Putnam patriot., 1909-05-28

NS teafu h9W some NUurCl lalkS feels towards us circus people. sir. an l Jes' wanted you to know that there ain't finer families or better mothers oI fathers or grandfathers or grandmothers anywhere than among us. Why. that girls mother rode the horses afore her. an her mother afore that. an her grandmother an' grand father afore that. an there ainf no body what's cared more for their good name an their ehildren's good name 'an her people has. You see, sir. cir GUS folks Is all like that. They's jes' like one big family They tends to their business an takes good care of therselves. They has to CT they couldn't do their work It's cause I'm leavin' her with you that I'm sayin' all this." the old man apologized ''Fm glad you told me. Toby" Doug. las answered kindly. I've never known much about circus folks"
 'l guess I'd better be goin'." Toby faltered as his eyes roved hungrily to- ward the stairway.
 s.I'il send you our route an mebbe
 
 Indeed. I will" Douglas assured him heartily
 You might tell her we'll write ever day or so' he added.
 "I'il tell her. Douglas promised ear. nesily.
 Good nightm The old man hesitat. ed, unwilling to go. but unable to find further pretext for staying.
 Good night. Toby" Douglas ex tended his hand toward the bent figure that was about to shuttle past him. The withered hand of the white faced clown rested in the strong grasp of the pastor. and his pale little eyes sought the face of the stalwart man before him. X numb desolation was growing In his heart The object for which he had gone on day by day was being left behind and he must stumble forth Into the night alone.
 Its hard to leave her." he mum bled, but the show has got to go on."
 The door shut out the bent. old fig ure. Douglas stood for some time where Toby had left him. still think ing of his prophetic words. His rev erie was broken by the sounds of the departing wagons, the low muttered curses of the drivers, the shrieking and roaring of the animals. as the cir GUS train moved up the distant hill "The show has got to go on.' he re peated as he crossed to his study table and seated himself for work in the dim light of the old fashioned lamp He put out one hand to draw the sheets of his interrupted sermon to- ward him, but instead 1t fell upon a small sailor hat. He twisted the hat absently in his fingers. not yet realiz- ing the new order of things that was coming Into his life. Mandy tiptoed softly down the stairs. She placed one pudgy forefinger on her lips and rolled her large eyes skyward. Dat sure am an angel chile straight from heb ben" she whispered. "She done got face jes' like little flower"
 straight from heaven Douglas re peated as she crossed softly to the ta- ble and picked up the satchel and coat.
 You can leave the lamp, Mandy must finish tomorrow's sermon.
 She turned al the tnresnoiu anu shook her head rather sadly as she saw the imprint of the days cares on the young pastors face.
 "Yo' mus be pow'ful tired" she said.
 No. no. not at all. Good night. Mandy"
 She closed the door behind her. and Douglas was alone. He gazed absent ly at the pages of his unfiished ser mon as he tapped his idle pen on the desk. The show has got to go on. he repeated. and far up the hillside with the slow moving wagons Jim and Toby looked with unseeing eyes into the dim. starllt distance and echoed the thought. The show has got to go on"