The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-10-23
..I,m a honest girl. / am. /"

HCHOlaF SPOKE perSuaSlVely, his voice
was very gentle and his manner court
ly. The girl walked her wide blue eyes
and made a little swallowing motion
with her throat, then she coughed and
continued:
MY fathers brought us up strict, e
have. e doan't old with swearin' for
women; and if we was light ED lay
the orse w'ip about our shoulders, e
would. Els clown in our show. e is"
There was silence FOR minute in the
big library, then the scholar said gent
ly: why do you want love philter?
Is the-man you are engaged to fickle?"
We'll, e runs after Mad'selle Leon
ore, and l can't stand 1t, and / rates
i'm, and e laughs at me, and I'm
beastly miserable, ami"
The girls voice broke, and great
tears rolled down her cheeks. The
scholar was much distressed. He was
a very learned man, and instructed in
the best wisdom of many lands, but he
had also studied diligently book that
it requires no great erudition to UNDER
stand, but only what is quite as rare,
a humble heart A certain saying in
that book which runs: "But thou hast
mercy upon all, and winkest at the sins
OF men, because they should amend"
came into his mind, and the trouble of
this poor circus girl was very real to
him. She wiped her eyes with gayly-
Dordered pocket-handkerchief, and
said:
What would Idly do?''
The scholar pondered for a moment,
then said diff1dently, and with extreme
shyness; II think that she would not
show that she minded. That she
would try to be always sweet and good
tempered and gracious, above all to
Madam What's-her-name. Don't let
MIN think himself so precious, my
child. We all value what is hard to
obtain. He's too sure of you or he
wouldn't tease you. If you are wise,
and if he is worth having-if he's
worthy of you and of your good father.
you'll find that all this nonsense will
come to an end as a tale that is told"
1t was long speech for the scholar
to make; he flushed little as he made
it, and the circus girl gazed at him ad-
miringly, exclaiming:
You are KNOWN old cove!"
The scholar shook his head and said
humbly: Il fear am ignorant in these
matters. l have only known three
women intimately in my life-my
mother, my wife, and my daughter"
is that what your daughter did--the
young Idly as is just married?" she
asked eagerly
1 don't know what she did," an
sWered the scholar gently; and indeed
1t was true, for the engagement had
come upon him as a bolt from the blue
while he was thinking of Phyllis as still
in pinafores.
WAS she very ard to please?" per-
sisted the girl
Had Phyllis been hard to please? the
scholar asked himself He did not
know. 1t had not taken long to please
her, anyhow; so he said: 81 don't
know if she was hard to please, but
know that whatever she did was right
and sweet and womanly, and you can
do all that yourself my dear"
Il wish was lidy!" sighed the cir
Gus girl; "but father says as one can
be as good girl in troupe as if one
was a scripture reader, e do. 1 see
as you're a sky pilot by yer choker.
What do you say?"
Il quite agree with your father; he
must be most sensible man, and I
wish l knew him. Believe me, a cir
Gus lady can be just as useful a lady
as any other if she will only try, and
l am sure you'll try
The girl rose from her seat. so did
| the scholar; she held out her hand to
him and he took it, and the old man
and the girl looked into each others
eyes.
Goodbye" said the girl; I'm glad
came, though you are so ignorant
about love poshins!"
I'm very glad you came" said the
scholar heartily; "and, believe me, you
need no love poshins,' you are quite
| charming enough without" The girl
flushed up to the roots of the furze-
brush. Then the scholar said: Would
you like some roses?" The girl said:
please, sir" in the shyest, smallest
voice, and the scholar held the door
open for her to pass out Then he fol-
| lowed her across the hall and through
the open front door He took his prun-
ing-knife from his pocket and he cut
her a great bunch of the roses that were
famed throughout the county, then he
walked down the drive with her and
at the lodge gate he babe her goodbye
She started down the road, and then