The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1909-11-11


Gus, is brought up by Toby, clown, and
by boss canvasman called "Muvver
jim" She learns to ride Bingo, circus
horse, and grows to womanhood knowing
no life except that of the circus. ia
church near the circus lot interests Polly.
Jim reproves her for her reckless riding. !
1II-Polly urges Bingo to unprecedented
speed and falls. Toby and Jim carry the
injured girl to the parsonage nearby |
" The Rev. John Douglas, much to Dea-
con Everson's disgust, takes Polly into
the parsonage. Toby and "Muvver jim"
are received kindly by Douglas, who has
placed Polly in charge of his colored SER
want, Mandy. Douglas promises to care
for the girl until she is we'll. V-When
Polly becomes conscious she declares
that she must rejoin the circus at once.
care you a sky pilot?" she asks the min
lister. Her mother was killed riding a
Giro us horse, am her father "got his n
in lions cage" The minister read
to her about Ruth and Naomi, and Polly
says, 81 guess T. d like to hear you spiel.'
"An' den on Sunday, when he can't
go to church an preach She got no
further. A sharp exclamation brought
both Mandy and Douglas to attention.
"Preach" Polly almost shouted. She
looked at him with genuine alarm this
time.
"That will do, Mandy" Douglas COM
manded. feeling an unwelcome drama
gathering about his head.
"Great Barnum and Baileyw Polly
exclaimed, looking at him as though
he were the very last thing in the
world she had ever expected to see.
'"Are you sky pilot?"
THAT'S what he am, chile" Mandy
slipped the words in slyly, for she
knew that they were against the pas
tors wishes, but she was unable to re-
strain her mischievous impulse to SOW
the seeds of curiosity that would soon
bear fruit in the 1nquisitive mind of
the little invalid.
"Will you get on to me a-landin' into
a mixup like this?" She continued to
study the uncomfortable man at her
side. II never thought I'd be a-talkin'
to one OF you guys. What's your
name?"
Douglas" He spoke shortly.
Saint you got no handle to it?"
''If you mean my Christian name. it's
John"
"Well. that sounds like sky pilot
all right But you don't look like l
s'posed they did"
"Why not?".
II always s'posed sky pilots was old
an grouchy-like. You're almost as
good lookin' as our strong man."
II done tole him he was too good
lookin' to be an unmarried parson."
Mandy chuckled, more and more
amused at the pastors discomfort.
"Looks don't play very important
part In my work." Douglas answered
CURLY. Mandy's confidential smokers
made him doubly anxious to get to a
less personal topic.
"Well, they count for a whole lot
with u.s." She nodded her head decid-
edly. How long you been shown in
this town, anyhow
"About year." Douglas answered.
with something of sigh
"A year!' she gasped. I'm a burg
like this! You must have an awful lot
of laughs in your act to keep 'em
a-comin' that long" She was wise In
the ways Of professional success.
''Not many, I'm afraid" He won-
dered for the first time If this might
be the reason for his rather Indifferent
success.
do you give them the same stuff. or
have you got rep?"
"A repY' he repeated in surprise.
"Sure, repertory, different acts-en-
tries, some calls 'em. Uncle Toby's got
h twenty -seven entries. 1t makes heap
of difference in the big towns where
I you have a run"
/ "Oh, understand" Douglas answer
1 ed in a tone Of relief. "Well, try to
/ say something new each Sunday"
\ "What kind of spells do you give
'em?" she inquired, with growing in.
terest.
II try to help my people to get on
II better terms with themselves and to
II forget their week day troubles" He
had never had occasion to define his eff
forts so infinitely.
'Well. that's jes' the same as u.s."
II Polly told him, with an air Of conde-
scension, "only circuses draws more
ii people AN churches"
"Yours does seem to be more pop
ular form Of entertainment" Douglas
answered dryly. He was beginning to
feel that there were many tricks In the
entertainment trade which he had not
mastered. And. after all, what was his
preaching but an effort at entertain
ment? If he failed to hold his congre-
II CATION by what he was saying. his lis
teners grew drowsy and his sermon
Il fell short Of its desired effect 1t was
true that his position and hers had