The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1902-08-08
c.vyrish,, 1905. BY ROnrur BOSsrs'. sOs,.
CHAPTER 4.

smile on MS race IN a week.
The scene was the Lotus club. New
York city. aud |. Richard Wilbertson.
just entering. was the old Gloomy-face
alluded TO. The facetious person who
so alluded TO my impassive face was
Dilkins the dude. and youthful mem
her OF our coterie. The second speak
CT was Major Simmons. who. besides
being first-rate companion. a man
OF middle age or more. was Park Com
missioner OF New York.
There was. unknown to the major
and Dilkins. a good reason for the al
sence OF smiles. / was desperately In
love with Edith Broughton. and Edith
was In love with me So far so good.
But I'm an evil hour a rival came upon
the scene. and though he did not sue
coed I'm winning Edith's heart. he did
succeed In so far winning the father
and the mother of Edith as to prevail
upon them 10 espouse his cause: and
in the effort To- compel Edith to ac-
cept him. they had absolutely forbid.
den me the entrance TO their house.
and had so restricted all the move.
ments OF Edith that all intercourse be.
tween us was impossible
The cause of this was plain enough
While | had comfortable income.
my rival. Ralph Graviscourt. was
millionaire. lived in magnificent style.
drove splendid horses. spent money
layishly and Notwithstanding. his
forty odd years. was the greatest
catch OF the season In New York.
The conversation turned on Grayis-
court, and the major became reminis.
cent.
He was called the lucky uncle. q"
said the major. whose years gave him
a deep knowledge OF the past. Gle
had an elder brother. Charles Gravis.
court. who was successful stock.
operator. and who amassed a fortune
of over n million dollars. Charles had
a wife and one child. His wife died
when the child was only six months
old. One year afterward Charles
died. leaving the child, n girl. sole
Eeiress OF his fortune. and Ralph
Graviscourt. next OF kin. his executor
and guardian OF the child. Six months
after Charles died. his daughter died
and Grayiscourt inherited the fortune
That is why he was called the lucky
uncle"
When the major had finished. | sat
moodily engaged with my thoughts.
which were unpleasant enough.
"Pshaw!" said he. Don't get blue
Let's go to the circus tonight What
do You say"
After a little chan about the pro.
gram. we both accepted the major
invitation. and few hours later we
found ourselves az Madison Square
Garden. elbowing our way with the
rest OF the throng In through the On.
trance and into comfortable seats pro
vided by the major.
As one circus Is like another. so the
gaudiIy uniformed band was like every
other circus band. and blared out cir.
Gus music until the throng was
seated.
Then came the clown. and after him
n herd of trained elephants. We
watched them attentively. and were
rather sorry when the great. clumsy.
sagacious brutos moved out OF the
ring.
81, Here's n sight" said Dilkins.
digging me In the ribs
IL was a sight. indeed,
The next occupant Of the ring was
Maubikeck. the Lion.Tamcr,
He was not particularly tall-nut
more so than myself but OF such mas.
slve muscularity that I gazed M him
with undisguised admiration. had.
in my college days. been something
of an athlete myself. and l had an
horest admiration for the strength and
iron-like limbs OF the man before MS.
He was clad only in tights. and
through them the swelling muscles OF
his thighs seemed about TO burst.
About his waist he wore a bejeweled
girdle. the bangles OF which seemed
Co be gold and silver coin
From his waist up he wore nothing.
His skin was white and through II
his iron muscles rolled and swelled
like those OF some giant OF the past.
whose deeds, as written, now seem
groundless legends. I'm which there
can be no probability OF truth.
Upon a neck OF massive beauty was
raised n head over which a sculptor
might rave. II was like the head OF
n Greek god, so perfect was IL in its
outlines. it's matchless poise. It's per
feet skin and It's wealth OF glossy
black hair.
The lions were not the full-maned.
majestic African kings we see in
menagories and in illustrations. They
were a smaller variety. with n notified
brown coat. but with legs and neck
that bespoke tremendous power. and
eyes that flashed ominously and voices
that were from time 10 time lifted In
angry growls.
When the keepers had freed tho
lions from their chains. an act that
seemed to al the audience with fear.
Maubikeck stepped from his chariot
and went among them. They crouched
"a he approached. and cringed nc his
touch. II seemed TO me as II they
recognized and acknowledged the
Dowor of the man over them.