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

rbav called him Picotin.
7, was not his real name. Nobody
now whether ne had a real name
T. rot hut It was of no consequence,
Sor he was only a clown.
poor Picotinl He had been tun.
Ming about inside the circus-ring ever
sirca he could remember. How he
6rst came into it no one could tell any
nore than himself, except very deaf
BID sweeper, who recollected that n
Trainer had brought him there as
mere baby capable Of being balanced
In th4 tip of an acrobat's toe, or quiet
ly folded up In travelling-bag. From
this initial stage of performer, and
Prom nspng 1roll impertinences, the
bow developed gradually into first-rate
Flown. bu'. ike many another mirth-
hroyokne genius, Picotin was sad and
solitary in his ways.
With . heart that yearned for SYM
'pathy. for affection, he found himself
foomed to appear ridiculous even
fwhen he most wished to be serious.
His dolorous face was provocative OF
Daughter, even without It's paint, his
smallest utterance was greeted as q
joke; for a clown, In the estimation OF
most people must always be merry and
have qups and cranks for everything
Iunder the sun.
i Pcotin was the prince Of testers. yet
lhe had a history.
OF course there was woman in IL.
We'll. was there ever a life-story yet
worth relating that had not a woman
In it Of some sort or another?
She was very young, with the face
Eof a seraph and a slight, rounded fig
7ure reminding one of a flowerbell
swayed to and fro by the wind, as she
balanced herself on the tight-rope
might after night before an admirins
audience. A little smile was always
on her lips as if she experienced
Joyous delight in the supple grace of
her own 1.-THE body, and her starry eyes
shone with the innocence of child.
Plcotin adored her.
One evening, during the performance,
some 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 Bablnette
She gave a terrified scream and fell
IRON Tie rope. Picotin rushed forward
ana received her in his arms. The
pretty face was pale beneath it's dab OF
rouge ana he saw that she had tainted.
men ne carried her out, and, having
ielt her in the care of some women.
lore up among the seats of the audi
ehce and seized the offender by the
collar.
Everyone made way for him as he
auied the coward into the ring. Once
''lere' the infuriated clown administer
co sound thrashing before the ewes
OF the public. The management did
.iO' interfere seeing that the chastise-
mem was richly deserved, and that II
was also applauded.
After that Plcotin was more nonuIar
than ever.
ne was also happier; for Babinette
mao thanked him prettily, and he had
|,.ir'ured to speak to her parents about
|AIs ueslre to make her his wife, to
winch they had consented.
Fretty Babinette, meanwhile. as the
|Ae'o'he OF that exciting episode of the
.lacKers, had awakened great enthus-
'asm among a set of idle fellows who
"eie always thrusting their admira-
.'oh upon her, and when Picotin threat
sneu 70 thrash them all she laughed In
,uS race crunching the bonbons they
1Su sent her, with teeth sharp and
~, mhite as those of little field mouse.
as II possible thought the poor clown
,hat thls child with the starry ewes was
Deeoihing mere coarse and vulgar wo-
mdh' such as the others about them?
~ ~ ne shuddered at the thought
.niuSting 1t from him, and waiting
s@.'eh'ly to overcome the petulant dis
.~sN she seemed to have taken all at
'',ue 10 the idea Of being married.
a, Babinette, how much money
sney glye me. My wife can be quite
.l'e iady II she chooses" he said to her
one DAY, in his queer voice, that had a
.IacK !. IN 1t, and never could be brought
y nurmur soft sentences, such as he
'Uu!d have liked to caress her ear with,
'trer the fashion of a lover.
Daplnette looked wistfully at the gold
pueceS' She took them up in her dainty
ansers, and let them drop again into
his palm.
res she answered, making q rose
'ru OF her mouth, "but you-you will
Aways be clown"
ror the first time in his life the poor
ei,ow felt degraded in following the
my PROFESSION he had ever known. He
,s ~ not reflect that her own walk in
ne was very similar to his. and that
: would be solely through him she
'ould be at liberty to quit 1t, which
e was quite determined she should do
- becoming his wife. He was too
,ucn In love to reflect at all; he was
imply conscious of some vague sense
II injustice.
rev days after that he was stroll
"s IN one Of the public gardens when
inurmur of voices caught his ear. In
snauy side path he saw a couple Of
,ouhg lovers seated on a bench hand
= nand, and gazing into each others
,ses' &C, He would have walked on be-
nnu them without paying further at
sutton had not the girl turned her
oie IN his direction. There was no