The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-21


and when one college fellow discovers
another digging" and thinks it is
time for him to stop, resistance is mere
idleness.
Come on" Hawkins commanded.
Ram those ponderous tones in and
cut for a real high-hying show. All
the fells are off. Hustle! but don't lug
those quartos, and we'll soon have
them"
The one looked al the other and then
wistfulIy at his books and his study"
inducing nook.
"Oh. pshaw. Hawkins" he pleaded,
"Ive got whole pages of Virgil to ex-
oavate yet. Let me off this trip
mo, if l leave you here drudging
and go off and drink pink lemonade
and hobnob with circus ladies, you'll
know more than do when 1 get back,
and that won't be fair to you. Besides
I have to introduce a few legitimate
pleasures into your scholarly life. Come
on. Skipi'
SO the two scampered across the
campus after row of miniature forms
which were dots on the eye-line.
They reached them. and We're well
coined with demonstrations.
Hawkins bounded on ahead of the
others, singing. dancing, making gro
tesque faces and impersonating things
and people. 1t was part of his scheme
of things wherever he went to give
preliminary performances of what
was to come. So now he went through
all the circus acts he could think of.
and interspersed them with entre-acts
furnished from amongst the crowd.
He performed feats in midair, and
landed safely. right side up. He whis-
tied, he shouted, he rode imaginary
horses and kept the others plentiful
ly amused. But he did it all for him
self and not for any applause. Haw-
kins belonged to the dramatic club.
Filkins looked on and smiled. He
enjoyed his friend without in the least
understanding that he stood for moth
ing but spontaneity. Filkins was inn
measurably serious, and he regarded
college boys as rational creatures. He
tried hard to deduce reason from their
gambols and tomfoolery, and he lay
down laws of temperament and charac-
teristics to govern their pranks. But il
was hard, and his friends were difficult
subjects to catalogue and arrange ac-
cording to any known system. Some
times in despair he even suspected
them of being motiveless and ire
sponsible
Billy, my boy" Hawkins whispered
to him, I'm going to initiate you. l
know few things about shows. Just
you avoid the center-rush and follow
your chaperone. There's a pretty
slick snake charmer over there. She'll
fn1y i
the side-show, and let those fellows
dizzy their heads with watching three
rings at once"
''All right" Filkins answered. I'm
your disciple in the new act of doingn'
a show. / haven't been to a circus
since l reached the age of discretion"
Come on" Hawkins pulled him by
the arm and showed him under the
railing. CHUCK under here. Circus
music is inspiring. know it isn't Wag-
ner or Chopin. but it's the stuff to
make horses 60"
They were inside the saw-dusted in
closure, which smelled of every earth
ly thing from eatables to animals.
They passed by the main tent. where
fakirs and hawkers were making a
small commercial bedlam, to a side
one. Here a couple of lions roared
tamely and an elephant performed
tricks. Blazing placards mentioned
that within the 1.-THE and handsome
Ethelma performed her thrilling and
awe-inspiring feats with venomous
serpents."
Come on. She's at it, Hawkins
gasped, all out of breath They SHOW
ed their way towards a platform in
the middle of the tent, where the
snake-charmer was surrounded by a
surging crowd. She had two huge rep
tiles in her clasp. One she was slapping
dexterously around her waist, and the
other was loosely curled over one bare
arm. 1t was this that Filkins first saw
and the shiny black of the snakes
body against the soft white flesh gave
him thrill and a shudder
Ethelma swayed and swung and
enveloped herself in passive clinging
coils of the clammy black things Her
motions were as 1.-THE and sinuous as
the bodies of the creatures which en-
circled her. The music was the bang.
ing of a strident piano. that sounded
like a clash Of cymbals and the roar
OF distant mob. 1t grew fiercer and
fercer. and full OF a Changing exulta-
ton, and Ethelmas motions grew
wilder and more dexterous, till sud-
denly she stopped, and spread her lips
in a red. enticive smile.
She patted her pretty creatures on
the head and kissed one daintily. Then
tnS pSVplS stofIneu ana peat upon the
sides of the platform. She smiled again
and languidly unwound herself from
the serpentine embraces and laid the
creatures in their glass case.
The crowd parted and went in search
of fresh excitement. 1t was Ethel
mas intermission. Filkins and Haw-
kins stood watching her from q short
distance.
Suddenly something dropped from
the platform and rolled to Filkins'
feet. He picked 1t up. 1t was not,
as he at first feared. cobra-but a
bamboo rod, one OF the implements of
the charmers craft. He returned il
with a courteous bow.
Ethelma opened her eyes. Men
didn't often bow to her like that She
smiled at him. and leaned over the
edge of the platform. Filkins' attitude
was Difference itself TO all women. He
bent forward. and said something
while Hawkins looked on and chuckled
why do you do it?" he asked her
Its very hazardous"
risky, you mean?" She raised her
eyebrows. oh. no, it's all practice
and secrets" she said archly.
But isn't it-isn't il revolving to
touch those things?"
"Oh. no." She caressed the head OF
large snake. "They are my pets; but
#they hate men, and II they dared would
harm me"
And aren't you afraid?" Filkins
tdrew near 10 her platform. compelled
by a new fascination.
"Oh, no. there are 80 many tricks
that make IL safe" she answered
He was looking up Al her. She had
IN "A 0amo-folOr bodice FlaaheH with