The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-08-28

repeated OulDufstS Joe expressed n1m-
self:
HE is a conceity chap"
If Mary Ann had heard the remark
she would have resented it.
AS the show progressed Joe Pardee,
the carpenter, lost interest in it and
wished that it was over, and every
time that the Champion of Everything
appeared he wished that he might
break his neck in his foolhardy feat.
Mary Ann was charmed and Joe was
| alarmed.
To add to the annoyance of the car
penter the Champion of Everything
| had recognized the lady at his side and
the gay Mary Ann was aware of the
fact.
When the young men began to cry
the tickets for the concert Miss Dick
erman recognized the presence of her
escort enough to say:
Coin to see the concert, Joe?'
Guess not Mary Ann; faint prob
able that mounts to much"
But l dearly want to see it; it's
such fun wheodled the girl.
The escort bought the tickets and
remained to the after show"
While the audience was passing out
and the preparations were going on
for the concert, the carpenter regained
mis- mental equilibrium, but his
peace of mind was again upset when
there came climbing up the seats that
most versatile Of arenic artists, the
Champion OF Everything, who made
directly for Mary Ann Dickerman, and
presented himself with graceful bows
and scrapes.
Mary Ann introduced the young
man, but Joe Pardoe did not catch the
name; 1t was all that he could do to
catch his breath The escort of the
young lady thought that the athlete
and the maiden were altogether too
glad to meet But what could he say?
What could he do?
The concert progressed to an end,
but how 1t got through the carpenter
never remembered. Was 1t dream,
and did he wake up when the circus
folks cried "All over"
The audience arose, so did the trio.
The Champion of Everything had
the audacity to give his hand to Mary
Ann and assist her off the treacherous
seats. Joe Pardee managed to get to
the solid earth, but even that seemed
to move from under him. He was
dazed, staggered.
The athlete turned, dotted his hat,
and said:
Good afternoon, MISTER Pardee;
happy to have met you"
Then, with amazing assurance he
gave his arm to Mary Ann. and thew
walked away, leaving him standing
there, not knowing whether he was
alive or not. The people humping up
against him aroused him, and he pass
ed out so shamefaced, so hurt. that he
could have cried.
To think of it, that Mary Ann Dick
erman, his intended, should have ever
come to play such trick upon him
in the presence of hundreds of the
people of Union Center who knew
them both so we'll
Some young men would have gone
and done something desperate, took
drink, or begun to go down hill at a
rapid pace Joe did nothing of that
kind; he stuck to his work, held up
his head and came to the wise conclu-
sion that he was fortunate in knowing
Mary Ann for what she was worth in
time.
Or course people talked, and a good
many jibes and smart sayings reached
the unwilling ears of the carpenter
but he kept his own counsel and was
busy with the saw, the hammer and
the edge tools.
1t had been prophAsied by the wise
acres of the town that Joe and Mary
Ann would make up, and that the
original matrimonial program would
be carried out, and 1t is probably a
fact that the fascinating Mary Ann
eoquetted to that end. If she did she
made sorry failure
When the summers tenting season
was over the marvel of the arena came
up to Union Center and claimed his
prize; to be explicit. the departure of
Mary Ann Dickerman from town with
the Champion of Everything comes
under the head of an eloDement.
Two years later a circus show came
to Union Center again. and with it
Glanced to be that remarkable per
former with whose famous perform
ance we are already familiar He and
Joe Pardee, the carpenter came upon
each other face to face down at the
Union house before parade
The husband of the former Mary
Ann Dickerman extended his hand:
You remember me?"