The Lambertville record., 1909-04-14

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 n
minutes sleep In 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 en-
trance to the ring The shrieks of the
hyenas In the distant animal tent. the
roaring Of the lions and 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 II solemn church
splrc. white and majestic against n
vast panorama Of blue. moonIt hills
that cncircled the whole lurid picture.
Jin's eyes turned abseDtly toward the
church as he sat fumbliDg with the
lock Of the little brown satchel.
He had gone from store to store In
the various towns where they had
played looking for something to In
spire wonder In the heart of II 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 he now
held IN his hnnd.
II looked small ana mean to him a,
the moment of presentation approach
ed, and he WAS giad that the saIeswo
man In the little country store had
suggested the addition OF ribbons and
laces. which he now drew from the
pocket OF his corduroys. He placed
his red and blue treasures very care.
fully IN the bottom Of the satchel and
remembered with regret the strand OF
coral beads which he had 80 nearly
bought To 20 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
II was only when the leap Of death
act 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
a minute. and these wonders were not
to he revealed to her until the close
OF the nights performance.
Jim put down the lid OF the trunk
aud sat upon IT. feeling like a criminal
because he was hiding something
from Polly.
IIls consciousness OF gull, was In
creased as he recalled how often she
had forbidden Toby and himself to
rush into reckless extravagances for
her sake and how she had been more
nearly angry than he had ever seen
her when they had put their months
salaries together to buy her the span
gled dress for her first appearance. IL
bad taken a great many apologies ana
promises as to their future behavior
to calm her. and now they had again
dlsobeyed her 1t would be u great re-
lief when tonights ordeal was over.
Jim watched Polly nneaslly as she
came from the dressing tent and stop
ped to gaze at the nearby church stee-
pie. The incongruity of the slang that
soon came from her delicately formed
lips was lost upon him as she turned
her eyes toward him.
"Say, Jim," she said, with a western
drawl. 'them's funny lot Of guys
what goes to them church places, amt
they?"
"Most everybody has got some kind
Of bug" Jim assented. II guess they
don't do much HARM"
"Member the time you took me into
one OF them places to get me outa the
rain, the Sunday our wagon broke
down? Well, that bunch we butted
into wouldn't "a give Sells Bros. no
cause for worry wlkh akhee show a,