The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-04-20

asked a handsome brunette as she sur
veyed herself In the costume OF /,
Roman charioteer.
about what?' asked Polly yacantly
Leave Poll alone! She's In one O
her frances" called a motherly. goot
natured woman whose trunk stoot
next to Polly's and whose bushes.
was to support son and three daugh
tiers upon stalwart shoulders. both fig
uratlvely and literally.
We'll ! amt in any trance" answer
cd the dark girl. "and / think it's pref
ty tough for him to take up with I
rank outsider and expect us to warm
up TO her as though he'd married one
Of our own folks" She tossed her
head, the pride Of class distinction
yelling high In her ampG bosom.
HE amt askin' us to warm up to
her" contradicted Mile. Eloise. a pale
light haired sprlte. who had arrived
late and was making undignified eff.
forts to get out Of her clothes by way
OF her head. She was Polly's under.
study and next In line for the star
place In the bill.
We'll. Barker has put her into the
leap Of death stunt. amt hep con.
tinued the brunette. Course tina,
amt regular circus act" she added
somewhat rnollined, "and so far she's
had TO dress with the freaks. but the
next thing We know he'll be ringin'
her In on a regular stunt and be put.
tin her In to dress with u.s."
mo danger OF that" sneered the
blond. Barker is too old a stager TO
mix up his sheep and bis goats"
Polly had again lost the thread OF
the conversation. Her mind had gone
rowing 10 the night when the fright
ened girl about whom they were talk.
ing had made her first appearance in
the circus LOT, cllnging timidly to the
hand Of the man who had just made
her his wife. Her eyes had met Pol.
ly's with n look OF appeal that had
gone straight to the child's simple
heart.
4 few nights leter the newcomer
had allowed herself TO be strapped
into the cumbersome 'leap OF death
machine which hurled itself through
space at each performance and dung
itself down with force enough TO break
the neck Of any unskilied rider. Cour.
age and steady nerve were the requi.
sites for the job. so the manager had
said. but any physician would have
told him that only a trained Acrobat
could long endure the nervous strain.
the muscular tension and the physical
rack OF soch an ordeal.
What matter; The few dollars
earned in this way would mean a
great deal to the mother whom the
girls marriage had left dcsolate.
Polly had looked on hungrily the
night that the mother had taken the
daughter IN her arms to say farewell
In the little country town where the
circus had played before her marriage.
She could remember no woman's arm
about her. for Il was fourteen years
since tender hands had carried her
mother from the performers tent Into
the moonlit lot TO die. The baby was
40 used 10 seeing 'mumsie" throw her.
self wearily on the ground after com.
Ing out Of the big top exhausted
that she crept TO the woman's side. as
usual. that night and gazed laughingly
Into the sIghtlcss eyes. gurgilng and
prattling and stroking the unrespon
siye face. There were tears from
those who watched. but no word was
spoken.
Clown Toby and the big boss can.
vasman" Jim had always taken turns
amusing and guarding little Polly
while her mother rode I'm the ring. so
Toby now carried the babe TO another
side Of the lot. and Jim bore the life.
less body Of the mother 20 the distant
ticket wagon. now closed for the night.
and laid Il upon the sellers cot.
ats ailus like this In the end" he
murmured Ms he drew a piece of can.
vas over the white face and turned
away 70 give orders TO the men who
were beginning 10 load the props"
used earlier In the performance.
When the show moved on that night
Il was Jlm's strong arms that lifted
the mite Of n Polly close 90 his stall
wart heart and climbed with her 20
the high seat on the head wagon. Tn.
Gle Toby was Intrusted with the brown
satchel in which the mother had al.
ways carried Polly's scanty wardrobe.
IL seemed TO these two men that the
eyes Of tho woman were fixed steadily
upon them.
Barker. the manager. large. noisy.
good naturcd fellow. at first mumbled
something about the Kid being excess
baggage" but his objections were only
half hearted. for. like the others. he
was already under the hypnotic spell
Of the baby's round. confidlng eyes.
and he eventually contcntcd himself
with an occasional reprimand 10 Toby.
who was now sometimes late on his
cues. Polly wondered at these times
why the old mans stories were so sud.
I..sf.. s..t .ta~k 4s..S a. .h. x.oo 40