The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-12-14

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a sickly persistence as if, not having
dared until now to formulate his
dream, he grasped the present time
with invincible obstinacy:
Eyes. Boum-Boum! Boum-Boum!
1 want Boum-Boum!"
The mother had seized jacques
hand and spoke very low, as if de-
mented
| What does that mean, Jacques?
He is lost!"
But the father had en- his rough,
workingman's face smile almost
happy, but astonished, too, the smile
of condemned man who foresees a
possibility of liberty.
Boum-Boum! He remembered well
the morning of Easter Monday when
he had taken Francois to the circus.
He had still in his ears the child's
outbursts of joy, the happy laugh Of
the amused boy, when the clown, the
beautiful clown all spangled with
gold and with great gilded butterfly
sparkling, many-colored, on the back
of his black costume, skipped across
the track, gave the trip to rider or
held himself motionless and stiff on
the sand, his head down and his feet
in the air.
Or again he tossed up to the chan
delier some soft, felt hats, which he
| caught adroitly on his head, where
they formed, one by one, a pyramid;
and at each jest, like refrain bright
ening up his intelligent and droll
face. he uttered the same cry; repeat
ed the same word, accompanied now
and then by burst from the orches-
| ira: Boum-Boum!
| Boum-Boum! and each time that it
rang out, Boum-Boum, the audience
burst out into hurrahs and the little
one Joined in with his hearty, little
laugh. Boum-Boum! 1t was this
Boum-Boum, it was the clown of the
circus, it was this favorite of large
part of the city that little Francois
wished to see and to have and whom
he could not have and could not see
since he was lying here without
strength in his white bed.
| All! if Jacques could have wrapped
him up in his blankets, could have
carried him to the circus, could have
shown him the clown dancing under
the lighted chandelier and have said
to him, look! He did better, Jacques;
he went to the circus, demanded the
address of the clown, and >timidly, his
legs shaking with fear, he climbed,
one by one, the steps which led to
\ tho rt ant Of ha ~ 81 81
martre.
1t was very bold this that Jacques
was going to do! But, after all, the
comedians go to sing and recite their
monologues in drawing rooms, at the
houses of the great lords. Perhaps
the clown-oh! If he only would
would consent to come and say good
day to Francois. No matter, how
would they receive him, Jacques Lee
grand, here at Boum-Boum's house?
He was no longer Boum-Boum!
He was Monsieur Moreno, and. like
the artistic dwelling, the books, the
engravings, the elegance was like a
choice decoration around the charm
ing man who received Jacques in his
office like that of doctor.
Jacques looked, but did not recog-
nize the clown, and turned and twist
ed his felt hat between his fingers.
The other waited. Then the father
excused himself. sit was astonishing
what he came there to ask, it could
not be-pardon, excuse. But in
short, it was concerning the little
one. A nice little one, monsieur
And so intelligent! Always the first
at school, except in arithmetic, which
he did not understand. A dreamer,
this little one, do you see! Yes, a
dreamer. And the proof-wait-th
proof"
Jacques now hesitated, stammered;
but he gathered up his courage and
said. brusquely:
1.-THE proof is that he wishes to see
you, that he thinks only of you, and
that you are there before him like a
star which he would like to have, and
that he looks"
When he had finished the father
was deadly pale and he had great
drops on his forehead. He dared not
look at the clown, who remained with
his eyes fixed on the workman. And
what was he going to say, this Boum-
Boum? Was he going to dismiss him
take him for a fool and put him
out the door?
"You live?" asked Boum-Boum
"oh, very near! Street of the
Abessess%
Gomez" said the other. "Your
boy wants to see Boum-Boum? All.
. well, he is going to see Boum-Boum. -