZelle. Listen"
81 don't care. They may pull the
place to pieces before 1 will CO. She
foot from the stirrup. ''Will you help
me DOWN." she asked, putting out her
hands.
mo no they want you again.
"Let them ~ she replied, her dark eyes
flashing like jewels as the light caught
them. And, without waiting for his re-
ply, she sprang recklessly from the sad
die.
Drawing the gauntlet off her hand, the
girl stood by the horse, fondling his soft
nose, till one of the grooms approached
to lead it away. Then, walking slowly,
backwards and forwards, over the trod-
den grass. she waited till the man left the
tent; and as soon as he was gone, she
came towards me with her gliding step.
II - f.N,.
recall, mademoiselle L asked. mo
wonder they
81 did not choose to. monsieur" she
said, cutting me short; but speaking less
imperious than she had spoken to Har-
man.
MY intended compliment, such as it was,
before her quick answer. She
came close to me,-sO close, that | could
have put my hands upon her rounded
shoulders, and said in Il quiet, earnest
voice, strangely different to the way she
had spoken before, with a slight foreign
accent for the first time becoming nOticea-
Bile
GLOW did you come to know Mr.. Har
man?''
ale was groom to my father when |
was quite little fellow
ssWhcre?''
AT home. At Waltonhill.''
Your name?'
l could no more help answering her
questions than l could help looking into
the depths of her great, dark eyes, that
held me under their spell.
George Fordyce."
GEORGE she repeated, as though she
knew l was Fordyce before l spoke.
YES But the girl hesitated; she did
not move away, though she looked no
longer up in my face. She was not salts
fed; her motive, whatever it was, for
asking these questions, was not answered
l blurted out in thOughtless, eager
What is It? What do you want to
ask about my family? Tell me, and trust
me-
was too candid, too bluff; in diplo-
matte sense, | made a great mistake. But
was young, and not accustomed to fem
cling in my speech and, though | startled
her, and troei so roughly upon her half
willing confidence rs to scatter it to the
winds, she saw that | was sincere; but
her timidity vanished as [ spoke, and
Dupont was again as a
stranger to me.
IL want to know nothing about your
family. Why should IL" And she laugh |
I'd a little at my bruskness. "You re-
mind me of some one | have seen. That's |
ALL
'.Of the same nameT' asked quickly, |