The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-08-30
4 COUNTRY CIRCUS.
Why Alice Was so Very Proud Of
Leander.

waved above her head like an ensign OF
war Leander stood and watched the
pursuit, with the cool, impartial smile
Of disinterested spectator, until the
speckled fugitive bethought herself to
Hart headlong into the sunny angle OF
the stone wall, where the scarlet
spheres of ripening tomatoes basked On
a rude wooden frame. At the supreme
second, he swooped noiselessly down
from his unseen vantage point, and
seized Old Speckle by her hnttering
wings.
.sHere's your fowl, Terebinth," said
he.
swell, 1 declared" said Miss Terebinth,
according a reluctant admiration to the
dizziness of the capture. And I've
been chasin' the creature this ten min
utes! I'm goin' to have q tracassce for
dinner"
Company coming?"
81 mean to ask Elder Atkinson and
his wife.
"Don't ask 'em,' said Leander. 'tPut
it off till some other time, Terebinth."
''For goodness sakel why?"
L02QEer uI0W tuEc0 u0A0 " yOAAS"
pasteboard from his pocket.
'sLook," said he, 1--WE got tickets for
the circus to-night-for you and me and
Ally Ames."
Miss Terebinth's careworn visage
frightened up. To these simple coun-
try folk, the annual visitation OF the
circus signifed opera, theater, polo, and
- III a%;o 20 m ns all in OnA
"Good!" cried she, releasing the
struggling hen. ''rhen I'll let Old
Speckle go this time. But. Leander
have you asked Alice?"
''I'm going there now"
care you sure she'll go?"
''Of course; why shouldn she?" +
Terebinth hesitated as she tied this
sun-bonnet strings under her chin.
''Perhaps that young English tourist
that boards at the hotel-Captain Cassen
they call him, don't they?"
Leander's handsome, sun-burned Wis.
age darkened. =
''What Of him?" said he, sharply.
He may have asked her. Don't be
vexed, Leander, ''she added, pleadingly.
"Folks do say she's dreadful took up
with him, and don't knows ! wonder
50 much arter heard him talk, tother
night, to Mary Bailey's Chinese party.
He's travelled most everywhere; and ii
you could hear him describe the tigers
he killed in Ceylon and the elephants
he's hunted ON the Niger river
''Oh, hang the tigers and the ele-
phants!' impatiently broke in Leander.
II don't believe word Of it. | dare
say he's all very we'll; but for my part,
haven't much opinion OF fellow that
loafs around hotel piazza,i in hay max
ing time, doing nothing, with white
scarf on his hat, and sash for all the
world like a girls tied around his
waist!''
'It's the fashion," said Terebinth.
"a queer fashion. ] think" commented
Leander. j
'sHe's very brave man-a regular
hero" went on Terebinth. ''He served
in her Majesty's White-Heeled Horse
once, during London riot, and"
"And did wonders, don't doubt" In
terrupted Leander. "But ] don't see
what all this has to do with US and Cal.
| umet's circus"
He took up his hat from the grass
where it had been reposing among but
ter-cups and white clover blossoms all
this time. and started off at a brisk
| walk. Terebinth looked dolefully after
him.
..Poor Leander," said she, half aloud,
ssl'm afraid he's goin' to be badly dis
appointed"
Alice Ames was sitting on the porch,
under the green, shifting shadows OF
the hop-yines, .shelling Lima beans to
dry, as Leander Rockwell's fine, tall
figure came swinging up the path: He was
very handsome, thought the girl, but he
lacked the ease and polish of the dapper
little Captain Of 'sher .Majesty's White.
Heeled Horse" His clothes bore evi.
dence Of country cut-his boots were
powdered with dust. and his face was
bronzed with August heats.
"How do you do, Ally?'' said he; and
Alice, remembering the erential
! manner with which the Captain
always addressed her as Miss Ames,' :
| answered, with a toss of the head:
! 'I'm pretty we'll. thank youp
I've been gettin' some tickets for the
circus tonight, Ally said he, plnng'
ing con anaore into his subject. will
! you go with me?" %
| THANK you, ever SO much, " said she
STOPPING for a fresh handful Of the vel
yety. green pods. ''but I've promised
Captain Cassell to go with AS,a!"
| .HumphY' observed Leander, $50 I'm
too late?' III I
Eyes, a little too late. !" III
SIS it to be always 90. All .5s
81 don't know what you mean, Lean
der ~ b.
'sYou used to care for me q little, be
fore this boasting captain horse came "a.
here. Z
y like you vel 4 enoug nov, & ,e. =,
l der.