The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-10
DRIFTW0oD
wiII crom nnd the circu. Lndy.
BY PHIL H. ARMsTRoNc

s1-.fr atA VI them HaQa been uneNtnllul In affecting his future life or heart; nothing beyond the ordinary wonder that is aroused in tho mind of the average village lad had been his. but when on a particular day as set forth n the glaring posters, the parade marched by with flare of solor and a blare of sound. he felt a premoni- pen. Instead of going home to his dinner he followed the procession all the way to the show grounds and stood around eager and impatient for
 In about an hours time. will push ed up to the stand with the rest, pouRnt ticket for ten cents and com the smaller tent
 The day was extremely warm and Will divided his time between mopping large red bandana, pushing the peo. pie out of his way when they crowded him. and swearing to himself when they stepped on his toes,
 As soon as he entered the tent, and surrendered his ticket to the man at the box. he suddenly caught sight of 2 pretty creature, over in one cor gies and that was about all; unless, as VIII afterwards said jokingly, you counted the smile she wore"
 He afterward declared that the mem- ory that smile would last him all the rest of his days; she also was the possessor of two rows of pearly teeth t1dl nt AFOWGQ TeSGInDleQ IOlHlHk bU much as tooth powder advertise ment. It wasn't poetical compari- son, but Will meant 1t for one.
 She had long golden hair that struck
 No wonder this combination was enough to take a simple country swain bys storm and play havoc with his
 He had always vowed he would some day wed a "circus lady as show wo- men. seemed to him. the, most fascin- sether, % but tui his opportunity sTs n T had hit6- him
 miringIy staring at the girl, no one daring to dispute his right to do so or presumtng to shove him out of the
 The dancer at the other end of the tent didn't even draw a. book from VIII, though the rest watched her swayed to and fro. to the monotonous tum tum of a kettle drum.
 The two evidently took turns. danc- ing; when the latter wi1I.i finished ner
 He read the sign on a large gIacard st her feet, Papinta; the World's Streets Sf Cairo"
 ~ She was now putting in the time selling. her photographs, and her ad- H1iIGE tuSLdHlfy ptONGu ulS UcVOLlOn purchasing a dozen, In as many dif-
 Will thought he would open g con- versatfon with her;
 them. and the girl wasn't particular.
 Been with the show long?" began
 Six years" said the girl, smiling encouragineIy.
 "Gee-thet's a long time. reckon you find the life pretty hard don't wen, I'll just tip you wise-i'
 Will didn't more, than half under stand. her but looked wise,
 Why don't you git another Jon or--
 "Ain't SC easy as you -besides they are are on the level here even
 why don't you quit workin'?"
 'Tf quit I'd soon starve to death-- good reason ain't it?"
 They both laughed.
 T mean why don't you GIT MAR
 The woras sounded dreadfully dis- tinSt even in the confusion; rso u,u,
 Will swallowed the thing, hook and all like speckled bass after an arr
 T wonder it.-if I could have a chance at you?"
 You might?"
  do her dance.
 As she started to climb up the frail platform that had only been careless Y put together n and d,ns nad been bs onsa who preceded her, the end MISS Pa pinta stepped upon suddenly gave way and she fell heavily to the ground with scream, the side piece falling wifi was vas the first to reach her. and amid the. confusion and screams of the women, he managed to sneak out to the open air with her.
 With all his might he hurried over throuGhthe big wagons with his prize where man an, in brass ss,dn buttons tS stsp she's hurt, ain't she?"
 Don't stop mel know her and am and get the doctor. They ain't any hospital in this were town,
 Straight home he walked with his yards from the tent. handling her as If she had been cut glass. never stop ping till she was safely tucked in be- tween cool clean sheets by his own
 Here the good woman astonished be- yond words watched over the strang- CT in tights and spangles while Win went on dead run for Doctor Co.,
 He soon returned with the physician and she was in a little while resting " a badly sprained ankle and couldn't go back to the show for couple. Of weeks. By that time the, worlds greatest aggregation would be gone: Will was delighted at the prospect of entertaining the fairy from another world within his own ho A.
 He carried a message the mana ger of the show explaining the situa- ton or loss of situation which he be- lieved would result from the accident.
 They would have to, worry along with one dancer till they could get a substitute for "Papinta-"
 Will said to himself if he had the say they would worry along indefinite ly.
 There couldn't have been found. in the country a more devoted nurse than he for the next week.
 The first rude shock, however, to the esthetic soul of Will was was the dis tresses" were false. His faith in wo- men was shaken; his contention of the beautiful all at once toppled as 1t were from the high pedestal upon fragments fell at his feet they all but converte.! him into a cynic. The days having grNwn considerably. warmer the wig had been removed by the doctors orders to allow a freer cir
 The girl had shortly cropped straight brown hair after the manner of most show women to allow for the differ ent kinds of hair they are called upon accustom, himself. tQ it, He noticed further that the features of the girl, after she had begun to sit up, and he could see her in broad daylight, were coarser than he had imagined in the
 Thus one rude shock after another he encountered as he saw for the first time ID his life how things really were