Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-08-01

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Now, thoseh I may b vsEy tee6SA
old fellow, SIN I am not such tool =
I may appear. Though / had taxa
Thee young people into my house. sel5
I va not going 70 let them Be married
without having investigated their anse'
cedenta.
Iwent to the circus and there On.
deavored to discover Meinherr Won
Stein. I saw him slipping out Of the
ring where the pearl Of the Antilles,
in : dirty cotton skirt. was careering on
her bareback horse, while in the center,
on the table Of the night before-whaa
IN age it seemed sgo-a little fat man.
in shirt sleeves and stocking soles, waa
solemnly walking on bottles.
From him-Monsieur Ariel, who had
been inquiring ct my house in the
morning, leaving his name - Mr.. Higl
gins, and who had entirely ceased to
be surly-I gained full confirmation
of Elizabeth Halls story. She and
John Stone were respectable and wellf
conducted young people, and were
evidently favorites among the circus
performers.
The clowns were going on with their
business Is though nothing had hap,
pened A good-natured young fellow
sat with one foot on q trunk, resting If,
ter tremendous race with the ring.
master. He smiled as I passed
@Give our love to Johnny" said he.
On another trunk sat the clown with
the toy hat. He was intensely
amused by . newspaper he held in his
hand He read one paragraph again
and again.
"That's . bully notice" said he.
In the glow Of the laudation lavished
upon him BY . local critic, he had fors
gotten Johnny Stones existence.
As for Her Won Stein, finding ct last
that they could not escape me, he re,
turned to the ring, and there-whila
the horses still went prancing around.
and the little girl went a-leaping, and
we caught the occasional click-click OF
Mousier Ariel practicing among his
glass bottles-the father stood and
heard what I had to tell him concern
ing his son.
ats very unfortunate, DOCTOR" he
said; especially so for me, with my
large family. What ana l to do With
him? What" becoming more ener-
getic-~what the devil am I to do with
him?"
I told him that all he had to do was
to give his consent to his sons mar.
rage with Elizabeth Hall. He appeared
greatly astonished at first, and then "a
greatly relieved.
my consent! Certainly. They're
both 25-old enough to know their
minds-and have been counting ever 80
long. She's an excellent young
woman; can earn . good income, too.
Yes. give 'em my consent, and, in case
it may be useful to them-give 'em
this, too.
He fumbled in his pocket, took out
an old purse, and counted out into my
hand. with an air Of great magnifcence,
FIVE dirty one-dollar bills-which was
all I ever saw of the money of Herr
Won Stein.
When I gave them, with this mes
sage, to Bess. she crumpled them up in
her fingers with curious sort of smile,
but she never said q word.
I have been at many q marriage,
SNOWY and quiet, gay and grave, hearty
and heartless, but I am ready to de-
clare solemnly that I never saw one
which touched me as much as that brief
noro,ooru r7b;oh %ooh v,1ooa a. tho 1o1
side of John Stone, the circus clown.
It did not occupy more than five min
utes, for in the br1degroom's condition
the slightest agitation was to be avoid
ed. Ny housekeeper and were the
only witnesses.
The brides wedding dress was the
shabby old black gown which she had
not taken off since the accident oc-
CURED. Her face was very worn and
weary. but her eyes were bright and
her voice steady. She never fsltered
till the last words were spoken. and
the minister had shaken hands with
her and wished her every happiness.
@Is it ell done?" said she, half be-
wildered.
@Yes, my girl" answered my old
house-keeper; you are married, sure
enough.
Then Bess knelt down, put her arms
around Johnny's neck, and laid her
head beside him on the pillow, sobbing
. little, but softly even now.
"Oh, my dear, my dear; nothing can
ever part Us more" But the poor
clown turned his mouth to hers.
kiss me, Bess," he said in voice
hardly audible.
She touched his lips and drew back
they were so cold. Then, with q
passionate. despairing movement, she
kissed him again, and As she looked
into his eyes the light of them went
out, and she was left alone with the
dead. american.
Are Women Generally Cruel?