The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08

cOmlcal entertainment and repartee.
(Schofields' Henry bought two of these
no doubt on the principle that two
were twice as instructive as One-in-
tending to bury himself in study and
do battle with Tom Martin on his own
ground)
Here swayed the myriad palm-leaf
fans; here paraded blushing youth and
rosy maiden, more relentlessly arm-in-
arm than ever; here crept the octoge-
marian, Mr.. BOdeffer, shaking on cane
and-the shoulder of posterity; here
waddled Mr.. Snoddy. who had hurried
through the animal tent for fear of
meeting the elephant; here marched
sturdy yeomen and stout wives; here
came William Todd and his Anna Belle,
the good William hushed with the en-
barrassments of love. but looking out
warily with the white of his eye for
Mr.. Martin, and determined not to sit
within a hundred yards of him; here
rolled in the orbit of habit the baccha-
nal, Mr.. Wilkerson, who politely an
sWered in kind all the uncouth roar
ings and gutteral CALCULATIONS of jungle
and fen that came from the animal
tent; in brief, here came with lightest
hearts the population of Carlow and
part of AmO.
Helen had found a true word; it was
a big family. Jim Bardlock, broadly
smiling and rejuVenated, shorn of de-
preston, paused in front of the re
serve" seats, with Mrs. Bardlock on his
arm, and called loudly to gentleman
on a tier about the level of Jim's head:
How are We? 1 reckon we were a lee
tie too smart fer 'em, this morning
huh ?" Five or six hundred people
every one within hearing-turned to
look at Jim; but the gentleman adj
dressed was engaged in conversation
with "A lady and did not notice
Hi! Hi there! Say! Mr.. Harkless!"
beloved Jim. informally. His atten-
ton was arrested and his cheek grew
red.
What is it?" he asked, little con-
fused, and a good deal annoyed
II don't hear what We say" shout
ed Jim, putting his hand to his ear.
What is it?" repeated the young
man. "Ill kill that fellow tonight"
he added to Lige Willetts. Some one
ought to have done it long ago."
What"
Il say, WHAT IS IT?"
Il only wanted to say me @pd you
certainly did fool these here Hoosiers
this morning, huh? Hustled them two
nobody never thought to slip round
to the other door and head usSoff. Ha,
ha! We were jest leetle too many
fer 'em, huh?'
From the upper tier of seat the rusty
length of Mr.. Martin erected itself
joint by joint, lie an extension ladder
and he peered down over the gaping
faces at the town, marshal. Excuse
me-" he said sadly to those behind him,
but his dry voice penetrated every
where, II got up to hear Jim say We
again."
Mr.. Bardlock Joined in the laugh
against himself, and proceeded with
his wife to some seats, forty or fifty
feet distant. When he had settled him
self comfortably. he shouted over
cheerfully to the unhappy editor:
Them shell-men got it in fer you, Mr.
Harkless."
'Hain't that fool shet up yit?" snarl-
ed the aged Mr.. Bodeffer, Indignantly
He was sitting near the young couple
and the expression of his sympathy
was distinctly audible to them and
many others. Got no more regards
than brazing calf-diSturbin' a Teller
with his sweetheart"
THE both of 'em says they're goin'
to do fer YOU" bleated Mr.. Bareback.
Swear they'll git their evens with ye"
Mr.. Martin rose again. Don't git
scared and leave town, Mr.. Harkless, -
he called out; "Jim'll protect you"
Vastly to the young mans relief the
band began to play, and the equestrians
and equestriennes capered out from the
dressing-tent for the Grand En-
trance" and the performance commence
ed. Through the long summer after
noon 1t went on; wonders of horseman-
ship and horsewomanship hair-raising
exploits ON wires tight and slack; gid
dy tricks on the high trapeze; feats
of leaping and tumbling in the rings
While the tireleSs musicians blatted in
spiringly through it all, only pausing
long enough to allow that uproarious
jester, the clown, to ask the ring-mas-
ter what he would do if a young lady
came up and kissed him on the street,
and to exploit his hilarities during the
short intervals of rest for the athletes.
When it was over, John and Helen
found themselves in the midst of a
densely packed crowd, and separated
from Miss Brscoe and Lige People
were pushing and showing, and he saw
her face grow pale. He realized with
a pang of sympathy how helpless he
would like if he We're as small as she,
and at his utmost hight could only see
big, Suffocating backs and huge Shout
ders pressing down from above. He
was keeping them from crowding heay-
lily upon her with all his strength, and
a royal feeling of protectiveness came
over him. She was so little. And yet,
without the remoteSt hint of hardness,
she gave him such a distinct impress
sion of poise and equilibrium, she seem
ed so able to meet anything that might
come to understand it-even to laugh
at it-so Americanly capable and sure
of the event, that in spite of her pale
cheek he could not feel quite so pro-
tectiVe as he wished to feel
He managed to get her to one of the
tent-poles, and placed her with her
back to it. Then he set one of his own
hands against it over her head, braced
himself and stood, keeping a little
space about her, ruggedly letting the
crowd surge against him as it would I:
no one should touch her in rough care
lessness.
Thank you. II was rather trying in
there" she said, and looked up into his
eyes with a divine gratitude.
PLEASE don't do that" he answered
in low voice.
do what?"
Look like that"
She not only looked like that, but
more so. Young man, young man." she
said, II fear you're wishful of turning
a girls head"
The throng was thick around them.
garrulous and noisy, but they two We're
more richly alone together, to his APP
probation. than if they stood on some
far satellite of Mars. He was not to
forgot that moment, and he kept the
picture of her, as she leaned against
the big blue tent-pole, there, in his
rvs