Frederick citizen., 1895-02-08

the door and walked in among the
lions. She went from one to another.
shining. sparkling and glittering.
touching their great heads with her lit
tie wand, even stroking and patting
old Dion, uttering those strange sharp
little circus cries with which the riders
encourage their horses. as she went.
They seemed quite at home with her,
and after moment or two came out.
locked the door behind her, and re-
turned the key.
They are quite friendly with me
now. are they not?" she said to the
keeper.
He nodded surlily. aye" he said,
but 1t amt nature-I don't like it,"
She laughed lightly. Good night"
she said. She was going, wrapping
herself in her cloak, when the keeper
who had been sitting all the time over
the fire, raised his suriy head and said
grufily, IT say missus, you tell your
man not to trust old Dion no further
than he can see him. That was an
ugly jump he made at the last to-day"
The color forsook Elsie's face; her
knees shook
Dion jumped?" she said.
"He did, the ladies and gentlemen
thought it was all part of the job; but
Dion didn't ought to have done 1t. tell
Bill So"
IT WILL" she said, hoarsely.
She went out into the darkness; the
rain was pouring, the ground one mass
Of mud and water. Elsie was glad
when she got back into the shelter.
The Amazon had just come off the
arena; her eyes shining.
II took the great jump, Elsie. did,"
she exclaimed. Listen, child! listen
to the house!'
"They want an encore" said Elsie.
And they may want it," said the
girl fiercely. IT'S the encores that do
the mischief. Hark!'
The manager appeared. Jenny must
go on to acknowledge the applause.
Elsie stole away
| 1t was very late before Will was
ready Among the gentlemen who had
come to see him was Sir Maxwell Bede
He spoke very kindly to the man, SO
kindly that he looked up at him with
a sudden gleam in his great hollow
eyes of gratitude.
You have bad oold my friend?"
said the doctor.
Yes sir, have had it some time,
and cannot spare the time to nurse 1t.
We have one more exhibition here, and
after that I think I'll lay up bit. and
let my wife look after me-"
when is the next performance"
said Sir Maxwell Bede, taking the
mans hand and letting his finger fall
carelessly on the throbbing pulse. The
surgeon felt the pulse bound as the
man answered: Tomorrow, sir the
same hour. We do very we'll II the
public mind the governor and don't ap-
plaud, and first night they generally
do, but when they get used to the thing
they forget For Gods sake, sir. keep
'em quietr
The drops gathered on his brow.
tYou must appear tomorrow, then"
said the surgeon quietly.
"Must?" Poor VIII laughed drearily
"Why, what would you gentlemen say
II we broke our engagements. After
that, as I say the governor promises
me a week-a week in bed!'
'I am glad; will see you again.
Goodnight, my friend"
Five minutes later Elsie and Will
trudged home; he coughed incessantly,
and sometimes was obliged to stand
still and hold on by lamp-post till
his breathing became easier.
you are worse tonight, darling,
said Elsie, anxiously. at is this damp
night
He nodded, and leaning on her arm
they went on again.
Somebody came up behind and drew
Wills arm on to his-a man with a
careworn face and close-cropped white
hair.
Lean on me- old chap" he said.
Hear we are at last"
Elsie cast a grateful lool, at her
friend, Albert Moore, whom no one else
would have recognized as the clown
She left her husband in his care. while
she went forward, opening the door
with. a latchkey, and leading the way
up narrow staircase to the room she
had taken.
Now, that Is what I call a kind
landladyw she exclaimed, as she went
in. A fire was laid in the scientific
way, which causes Ii to smolder until
broken up. A touch produced a COM
Portable blaze, and poor viii sat down
covering over it, with chattering teeth.
A cold supper was on the table, bread
and cheese and bacon. In a moment a
kettle Was on the fire and Elsie was
preparing tea.
You will eat with us. Alberto"
He accepted with alacrity. owing
that in his garret on the upper floor
he would find no such comfort.
This is what 1 call real luxury" he
said. rubbing his hands. "Why, cheer
up, VIII. you look better already"
The softened air did him good he
ceased to cough, and lay back on the
| pillow that Elsie placed behind him,
with a look Of placid enjoyment.
Elsie disappeared into the tiny closet
she called her bedroom for five minutes
and returned without finery in a blue
serge gown, which enhanced the beau
ty of her delicate coloring. Albert sat
there in his motley dress, and poor
Will was too languid to change. She
went from one to another. coaxing her
husband to eat q bright sweet pres
ence. with woman's fortitude hiding
the cold shvers Of terror, which pass
ed through her when she looked at him
and thought that tomorrow he must
once more brave what she knew to
| be a fearful danger.
| Hitherto he had never coughed dur
| ing the performance, but what II one
| of those sudden paroxysms of cough
ing were to come on when he wass In
the midst Of the lions-that prostrat-
ing. agonizing cough. Elsie did not
know much OF God. but she had seen
| Albert's eyes when her husband went
on. his eyes in strange yearning con-
trast to his painted daubed clowns
face. and she had heard him mutter.
"God help him." and she had caught
the trick of the prayer. II the cough