The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-26
n Want to
Belong to
Somebody"
CHAPTER II.
(contlnued)

after prolonged hesitation. he told
her quietly that be would like 70
hear all she felt disposed TO tell.
She looked at him steadily: Can
you dilute few words with the
water OF your Imagination. TO cover q
life? I'll speak the words, II you
have the imagination"
As he looked into her eyes, oil
sense OF the abnormal disappeared
II have the Imagination, Fran" he
exclaimed impulsively, If II Ii your
life"
"In spite of the lions2" she asked
almost sternly.
her shoulders, and studied her face.
The moonlight was lost In the
depths OF the unfaltering eyes. and
there came upon him a surging tide
as from the depths of the unknown,
sweeping away such artificial bar
siers as the mind prepares against
ell great shocks. or surprises.
You needn't tell me a word" Alb
bott said, removing his hands. Il
know all that one need know; it's
written In your face, story OF sweet
Innocence and brave patience"
But want you to know"
Good" he replied with a sudden
smile. Tell the story, then: II you
we're an Odyssey, you couldn't be too
long"
The first thing remember Is wax
ing up to feel the car j<rSeu, or stop
ped, or started, and seeing lights fash
past the windows-lanterns of the
Ibrakemen, or lamps OF some town,
dancing along the track. The sleep
ing-car was home-the only home
knew. All night long there was the
groaning of the wheels, the letting on
Of steam, the calls OF the men. Boun-
der Brothers had their private train,
and mother and lived in our Pullman
car. don't know how old was when
1 found out that everybody didn't live
on wheels-that most children had
homes that didn't move around, With
!. neighbors and relations. After q
while knew that folks stared at US
I because we were different from
others. We were show-people. Then
I the thing was to look like you didn't
know, or didn't care, how much peo-
pie stared. After that, found out
that / had no father; he'd deserted
mother, and her uncle had turned her
out OF doors for marrying against his
wishes, and she'd have starved II 1t
hadn't been for the show-people."
Dear Franz" whispered Abbott
tenderly.
Mother had gone to Chicago. hop
ing for a position in some respectable
once, but they didn't want a type
writer who wasn't stenographer IL
was winter--and mother had mo-
was so little and bad! In
cheap lodging house.. mother got TO
know La Gonizetti, and she persuaded
mother to wait with her for the sea
son to open up. then go with Bounder
Brothers; they were wintering In
Chicago. II was such kind OF lie
as mother had never dreamed OF, but
II was more convenient than starv-
ing, and she thought II would give
her q chance to find father--that trav-
cling, all over the country. La Goni-
zetti was a lion-tamer, and that's what
mother learned, and those two were
the only ones who could go inside
Samson's cage. The life was awfuliy
hard, but she got to like II, and every
body was kind TO US, and money came
pouring In, and she was always hop
Ing to run across clue to my
father-and never did"
She paused, but at the pressure OF
Abbott's sympathetic hand, she went
on with renewed courage:
When I was big enough, wore
tiny black skirt, and red coat with
shiny buttons, and beat the drum in
The carnival band. You ought to have
seen me-so little. Abbott,
fx~.o crfn A 4
We had about a dozen small shows
IN our company, fortune-tellers, min
strels, magic wonders, and all that
and the band had to march from one
tent to the next. and stand out in
'front.' and plaa. to get the crowd in
bunch, so the free exhibition could
work on their nerves. And I'D beat
away, In my red coat and
there were always the strange faces,
staring, staring-but ] was 80 little
Sometimes they would. smile at me,
but mother had taught me never to
speak to any one. but to wear a
glazed look like this"
How frightfully cold" Abbott
shlyered. Then he laughed, and so
did Fran. They had entered Little.
burg. He added wickedly, And how
dreadfully near we are getting to your
home"
Fran gurgled. Wouldn't Grace
Nolr just die II she could see us!"
That sobered Abbott; considering
his Official position, 1t seemed high
time for reflection.
Fran resumed abruptly. But l
never really liked 1t because what
wanted was a home-to belong to
somebody. Living that way In a trav-
eling-car, going to sleep in the rattle
OF pulling down tent-seats and the
roar Of wild animals, and waking UP
with the hot sun glaring into your
eyes, and the smell OF weeds coming
In through your berth-window.
II made me want to be fastened to
the ground, like tree. rhen / got
TO hating the bold stare OF peoples
eyes, and their foolish gaping mouths.
I hated being always on exhibition
with every gesture watched, as IL I'd
been one OF the trained dogs. I hated
the public. wanted to get away
from the world-clear away from
everybody like l am now
with you. Isn't II great"
Mammoth" Abbott declared
Watering her words with liberal mag
nation.
II must talk fast, or the Gregory
house viii be looming UP at Va
Mother didn't want me to like tina
life. maybe that was another reason