The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-04

to amuse herself in any way she saw fit.
DOynes never meddled with her except to
bestow an occasional cuff if the dogs
didn't perform well or a similar reminder
if the tripe supper wasn't cooked 10 his
taste. But, on the other hand, he never
gave her a sixpence to spend. Twice a
year be presented her with cheap new
frOck and bonnet, and at erratic in
tervals he would produce undergarments,
culled like blackberries, from some con-
venient hedge. And she usually had
shoes or boots-Of kind.
$50 that, on the whole, Liz-whose
standard was not high one-tound her
new lie nearly all that she could wish Tor
or expect. She usually had plenty to eat,
and that was to her the principle blessing
of life. She had a coy bunk and an
old hOrsecloth by way OF coverlet, and al
though Doynes' night quarters were
merely separated of by very sketchy
curtain, this would have satisfied her fam
tastIc scruples OF decency, il they had ever
arisen, which they never did. OF variety
she had a never-ending supply. Show
folks are very gregarious, and so she pos
sessed heaps of acquaintances; and there
were always the dog-and Doynes.
"In summer things were pretty pros
porous: for the dogs took well. and their
keep was not costly; besides this, Doynes
was such a skillful forager that he usually
managed To get poultry and vegetables
for absolutely nothing. But az the pub
lies captured most of his hard cash in the
prosperous season-for Doynes was a con-
Vivial soul and adOred beer-they were
generally hard put 70 it in winter to make
both ends meet. They lived III the cara
van then Just the same, only they kept it
stationary, and hired the horse out TO
any one who would take him; and when
they got very hard up-not before,
though, for he objected to toil-Doynes
would contrive TO get hold of an odd job.
And so things were kept going
what erratically, it is true-but stOppage
was always prevented.
when Liz had been at this game a
couple of years, DOynes, acting on happy
inspiration which grew from the hint OF
one of his cronies, invested in a second
hand pair of tights and a spangled tunic
from peripatetic circus proprietor, and
henceforword, Liz put the dogs through
their PAGES herself. The girl was good
looking in a way. She'd got wild, fierce
sort of beauty, which seems to grow with
this kind OF life-strong black hair, you
know, and fine, dark, violet eyes and good
figure-and she drew larger houses than
Doynes had done. And that is not TO be
wondered at, seeing that he is a heavy
looking brute. rather of the jail-bird type.
She liked the job; Doynes fully appreci-
ated a change which gave him more
money and less to do; the dogs preferred
LIS fortiter in re-; and 80 the arrange
ment suited all parties. But still LIS
pecuniary circumstances remained I'M
altered. There was no particular secret
made of this. DOynes openly boosted that
he was gentleman now, for he got all
y nd
ever suggested that Liz had any money
And although she may at times have felt
the need of it, she never struck out for a
regular salary.
''She might easily have done so had she
wished, for outside offers were not want
ing. One of the young women from
Coles Imperial Shooting Gallery had
eloped with rich American, and Liz was
asked TO take the vacant tube-her board,
keep and shillings per week. The pro-
prietor and acting manager of 'Fitz-
gerald's TheRter of Varieties said he'd
give her per cent. share OF the profits
if she'd play boys parts for him; and the
owner of a 'Saccharine Refreshment Car
avan' offered her a cOpartnership and a
loving heart if she'd join him. But no,
unaccountable as it may seem, Liz
laughed and said she'd stick to Doynes'
and to DOynes' she stuck.
Liz is rum un,' Doynes' friends
would say to him; but Doynes would only
chuckle and wink, and remark that he'd
have another pot o. the same And so
things went on, Liz doing, by very visible
gradations, more and more, and DOynes
less and lees, till at last he was never near
the show at all except when it was on the
move, and then he lay indolently in his
bunk.
"Liz's friends among the show-folks
used to comment on these habits of
Doynes' pretty freely and p ointedly; but
Liz would always laugh in a cheer
full sort of way, and say, 'Oh, never mind
t'lad; 'e's allus fearful dry, an likes ter
sleek hissen.' ('SlecR in her dialect
means moisten.) But all the same she
gave him good, sharp lectures on the
| quiet, and he would swear by all his dogs,
by his caravan, by hiseyes, by everything
he held sacred, in fact, that he'd not
touch a drop of liquor for a month. And
then when the tent was pitched once
more he would slip off with jolly laugh
and not put in an appearance again till
'turningout time And Liz quite uncon-
cernedly would shift the platform across
to the entrance end of the tent, so that
she could guard the door after the money
was taken and put the dogs through their
PAGES at the same time.
"But at last the climax came
"They were at a village tide in the
dales here. and she had squared up for the
night and was patiently waiting for
Doynes' return. The day had been hot
one, and, as he had plenty OF money in his
pocket, she philosOphically expected him
TO make wet night of il. But 80 and
y struck by the church clock, and no
Doynes came. She began to get anxious
Half-past twelve! He must be back
directly now. Onel He has gone to sleep
somewhere. One-thirty She put a shawl
over her head, and opened the door with
the intention of going TO look for him. BY
the pale moonlight, which illuminated
the paper-strewn ground and the scattered
encampment, she saw half dozen men
carrying something on a sheep hurdle.
Close to her was an avant-cOurier, in whom
she recognized Signor Roberto ValtosH of
the Royal MaIionette theater, commonly
| known as Dolly Bobs.
"'Is he very bad, Dolly?' she asked,
| anxiously, for experience had tauget her
that an ordinary drunk took only
| couple of bearers, or three at the outside.
"Aye, lass, an e's 'appened haxident
an all. Il wer' liggin IN dahn j. t road
blind-an' Jabez 'Olroyd's cart run over
i'm. They fetched t doctor, but e seq q
| cannot do ote for IN. I'm right grieved