Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-05-14
A COUNTRY CIRCUS.
"Cut, cut, ca-daw cut! Cut, cut!"

] 1ereDlnJn hOckWellS QanllaS ana carnd
tions, with that fair maiden following
close in pursuit, her checked sunbonnet
waved above her head like an ensign OF
war. Leander stood and watched the
pursuit with the cool, impartial smile OF
a disintereSted spectator until the Speck
ed fugitive bethought herself to dart
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 fluttering wings.
"Here's your fowl, Terebinth," said he.
"Well, l declared" said Miss Terebinth,
according reluctant admiration to
the deftness of the capture "And I've
been cbasin' the creature this ten min
utes! I'm goin' to have a fricassee for
dinner"
Company comin'?"
81 mean to ask Elder Atkinson an his
wife"
Don't ask 'em," said Leander. "Put
it off till some other time, Terebinth."
"For goodness sake! why?"
Leander drew three squares of yellow
pasteboard from his pocket.
"Look," said he; "Ive 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 cir
Gus signified opera, theater, polo and
athletic games all in one.
"Good!'' cried she, releasing the strug-
Cling hen. "Then I'll let Old Speck go
this time. But, Leander, have you ask
ed AIice?"
"I'm going there now"
"Are you sure she'll go?"
"Of course; why shouldn't she!"
Terebinth hesitated as she tied the
sunbonnet strings under her chin.
"Perhaps that young English tourist
that boards at the hotel-Capt. Cassell
they call him, don't they?"
Leander's handsome, sunburned Wis
age darkened.
"W'at of him?" said he. sharply.
"He may have asked her. Don't be
vexed, Leander, said she, pleading
ly. Folks do say she's dreadful took up
with him, and don't knows l wonder
so much arter l heard him talk t'other
night to Mary Bailey's Chinese party.
He's travelled most everywhere; and if
you could hear him describe the tigers
he killed in Ceylon and the elephants
he's hunted on the Niger river
"Oh, hang the the tigers and the ele-
phants!' impatiently broke in Leander.
~ don't believe word of it. 1 dare
say he's all very well; but for my part, 1
haven't much opinion of fellow that
loafs around hotel piazza in hay max
ing time, doing nothing, with white
scarf on his hat, and a sash, for all the
world like girls, tied around his waistw
ats the fashion," said Terebinth.
"He's very brave mana 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 1 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
tercvps and white clover blossoms all
this time, and started off at brisk
walk. Terebinth looked dolefully after
him.
"Poor Leander," said she, half aloud,
"I'm afraid he's going to be badly dis
appointed"
Alice Ames was sitting on the porch
under the green, shifting shadows of the
hop vines shelling Lima beans to dry as
Leander RockwelPs fine, tall figure came
swinging up the path. He was very
handsome, thought the girl, but he lack
ed the ease and polish of the dapper lit
tie captain of "her majesty's White
Heeled Horse" His clothes bore evil
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 deferential man
ner with which the captain always ad-
dressed her as "Miss Ames," answered
with toss of her head:
'sI'm pretty well, thank your
"I've been gettin' some tickets for the
circus tonight, Ally" said he, plunging
con amore into his subjectl Will you go
with me?'
"Thank you ever so much," said she,
STOPPING for fresh handful of the vel
vety, green pods, shut I've promised
Capt. Cassell to go with himP
"Humphl'' observed Leander, $50 I'm
too later"
Eyes, little too late"
sis it to be always so, Ally?"
81 don't know what you mean,' Le-
ander."
"You used to care little for me be-
fore this boasting captain of horse came
here"
81 like you well enough now, Lean
der"
"Well enough to marry me?"
81 don't think you're justified in ask
ing me any such questions" said Alice,
jumping up and retreating hurriedly into
the house.
81 understand" remarked Leander,
grimly. 81 don't stand any chance
alongside of the tiger-hunting hero, It's
pity we haven't a few wild beasts in
these woods to kill. The captain must
miss his occupation. Well, good after
noon, Ally; Tereblnth and L Will nave
to go to the circus by ourselves, 1 sup
poSe."
The mammoth tent on Durkill COM
mon was crowded that night Calumet's
circus was local. celebrity and had been
widely advertised. The rural population
had not many opportunities of enjoy
ment and did not propose to let this one
go by default Every one was there,
from Elder Atkinson and his wife down
to little Michael Ryan, the cobbler, and
his pinched looking better half. Capt
CasseI and pretty Alice Ames occupied
conspicuous front seat, and few rows
farther back sat Leander Rockwell with
Miss Tereblnth and her friend, Hannah
Binns, beside her, a plain little seam
stress body, who had been asked at the
eleventh hour-"sooner than waste the
A. ;et,, Mic. haA caid