Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-12-26
TIE ShOWTlOn'S DGNIhIeT
A Story of a Dowry.

l looked at her in amazement. She
! was the lovelest girl | had ever seen
! slightly above medium height. slender
and graceful, with a face beautiful in
feature and coloring. but. above all. light
ed with an expression indescribably love
ly She was the showman's daughter
and as much out of place in her presen,
surroundings rs an angel would be at a
| Punch and Judy show.
! AS looked at her the Snowman him.
I self came and stood by her side. He
| looked at me for a moment and then. lift
/ ing his gilt headed cane. poked me. with
an air OF friendly vulgarity. in the ribs
| Then recognized him. II was old Jimmy
| Merton. man with whom | had once
! toured. many years before. when l was
| beginner. ready to snap at anything.
| and he was running a blood curdling
| melodrama.
| Poor old Jimmy. He was a typical
showman-loudly dressed, very shiny silk
| hat. slightly tilted. clean shaved. bright.
twinkling little eyes and nose which
Illustrated its own story in colors. !
think he had managed every kind of en-
tertainment in every part OF the globe
| plays. circuses. lectures treligious. scien-
| tiic and comiet. freaks. "portables." dis
solving views and performing dogs. He
had all the itinerant showman's bounce
and swagcer: he was by trade something
OF fraud; he knew all the usual lodges
Of his business and had one or two favor
lite wrinkles of his own, and at the bot
tom of his heart he was a good hearted.
plucky old boy, who had made fortunes
for others and ruined himself
''You bonnder." he roarod boisterously.
Fancy meeting you, Row are you?
What are you going to haveT'
We shook hands. and | glanced ques-
tioningly ct TIE young lady by his side.
You know herr" be shouted. Don't
you remember the little girl you used to
give sweets to and tell fairy taies:''
Why. bless my soul!' | exclaimed.
Surely it isn't little Maidie?'
Are you Mr.. Beresford:" she said
eagerly. with fash of recognition. And
l remember that she colored with pleas
ure. and small. firm hand caught mine
with a womanly grip which have never
forgotten.
She had been little 3-year-old when
was about 20, and we had been insep-
arabic chums during the six months |
worked with old Jimmy. That she should
have developed into this radiant crea-
ture. with perfect manners and style. in
the teeth of such rough and tumble
life. was little less than miracle. But
l learned afterwnrd that old Jimmy, in
spite of innumerabie reverses of fortune,
had contrived to keep her at a first class
boarding school, and some Unborn good
breeding of her own had douc the rest
Although she was always known as
Maidie Merton, she was not Jimmy's
daughter. He had married her mother,
who had once been a prominent London
actress. when Maidie was an infant.
Mrs. Merrion's professional name was
Ada Sinclair. but there appeared to be
some mystery concerning her first hus-
hand. and beyond the fact that he was
Mr.. Douglas nothing was known of
him. Mrs. Merrion had been dead some
10 years. and old Jimmy had been n IA
Their to his wife's little orphan ever since.
We had long talk. Poor old Jimmy.
TO use his own expression. was nearly
ION his uppers." He was running a
tenth rate trades and cycle exhibition
without sufficient capital. and the sleepy
town OF Norford had not responded TO his
call
I've tried all the wheezes. dear boy"
he said dolefully. But it's no good.
They won't come in"
when does the exhibition close?" l
asked.
AT the end of next week We are not
taking 40 shilings n day. including side
shows. and the expenses are $50 week"
What are you going to do?"
Il shall hang on here until the last
possible minute" he whispered. land
then we must make bolt for it. | can't
pay up. because haven't fiver left"
There was a moments uncomfortable
silence, and | noticed the look OF pain on
Maidie's face. II was easy to see how
the poor girl detested the life and how
old Jimmy's vulgarities grated on her.
and yet she was too good little woman
to reproach the man who, with all his
faults. had been so good to her.
Eyes. laddie," said the old man. speak
ing for once quite naturally. I've had
good many struggles to keep on my feet,
but I've always managed to pay my way
It'll be the first time I've had TO bolt.
I've had my day. We all come to the
same thing in the show business-we get
swamped at last. shouldn't care SO
much il it wasn't for Maidie," he said.
Then. turning to the girl with tears twin
king in his eyes, he said: why don't
you leave me? You'd soon make your
way on the stage. Pm afraid I've got to
the end OF my tether.".
Il shall never leave you. dad" said
Maidie quietly. 80 don't talk like that
Wen go to London together and make
fresh start"
In the meantime an idea had struck
me. ! was staying with Sir Andrew Still
lingfeet at the time, whose place was
only a few miles out of Norford. He.
too. was something of an old Snowman.
but an aristocratic one. and he and and
few more were syndicating a new piece
which we were about to send on tour.
1t occurred TO me that il | could induce
him, out Of good nature, to pay visit to
old Jimmy's exhibition the local aristoc-
racy would be certain to follow suit. Be
sides. ! might manage to get Maidie en-
gagged for our new piece. | preached the
subject to him when we were having an
after dinner smoke. 1.-THE man who is