The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-29
THE EVENING STORY

(By Epes Winthrop sareent

demanded Teddy. There's Tom Boz
lam He works in his blacksmith shop
all day and gets his face as black as an
end man. Then he goes home and
washes up and he's all right What
difference does 1t make if daub on
zinc instead of dirt?''
1T Isn't all that, Ted said Sally.
somehow you seem different
Just because you saw me?'' he
laughed bitterly. "Bin Brattle told me
was rotten. but 1 didn't suppose 1
was bad enough to queer my luck with
YOU
Il can't explain said Sally. impa-
tiently. But somehow when 1 saw
you last summer with all the people
laughing at you II couldn't be proud
of you any more. I just felt ashamed
to sit there and remember that was
engaged to you"
me-" he said. scornfully- Let me live
on in that fools paradise all this time
Why, could have gone with the Ford
hams this winter if I had wanted to,
to quarters just so I could be near
YOU
I'm sorry. Ted she said, duly. Il
like you still when see you, but then
every little while your face gets all
white with the red marks on it, and
want to cry
''Brattle was right he said. bitter
" Let circus folk marry circus folk.
They look deeper down than makeup
Il suppose 1 ought to-, said Sally;
s'but just can't, Ted"
"AIl right he said, brusquely, try
ing to keep back the tears that would
rise to his eyes. Il don't want the
darn ring back. I amt got any one
else to give it to. So long
He climbed into the tiny road cart,
cracked the whip, and the four ponies
trotted off.
1t was only four miles to Carston-
Menagerie and Circus lay in winter
quarters, but every revolution of the
little wheels seemed to put Sally-and
happiness-mileS behind.
Ted Stevens was a circus clOWn-nOt
a very good one, but good enough for
the one-ring wagon show he Travelled
with. Last spring he had come down
few weeks before the opening to re-
hearse some bits of comedy, and he
had met Sally Myerly.
She had never seen much of show
folk, and she was attracted by his fun
as well as by the whOlesOmeneSS of his
manner. In the three weeks they saw
each other Ted had won her heart.
Then the show had gone south to open.
It was midsummer before the slow
moving outfit had come back to Cars
tonville to show, and that afternoon
Ted had done his best because Sally
was watching from the reserved seat.
He had been rather disappointed at
her lukewarm appreciation, but he did
not realize what the matter was until
he had come back with the show to
go into winter quarters.
He had taken the meagre salary Of
fered to help care for the stock instead
of playing at the vaudeville theaters
through the winter, and it was with
happy heart that he took the pony
four-in-hand out for exercise, and had
driven over to the Myerly farm.
He had received an enthusiastic well
come from 1O-year-Old Dick, but Sally
-
fessed that the sight of him in the ring
had killed her love. Her ideas of ro-
nance were CLEANED from cheap f1c-
ton, wherein English lords in disguise
were more apt to be the heroes than
circus clowns. The sight of Ted in his
motley had killed her ideals, and she
wanted her freedom.
For the next couple of weeks he held
to his work, trying in occupation to
find forgetfuiness. He had been rather
mission to try his hand at two of the
ponies, just to occupy his mind, but
in the long nights, when the silence
was broken only by an occasional cry
from the stock barn, he had plenty of
time to think. for sleep came late to
his tired eyes
The day before Thanksgiving
Thomas Myerly drew up at the sheds
and climbed down from his sea. Ted
saw him and went out to meet him
sally wants to know if you won't
bring them ponies over" he said.
..Dick liked EN- so. and the doctor says
that perhaps they'll rouse him.
'I'Il see the old man." said Ted II
guess it'll be all right. though. They
need a run"
Permission was easily obtained when
explanation was made, for the "Old
Man" had youngsters of his own and
soft spot for childhood. and presently
the gay little team was trOtting down
the frozen road.
Dick was brought to the window.
well wrapped up, but he only waved a
languid hand at the clown and turned
his head away Ted unhitched them
and put them through their tricks, but
with no greater success, and after he
had nut the team in the barn he went
That's the first kid I ever saw that
wasn't stuck on them ponies" he said.
whats the matter with him ~
That's what we want to know, said
a grave faced man who had been talk
ing with Sally. 1.-The little fellow seems
to be sunk into a sort of coma, and we
cannot rouse him. He will not eat, and
unless we can give him desire for
food and interest him in things we
shall just have to watch him slip
You want to come out and look at
them ponies. Doc" said Ted, suddenly.
come on out to the barn.
The physician paused a moment;
then something passed in the glance
Of the two men, and they went out to-
gether. For half an hour they sat on
an old wagon box and talked, and then
the physician went back to the house
and Ted hItched up the ponies. He
drove out of the yard with flourish
Of the whip toward Dick. who had
been brought to the window to see him
off. The little fellow answered with a
weary wave of the hand. and Ted grit
ted his teeth as he drove of.
The next morning dawned bright
and clear 1t was almost Indian sum-
mer. and the windows were open in
the Mver1y home. Dick sat at the win
dow, listlessly watching the people go
driving by to church. Mrs. Myerly d. |
vided her time between the kitchen