The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-02-05
NJ OF ON THE
PROGRAM
BY Frank Hurburt o'Hara.

vi tit SitlS VI lShto liS biuSiS VI
a brass band penetrated and the busy
murmu of spectators. The woman
dug the toe of her slipper into the
sod, while the man talked earnestly.
She was a gorgeous vision in fluffy
pink; her companion was CARRIED as a
clown. They made a strange picture.
There was a sharp call, n h clown
ran in between the flap, leaving the
woman to return to the dressing room
behind. AS she passed inside, a large
woman with masses of bleached yell
low hair directed a fiery glance at her
and muttered, with a raw laugh:
"Spoonin' again."
The other did not notice her. Every
thing seemed strangely confused, and
her brain was running riot. She rec
ognized this as an unfortunate circum-
stance. There was a hustle, the cry
ing of voices and the Lily-they called
her that. Wanda, the Lily, though her
name was plain Clara Smith-jumped
into her chariot, the attendants loosed
the impetuous horses, and she was
gliding through the flap into the bril-
liant arena. The lights hurt her eyes.
The band played for a moment, then
paused, then burst forth in tumultu-
GUS clatter. There was an awed,
breathless silence from the rows of
taut faces. The large with
the yellow hair was beside her. The
race was On.
The Lily somehow thought Of moth
ing save the man IL the clowns garb.
There was something repulsive, she
thought, in that costume, in the silly,
painted face-the face which was so
handsome in real life. He had begged
her to leave all this glitter before she
was lost and so away with him. There
would be less financial reward, he
had admitted, but surely a more sim
pie, peaceful life. And she had re-
fused. She must wait, she had said.
Why? All, yes!-why? She won
/ dered now.
All this she thought in a brief, fleet
ing moment. Then she was startled.
What was happening? The other
woman should fall behind. She was
leading. Had she forgotten? The girl
looked quickly toward her. The wom-
an seemed to be straining every eff
fort to keep the lead. Great clouds of
dust and dirt few about them. Wanda
gave a little cry, dashed the mad
dened steeds, leaned forward, held her
breath.
Around the circle they dashed.
There was a great uproar now, as Of
tremendous thunder. Dust blew in
Wanda's eyes. She could scarcely
see. The woman with the yellow coils
of bleached hair was smiling slightly,
urging her horses IN. The heavy,
sharp thud-thud of the painting ami
mails echoed above all other sounds.
Wanda cried shrilly, in hysteria. The
other woman laughed, gasping.
1t was the last lap. Both women
cracked their whips flercely. Jealousy
on the n hand, indignation on the
other, inpelled them to fury, madness,
abandon. Awed faces of circus men
stared at them in fright. The audience
applauded In ignorance. Some of the
employees yelled out to them:
"Fifne! For Gawd's sake, Fifne!
Wanda! Lily"
But the charioteers paid no heed.
This was the elimination of the feud
that the older woman had imposed be-
tween them. She was wild with pas
sion. She was crazed because the
man should have loved this girl now
risking death at her side. Each was
determined that this should mean
the end. /
The last lap 1t was; nearer, nearer
they rushed; swaying, crying, bend.
ing, painting. Ahead there was a flash
Of white, straight before them in the
track. A man?
MAY God help him!" thought Wan
da, though she was too GREATNESS to
a~rticulate. She strained on her reins,
jerked them, pulled f~rantically,
shouted, shrieked-but the spirited an
imals Numbered On, scarcely checked.
A wave of yellow hair went flying by;
there was a thud somewhere beneath,
a sudden, death-like silence every
where; then voices crying shrilly.
Wanda fell forward. An hour later,
with numbed senses, she revived.
"Who-was-it?" she moaned.. a
workman"
They tried to quiet her. Then some
one, far away, it seemed, said:
"Was it only a dummy CLOWN"
"A clown!" cried Wanda, the LILY
oh"
He will live," said someone beside
her, softly. 1T was miraculous-if you
had not checked-yes, he'll live
yes"
She fell back exhausted. Over in
another corner a large woman with
bieached yellow hair stood staring
about. Another voice seemed to be
speaking.
She'll have to quit. She ought tc
v long ago Sure! She's too old"
I'm going to quit. too" whispered
Wanda. Both of us, and-him."
Then the Lily fell back. asleep, amid
L f6A or.alrtna 80 .@n-- A.