Gunnison news-champion., 1909-05-07

SeSeS herssst VI the co-tunse - 9
kasssan charioscer.
AIS 1t ~hat.~ asked roliy vacaatty
Leave boll ss"se, shes In ose u
her frances" called a mot.ser,y. gs~.sI
sstured woman wbo-e trunk s,s.ssl
next to follys and wh.se bossssese
wss to Support a son aud tssee aaHgh
ters upon ssslwart shoulders. lsssth ng
srativeIy ana literally.
well. ! stint in any trance" answer
ID the dark girl. "and I think ITS pr~s
" tough for him TO take Wy via a
sank cufs sislce and expect US 10 warn
up to her as though he'd married one
of our own folks" She tossed her
head. the pride Of class distinction
~cliins high in her ample bosom.
He amt askin VS. to warm up e.
light haired spritc. who had arrived
late aud was making undicnificd ~
forts 10 get cut of her clothes by way
of her head. She was Pollys under
study and next in line for the star
place ia the bill
Well Barker has put her into the
leap of death stunt amt heg" con
tiBued the brunette Course that
ain't a regular circus act" she added
somewhat moliifed. "and So far she $
had 60 dress with the freaks. but the
next thing We know he'll he ringin
her in ON y regular stunt and be put.
tim her In TO dress with us"
blond. Barker Is too Old a stager 10
mix up his sheep aud his 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 I'm
the circus lot. clinging timidly to the
hand ~ the man who had just made
her bis wife. Her eyes had met Pol
ly's with look of appeal that had
gone straight to the child's simple
heart
A few nights later the newcomer
had allowed herself TO lie strapped
into the cumbersome leap Of death"
machine which hurled itself through
space mt each performance and Hung
itself down with force enough TO break
the neck of any unskilled rider Cour-
age and steady nerve were the reaui-
sites for the job so the manager had
said. hut any physician would have
told him that only trained acrobat
could long endure the nervous strain.
the muscular tension and the physical
rack Of such an ordeal
What matter? The few dollars
earned in this way would mean
great deal to the mother whom the
girls marriage had left desolate.
Folly 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.
khe couldbremember no woman's arms
about her. for It was fourteen years
since tender hands had carried her
mother from the performers tent into
the moonllt lot to die. The baby was
30 used to seeing "mumsie" throw her
self wcarily on the ground after con-
ing out Of the big top" exhausted
that she crrpt To the woman's side. a.
usual. that night and gazed laughingiy
into the sightless eyes, gurgling and
pratting and stroking the unrespon
sive 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 in the ring. Go
Toby now carried the babe to another
side Of the lot. and Jim bore the life-
less body Of the mother to the distant
ticket wagon. now closed for the night.
and laid 1t upon the sellers cot.
ITS allus like this In the end" NJ
murmured as he drew a piece Of can
vas over the white face and turned
away TO give orders to the men who
were beginning to load the props"
used earlier in the performance.
When the show moved on that night
1t was Jim's strong arms that lifted
the mite OF Polly close to his stal-
wart heart and climbed with her 70
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
1t seemed to these two men that the
eyes Of the woman were fixed steadily
upon them.
Barker. the manager. a large NOISY.
good naturcd fellow, Mt first mumblesi
something about the kid being excess
baggage" but his objections were only
half hearted. for. like the others. Se
was already under the hypnotic spell
OF the baby's round, confiding eyes.
and he eventually contented himself
with an occasional reprimand to Toby.
who was now sometimes late on his
cues. Polly wondered at these times
Why the old mans stories were 20 sud
6ealy cut short just as she vas -
comfy" in the soft grass at his feet.