Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-18

boys with palm leaf fans for sale, the
candy sellers, the popcorn peddlcrs, the
Italian with the toy balloons that float
like a cluster Of colorcd bubbles above
the heads Of the crowd and the bal
looms that wall like baby; the red
lemonade man, shouting in the shrill
voice that reaches everywhere and ell
dures forever: "Lemo! Lemo'! Five
a glass! Ice cole lemo'! Five cents, a
nickel, a hnlf a dime, the twentieth
potofadollah! Lemo'! Ice cole lemo'"
all the vociferating harbingers Of the
circus crying their wares. Timid
youths in shoes covered with dust
through which the morning polish but
dimly shons and unaltcrably hooked
by the arm to blushng maidens bought
recklessly Of peanuts, of candy, Of pop
corn, Of all known sweetmsats, per-
chance, md forced their way to the
lemonade stands, and there, all shyly,
silently slipped the crimson stained am
brosia. Everywhere the hawkers din
ned, and everywhere was heard the
plaintive squawk Of the toy balloon.
In the courthouse yard, and so sin
ming in the very eve Of the law, two
swarthy. shifty looking gentlemen were
operating with some greasy walnut
shells and a pea what the fanciful OF
unsophisticated m ght have been pleas.
ed to call Il game Of chance, and tn
most intent spectator of the group
around them was Mr.. James Bardlocls,
the town marshal. He was simply Nnd
unotficialy and earnestly interested.
| Thus the eye of the law may not be
said TO have winked upon the nefari-
BUSINESS now under It's vision. 1t gszed
with strong curiosity, an itch to da d.
BILE and, II must be admitted. a grow
ing hope Of profit, the game was so d.
rect and the player SO sure. Several
countrymen had won small sums, and
one, charmnglv rustic stranger, with
peculiar accent (he said that him and
his goil should now have smoot' olt
time OF his winninks, though the lady
was not manifested) had pocketed $25
with no trouble at all. The two oper.
ators seemed depressed, declaring the
luck against them and the Plattville
people too brilliant at the game.
1t was wonderful how the young
couples worked their way arm in arm
through the thickest crowds, never sepa-
rating. Even at the lemonade stands
they drank holding the glasses in their
outer hands. Such are the sacrifices
demanded by etiquette. But. observ.
ing the gracious outpouring Of fortune
upon the rare rustic Just mentioned. a
youth in a green tie disensaged his
arin-for the first time in two hours
from that Of n girl who looked upon
him with fond, uncertain smiles and
conducting her to n corner Of the yard
bade her remain there until he return
ed. He had to speak to Hartley Bowl
der, he explained.
Then he plunged. red faced and ex
cited. into the circle about the shell
manipuators and offered to lay a wa
ger.
"Hor on there, Hen Fentriss." thickly
objected a flushed young man beside
him. "Iss my turn"
I'm first Hartley" returned the 9th
or. You can hold yer bosses. reckon
PLENTY fer each and all, gents" in
tcrrupted one of the shell men. "Plact
yer spondulics on de little ball. W'icl
is de mex lucky gent to win our mon
cy? Gent bets four sixtyfye be seen dc
little ball 20 under de middle shell. "
she comes. Dis time we wins. Plat
vile can't win every time. Who's d.
mex lucky gcnt:"
Fentriss edged slowly out of The cir
Gle abashed and with rapidly whiten
ing checks. He paused for momen
outside, slowly realizing that all hi
money had gone in one wild, blinC
whirl-the money he had earned 81
hard and saved so hard to make a holi
day for his sweetheart and himself. III
stole one glance around the building Il
where a patient figure waited for him
Then he fed down side alley and sool
was out upon the country road. tramp
ing soddcnly homeward through tn
dust. his chin sunk in his breast and hi
hands clinched tight at his sides Nov
, and then he stopped and bitterly hurl
ed stone at a piping bird on til" fenc
or gay pobwhite in the fields. At nool
the patient figure was still waiting il
, the corner OF the courthouse yard, meek
> ~ twisting coral ring upon her finger
: Rut the flushed young man who hat
spoken thiclly to her descrter drew al
? envlcd roll of bank bills from his peck
, ct and began to bet with tipsy caution
while the circle about the gambler
; watched with fervid interest especial.
Mr. Bardlock. town marshal
/ From far up Main street came tn
cry shes a-comin'. She's acomin.
! and this announcement of the parad
, proving only one of dozen falls
alarms thousand discussions too
place over old fashioned silver time
pieces as to when she" was really due
Schohelds' Henry was much appeale
/ to as an arbiter in these discussions
, from sense of his having good dea
TO do with time in general sort o
@ way, and thus Schohelds' came to b
q reminded that it was getting on towar
10 o'clock, whereas in the eXctemen
I of festival. he had not yet struck
i This, rushing forthwith TO do, he die
and. in the citation of the moment, seNe
. or eight besides. Miss Helen Sherwoo
4 was looking down on the mass Of shift
" color from second story wndoy
). : the courthouse, and she had tn
=. pleasure OF seeing Schotields emerg
on the steps beneath her when the bell
> had done and heard the cheers 0ed b
. Mr. Martini with which the crow