The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-18
BIT MARTHA xcurLooH WILLIAMS.

NtAalA W hAC lArnaENafNs -
body fell the circus Itself a provfaence,
coming as II ID. Just the week that the
quarrel bsiwixt the Beans and the Houns-
leys get near the shooting pitch Nothing
short Of circus would have answered
people in the Brush Creek -neighborhood
did not make up their quarreIs easily, nor
for such trines as picnic, or even pro-
tracted meeting. As fer a political bar
becue, that added fuel TO almost any sost
of fame-it was so easy TO quarrel with
a mans beliefs that you had lively quar-
rel with the man himself.
Clngstone, the social center Of all Brush
Greek, lay where the big road crossed the
river. which was navigable six months OF
the year. Other months Brush Greek de-
pended upon the mail-ridsr for its news.
and upon itself for its diversions. Natur-
ally the diversions ran through a sliding
scale from fighting to courting. Since the
Bean-Hounsley affair embraced both, IL
divided Brush Creek folk into two opp0s-
ing, and well-matched camps One said
old Squire Jack Hounsley ought 10 get
down on his knees and give special thanks
that a stirring fellow such as Bud Bean
was well known 10 be wanted 10 take
his daughter Bee of his hands, adding
with something of asperlty, that for its
own part it didn't know what Bud saw IN
her-he certainly would get the worst Of
the bargain. To this the other retorted
with equal rancOr. that IL Bud was stir
ring, all the other Beans since the year
had been nobodies, so 1t was pretty GER
tain his Industry couldn't last-Sduire
Jack Hounsley was merely proving HIM
self the wise and far-sighted man they
had always taken him to be, In refusing
10 let Bee-short for Belinde-even speak
any more to Bud.
That was the talk, understand, in corn
planting time. By August, the circus
season, IL was very much sharper, and
more sulphurous. Kind people after their
habit, had carried things back and forth
between the high contending parties, un-
til Squire Jack was ready to foam at
the mouth if you said Bean in his hearing
and Bud swallowed hard and looked in
tently over your head If you 40 much as
mentioned that Squire Jack had traded
horses again.
The circus came to clingstone. That
meant the coming in of everybody else
within radius of twenty miles. The viii
lage was huddle of little stumpy houses,
but the people were as hospitable as a
summers day is long. Clingstone house
wives began cooking the day after the
bills were put up. and when the day itself
| came, had their tables set. and loaded
with good things just as soon as the pa
rade was over-say at II o'clock. Even
then many of them went TO the circus
leaving late comers or familiar company
still eating Squire Jack brought in every
soul on the place, all packed in the two
horse wagon, along with sack Of meal,
IL o<1 1,Ir nd
apples. The sacks were all for his sister
Jenny, at whose house he would leave his
women folks to gossip, and get dinner,
while he himself kept a sharp lookout for
that pestilent Bud Bean.
Squire Jack meant to get there so long
ahead of Bud that Bud would have no
chance TO find out Bees whereabouts. 1t
nettled him not little that as he came
to the ford, the ferryman said. grinning:
my soul Squire Jacki Looks like you're
a-chasin' Bud Bean. He's jest about two
minutes on ahead Bee. who was pale
and pretty, with dreamy meek blue eyes,
smiled hopefully-it was a good omen,
Buds getting thus ahead of Pap. He had
ssnt her a message the night before,
mystayiously as it was laconic. Jump
but don't holler when you hear the lion
roar" 1t ran Bee did not in the least
| understand it-but then 1t was not for
her to understand things she meant
always TO leave that to Bud.
Still she could not help specializing on II,
when she was safe in her seat inside the
tent, and she had seen Bud go past twice
or three times without so much as look
ing her way Somehow he seemed TO be
Cumming nightly with the circus folk
! he went In and out at pleasure, sat for
! brief whiles where he chose, and guyed
the clown with a familiar ease really as
! founding. He bought a bouquet of paper
! roses in one of the sideshoW tents. and
flung them from the tip of his umbrella
at the Queen of the Scene. the girl who
! Jumped through paper-covered hoops with
her horse at full gallop Lie Pardue,
who sat next TO Bee, nudged her and
whispered: "Ain't your eyes right green?
I know one thing-I would stand up an
dispute with my parent for no feller that
cut no sech capers, right before my face"
Bee sat dreaming all through the per-
formance. waiting for something-she
didn't know what Her heart sank as the
family party filed out of the tent. and still
she had no sign from Bud. She thought
her father was going straight home. That
was Squire Jacks intention-but he had
traded horses three times that day get
ting boot and a better horse every time
so he was the humor for any sort &C
pleasant extravaganza. When he heard
the ring-m ter shouting from his perch
on a gay wagon, that the night show
would be u-ike. and ever so much better
than the day one, he thrust fistfui o,
silver inside the ticket-window. saying
with a grim laugh: I'm willn' 90 pay
money Jest 10 find out how slick ysp TEL
lers can lie" ~
Bee felt her dying hope suddenly re-
prieved, then. but she was near crying
when the night show ended, and st Bad
had made no sign. She had seen him
promenading with the pretty circus rider
on his arm. Once they had stopped--Jack
had nodded toward Bee and seemed 10
ask question TO which the girl smiled an
answer Bee was glad the mules trot.e.1
their best and made the wagon jounee
and bounce so there could be no tilking-
Lie Pardue had come with them, and
she knew was fairly aching to twit her
with Buds open falling away.
Squire Jacks road was for three miles
or more the big road He had distaneed
most Of the other homing vehicles, when
all al once one corner OF the wagon sank
down. spilling the occupants IN a long
row. before the team could be checked 4
lynch-pin had dropped out and let the
hind wheel run of. AS Squire Jack was
searching for IL, lantern In hand, a man
came gaIloping toward him. shouting
aloud: Run everybody for your lives.
The lions loossi Cage got turned overt
Runi He'll kill you! Rum
The road ran through woods From the
depths OF them behind the rider. there
came succession OF bloOd-cuTdling h0wls
II seemed TO Squire Jack and his scatter
ed wagoH-ioad they could hear the sound
Of mighty leaps and cracking under5rush
between the frightful hoWls. The Squire
rose TO the emergency. He had his horse
the new horse In charge OF Tommy hi
eldest son had also the Two mules p
and nine people 20 carry or On them "
a wink he had stripped the mules OF
gear, set Tommy astFlGe one Of them.