Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-15

All! il Jacques could have wrapped him in
his quilt, carried him OF taken him to the
circus, shown him the clown dalcing under
the lighted chandelier, and said to him,
There is Boum- Boum!"
He did better than that, this good Jacques.
He went to the circus, he asked for the
| clowns address, and tinlidly, with limbs
weakened by emotion, 10 mounted step by
step the staircase that led to the home Of the
artist at Montmartre. 1t was very bold what
| le had come to do there, this man jacques!
But after ali, actors are willing to go and
plsy, to recite raonologues in the drawing
rooms Of fine people. Perhaps the clown
oh, if he only ould!-ray DO willing to come
AID say good morning TO Francois. What
mattered it how they received him, Jacques
| Legrand. ct Boum- Boun,'s home!
1t was no longer Bcum- Bouni It was H.
Moraine, who, in tho rooms Of an artist,
among books, eDgravinSs, an artistic ele-
gance making . choice background to q
charming man, who received jacques in his
ofilcs Ike that Of q physician Jacques stared,
did not recognize the clown, and turned his
| soft hat over and over in his hands. The
other waited. Then the father excused him
self. 1t was surprising what he had just
| asked-It could not be dons-pardon, excuse
me-but in TACT, it related TO tie little boy.
a fine little boy. monsieur! And so intel
iiSent! Always the first in his class, except
| ing in arithmetic, which ho did not under
stand. A dreamer, this little fellow, do you
Seei Yes, c dreamer. And the proof-thcre,
the proof ard jacques he.itated, STAN
mered, then plucked up courage and alb
ruptly-
Tho proof is that 10 wants to see you,
that he think. only Of you, c. if you were
there before him. ike star that 10 would
like to have, and if he looked and the
fsther, whose face was wan end sallow with
his great care, stopped, and great drops Of
5weat stood on his brow. He did not dare 10
ook at the clown, who stood there with his
ewes Gxcd on the workman.
And what would BOun2- Boum say to him'
Would be send him away, take him for a
fool, put him out OF the house.
you liver asked Boum- Doum.
''Ohl very near. Rue des Abbesses"
Every well, said the other. "Ho wants to
SEQ Bourl-Boum, you .ayl All right, he
shall sec Boum-Bouml"
When the door opened before the clown,
Jacques Legrand cried cut chceringly to his
j
SEE, there is Boum-Boumm
And into tho child's face there came a
happy light. He raised himself in his moth
2T'S arms and turned his head toward tho
.wo men, looked for a moment to see who
vas this gentleman in frock coat at his
fathers side, the gentleman whose good jolly
face was then smiling on him, and whom he
lid not know; and when they said 20 him
'l,o+ L.. I.
sadly, with bis head turned to tho pillow, and
lay there with his eyes fixed, his big blue
eyes that saw beyond the walls of the little
bedroom, and that looked for, that were
always locking for Boum- Boum's spangles
and butterfly ss O lover pursues his dreams.
No. replied the child, with a voice no
longer dry, but distressed, "No, that is not
BOum-B Oumn
The clown, standing near the littlo bed,
bent profound gaze on the face Of the sick
little man, q grave look, but Of an infinite
sweetness. He shook bis head, looked at the
anxious father and broken down mother and
said smiling, ''IIe is right; it is not Bouksc
Bouml' and he went of.
Il shall not see--I shall never SEQ him again,
Boum- Bouni" now repeated the child whose
little voice seemed to be already whispering
to the angels. Perhaps Boum-Boum is over
there, Wonder, whers little Francois will soon
20"
And suddenly-he had not been gone half
IN hour-the door was rudely opened, and
n his black and spangled suit, with yellow
sopknot on his head, golden butterfly on
MS breast and another on his back, his mouth
opened into an expansive grin, his good face
Ill chalkcd, oum-Boum, the rcal Boum-
BOum, the Boum-Bo of the circus, the
Boum-Boum Of the people, the Boum-B oum
Of the little Francois, Boum-Boum himself |
appeared And on his little white bed, with !
4 lively cxultation in his eyes laughing, cry |
ng, happy, saved, the child clapped his little |
hin hands, shouted bravo! and cried with all |
he joyfulness Of 7-ycar-old, bursting ont |
suddenly like q lighted rocket, "Boum- Boum! |
Tis he, It's he this time That is Boum- |
3oum, sure! Hurrah for Boum- Boum! Good
morning. Boum- Boum!"
When the doctor came that day he found,
Gated at the bedside of the little Francois,
. white faced clown, who kept the little fel-
ow laughing all the time, and who said to
he sick boy, stirring lump of sugar in the
,ottom Of cup Of medicine, ''You know il
'cu do not drink it, little Francois, that
}oUm Boum will not come TO see you again"
And the child drank it.
Isn't it nice"
every nice, thank you, Bouu-B oum.r
doctor" said the clown to the physician,
do not be jealous. It seems to me, however.
rat my antics do him as much good as Your
The father and mother wept; but this time
was because of their happiness And
very day until little Francois was able to
ave his bed a carriage stopped before the
roTkman's home on the Rue des AbbeSscs.
nd there stepped from it a man wrapped in
heavy overcoat with the cape turned up, /
nd b.neath, dressed for the circus, and with
bly, chalked face.
what 90 l owe you, sir" said Jacques
.egrand to the master clown at the end OF
is visits, when the boy went out for the first
me; because, in fact, you see, l owe you
omething"
The clown offered to the parents his two |
& hands, the hands Of a sweet and amiable
lcrcuies "A good shake of your hands," |
o said Then kissing both of the child's
heeks, which had recovered some of their
osiness, he added laughing. THE permits
on TO print on my visiting cards
'B0UM-BOUM,
ACROB ALTO noCTOR.