The Van Buren press., 1897-01-23


cruel to leave him in such uncertainty.
lie brooded over what might possibly
have happened to her, till his health be-
gan to fail. lie never thought the daily
walk Of few blocks could mean SO
much to him.
Several weeks passed by and the chair
still continued vacant. On the very day
his two years was up Joe remembered
that she had spoken of Oeonomowoe one
day in connection with her family. He
would ask for few days respite from
work and go up there. He had never
asked for vacation and they surely
would not refuse him. Besides-it was
not far from Chicago and many Chicago
men went up Saturday nights to spend
Sunday with their families who were
stopping there. Anyhow, he would go
for the rest of the week-possibly he
might see her or hehr of her and the
change would do him good even if he
didn't.
The next morning, Wednesday, he
started. He could only be spared Tor
the rest OF the week, but what might
not happen in four whole days? When
he arrived at the depot of the pretty lit
de Wisconsin town lie found himself
onxiously looking Ifound, though he
condemned himself for his foolishness
in doing so-why should she be around
the depot if she was in the town?
After he had registered at hotel he
wandered aimlessly about the town,
admiring the handsome houses and the
beautiful twin lakes, and watching the
launches, filled with happy campers,
darting to and fro. In the afternoon
lie hired a boat and tried to fish, but
after a couple Of hours effort, when
only a couple of sickly-loobing dogfsh
rewarded his efforts, he gave it up in
disgust and returned to the hotel.
At dinner that evening he was made
aware OF the fact that a circus was in
town by couple sitting across the
table from him, who bad come in from
the surrounding country and were 60
ing. In the barber shop also there was
nothing talked of but the circus. IT
made him feel quite at home to see the
enthusiasm created by the mere fact of
a circus being in town. How different
from Chicago, where nothing seemed to
be able to command but passing in
terest
Then he remembered that at home
everybody went to the circus-why
shouldn't they do it here ?-and per-
haps she might be there. He would go
to the circus.
1t was little late when Joe reached
the tent. He had not calculated on
how many would be ahead of him for
the single BARRIERS chair nor how long
it would take tbe hotel bootblack to
put a satisfactory gloss on his shoes.
As he entered the tent he went down
the open space to the ropes and starting
at one end glanced as critically at each
face as the Pickering of the gasoline
lamps would allow. OF a sudden he
stopped, rubbed his eyes and looked
again. Yes, surely that was Margaret,
looking fairer and more winsome than
ever appearing quite out of place among
the rustics who surrounded her-and,
wonder of wonders, there was an empty
seat beside her. In a matter of ten
minutes Joe had forced his way to
where she sat and found himself at her
side. She appeared glad to see him and
Joe felt supremacy happy as explana-
tons on both sides were being made
though he thought it strange that she
assigned no reason for her sudden de-
parture from Chicago.
All things must have an end and the
entertainment came to close. Joe's
request to 'see her home" had been ac-
cepted and he seemed to be treading on
air as he left the tent with the little
hand resting lightly on his arm. AS they
were nearing crossing and Joe was
opening up the subject of carrying on
a correspondence woman's form came
under the light across the way. Mar
garet half turned around to go bacl.
with n "Gracious, there's NAL" Joe
looked more closely and saw middle
aged woman with q determined-look-
ing face hurrying toward them. She
took Margaret sharply by the arm and
drew her to one side as she said:
1--WE been hunting for you every
where-what made you change your
seat? We won't trouble this young
man for his company any further
with a scathing look at Joe-"Tm
ashamed of you, out with a young man
and your wedding only three days Off.
I'll be glad when Frank has you to lool>
after instead of me-"
And as Margaret was being hurried
away from him across the street, Joe
caught the CLEAN of the ring on the lit
tic hand thatwas surreptitiously waved