The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-04-05

They called him Picotin.
II was not his real name. Nobody
raw whether he had real name
br not but it was of no consequence,
For he was only a clown.
Poor Plcotin! He had been tum-
Ming about inside the clrcus-ring ever
kince he could remember. How he
frst came into 1t no one could tell any
more than himself, except a very deaf
BID sweeper, who recollected that n
+rainer had brought him there as a
'nere baby, capable Of being balanced
pn the tip of an acrobat's toe, or quiet
ly folded up In a travelling-bag. From
this initial stage of a performer, and
from nsping droll impertinences, the
bow developed gradually into first-rate
clown, but, like many another mirth-
provoknP genius, Picotin was sad and
Solitary in his ways.
With a heart that yearned for SYM
pathy for affection, he found himself
doomed to appear ridiculous even
when he most wished to be serious.
IIis dolorous face was provocative of
Daughter, even without Its paint, his
smallest utterance was greeted as
joke; for a clown, In the estimation Of
most people, must always be merry and
have quips and cranks for everything
under the sun.
Plcotin was the prince Of testers, yet
he had history.
OF course there was a woman In II.
4 Well, was there ever a life-story yet
worth relating that had not a woman
j In It Of some sort or another?
She was very young, with the face
Of a seraph and a slight, rounded fig
ure reminding one of a flowerbell
swayed to and fro by the wind, as she
balanced herself on the tight-rope
night after night before an admiring
audience A little smile was always
or her lips as If she experienced a
. Joyous delight in the supple grace Of
her own 1.-the body, and her starry eyes
shone with the innocence of a child
Plcotin adored her.
One evening, during the performance,
come senseless person, either drunk or
too fond of a practical joke. let off
several crackers all of a sudden, and
threw squib down into the ring right
at Babnette.
She gave terrified scream and fell
from the rope. Picotin rushed forward
ana received her in his arms. The
pretty face was pale beneath it's dab of
rouge, and he saw that she had tainted.
linen he carried her out, and, having
ielt her in the care of some women,
tore up among the seats of the audi
enee, and seized the offender by the
collar.
Everyone made way for him as he
nauled the coward into the ring. Once
There, the Infatuated clown administer
ed sound thrashing before the eyes
OF the public. The management did
moi Interfere, seeing that the chastise-
ment was richly deserved, and that It
was also applauded.
After that Picotin was more popular
than ever.
he was also happier; for Babinette
mad thanked him prettily, and he had
vehtured to speak to her parents about
MS desire to make her his wife, to
which they had consented.
Pretty Babinette, meanwhile, as the
heroine Of that exciting episode of the
crackers, had awakened great enthus-
we're always thrusting their admira-
'ion upon her. and when Picotin threat
ened to thrash them all she laughed in
aas face, crunching the bonbons they
ndu sent her, with teeth sharp and
Whlte as those Of little field mouse.
was II possible thought the poor clown
.hat this child with the starry eyes was
becoming mere coarse and vulgar W.
man such as the others about them?
nut ne shuddered at the thought,
snrusting 1t from him, and waiting
pauehtly to overcome the petulant dis
waste she seemed to have taken all at
once to the idea of being married.
4, see Babinette, how much money
they give me. My wife can be quite a
me lady If she chooses" he said to her
one day, in his queer voice. that had a
track In 1t, and never could be brought
murmur soft sentences, such as he
"ouid have liked to caress her ear with,
~t.er the fashion of lover.
6apinette looked wistfully at the gold
peces' She took them up in her dainty
ansers, and let them drop again into
les. she answered, making q rose
Duo OF her mouth. but you-you will
~ways be clown"
ror the first time in his life the poor
.eiiow felt degraded. in following the
Sny procession he had ever known. He
=, S.u not reflect that her own walk in
- ie was very similar to his. and that
" would be solely through him she
would be at liberty to quit 1t, which
ae was quite determined she should do
VI becoming his wife. He was too
aucn In love to reflect at all: he was
ssnpiy conscious of some vague sense
OF injustice.
rev days after that he was stroll
ing IN one Of the public gardens when
murmur of voices caught his ear. In
snady side path he saw couple of
~, lung lovers seated on a bench hand
~ hand, and gazing into each others
s tses' He would have walked on be-
..n them without paying further at
sutton had not the girl turned her
''Onie In his direction. There was no