Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-05-13

IYAYNHILE Polly sat Tn the dressing tMI tent listening indifferentiy to
 I'M the chatter about the ''leap of
 death girl Jim waited In the lot outside. opening and shutting q small leather bag which be had bought for her that day. lie was as biind ro the picturesque outdoor life as she to her indoor surroundings. for he. too. had been with the circus since his earliest recollection.
 The grass inclosure where he waited was shut in by circle of tents and wagons The great red property vans were waiting to be loaded with the costumes and tackle whi b were coE- stantly being brought from the big top. where the evening performance was now going on. The gay striped curtains Ut the rear of the tent were looped back to give air to the painting musicians. who sat just inside. Through the opening a glimpse of the audience might be had. tier upon tier, flaming and shifting uneasily. Near the main tent stood the long. low dressing top. with the women performers slowed away in one end. tue ring horses in the center and the men performers in the other end.
 temporary curtain was hung be- tween the main and the dressing tent to shut out the curious mob that tried to peep In at the back lot for Q glimpse of things not to be seen in the ring.
 Colored streamers fastened to the roofs of the tents waved and foated in the night mir and beckoned to the townspeople on the other side to make haste to get their places. forget their cares and be children again.
 Over the tops of the tents the iurid light of the distant red fire shot into the sky. accompanied by the cries of the peanut butchers" the popcorn boys the lemonade vendors and the exhortations of the sideshow spleier, whose flying banners bore the painted reproductions of his freaks. Here and there stood unhitched chariots. half filled trunks. trapeze tackle. paper hoops. stakeS pullers or other proper. ties necessary to the show.
 Torches famed at the tent entrances, while oil lamps and ianterns gave light for the ioading of the wagons.
 There was constant stream of life shooting in and out from the dressing tent to the big top as gayiy decked men. women and animals came or went.
 Drowsy dogs were stretched under the wagons. waiting their turn to be dressed as lions or bears. The wise old goose. with his modest gray mate. pecked at the green grass or turned his head from side to side. watching the singing clown. who rolled up the painted carcass and long neck of the imitation giraffe from which two prop erty men had just slipped. their legs still incased in stripes.
 Ambitious canvasmen and grooms were exercising. feet in air, in the hope of some day getting into the per. formers ring. Property men stole a minutes sleep iH the soft warm grass while they waited for more tackle to load In the wagons. Children of the performers were swinging on the tent ropes. Chattering monkeys sat astride the Shetland ponies. awaiting their on. trance to the ring. The shrieks of the hyenas In the distant animal tent. the roaring of the lions ard the trumpet. ing of the elephants mingled with the incessant clamor of the band. And back of all this. pointing upward in mute protest. rose solemn church spire. white and majestic against a vast panorama of blue. moonlit hills that encircled the whole Mrid picture. Jim's eyes turned absently toward the church as he sat fumbllng with the lock of the little brown satchel.
 He had gone from store to store in tho various towns where they had played locking for something to in- spire wonder in the heart of n miss newly arrived at her sixteenth year. Only the desperation of last moment had forced him to decide upon the imi. tation alligator bag. which be now held in his hand.
 It looked small ard mean to him as the moment of presentation approach ed. and he was glad that the salcswo- man In the little country store had suggested the addition of ribbons ansi laces. which he now drew from the pocket of his cordurcys. He placed his red ard blue treasures very care fully in the bottom of the satchel and remembered with regret the strand of coral beads which he had 50 nearly bought to Eo with them.
 He opened the large property trunk by his side and took from 1t laundry box which held little tan coat that was to be Toby's contribution to the birthday surprise. He was big hearted enough to be glad that Toby's gift seemed fine and more useful than his.
 1t was only when the 'leap of death' net preceding Polly's turn was an- nounced that the big fellow gave up feasting his eyes on the satchel and coat and hid them away in the big property trunk. She would be out in . minute. and these wonders were not