Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-21
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
20. WWIN..ENRS


u. dent understand"
/ 'Dut yea.rs sping b., bafore I'm
daps with you. tsll ysu, I'm show
girl, a lien,frainsr, jqngler, I'm the
famous Fran NoapaFeil, and my oar
ntval esmpsny has showed In most Of
the towas and cities Of the United
States, It's when I'm In my blue silks
and gold stars and crimson sashes
kissing my hands to the audience, that
I'm the real princess.
Abbott was unable to analyze his
real emotions. and his ono endeavor
was to hide his perpledty. He had
always treated her as If she were old
sr than the town supposed. hence the
revelation Of her age did not 80 much
matter; but hon-training was 50 re-
mote from conventions that It seemed
In way almost uncanny. II seemed
to isolate Fran, to set her coldly apart
from the people of his world.
I'm going home." Fran said alb
ruptly.
He followed her mechanically. too
absorbed In her revelation to think Of
the cards loft forgotten on the bridge.
Prom their scene Of good wishes, Fran
went first, head erect, arms swinging
de1antly; Abbott followed, not know
ing in the least what to say, or even
what-to think. TAX
The moon had, not been, laughing at
them long, before Fran looked back
over hsrs shoulder. and said. as II he
had spoken. "6ull, I'd like for you to
know about It,"
He quickened his step to regain her
side. but was oppressed by an odd
sense Of the abnormal.
Although" she added indistfnctly.
ut doesn't matter"
They walked on In silence until, aft
ter prolonged hesitation. he told her
quietly that he would like to hear ali
she felt disposed to tell. e
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. Il you have tho
Imagination"
Al he looked into her eyes, all sense
Of the abnormal disappeared. II have
the imagination, Fran" he exclaimed
impulsively, ''if It is your life
TN spite Of the lionsf' she asked,
almost sternly.
"You needn't tell me . word" Alb
bott said, Il know all that one need
know: It's written in your face. story
of sweet innocence and brave pa
-ttence." -
but want you to know"
"Good!" he replied with q sudden
smile. "Tell the story, then: II you
were an Odyssey. you couldn't be too
long"
'The arst thing remember Is wax
ing up to feel the car jerked, or
stopped. or started and seeing lights
lash past the windows-lanterns of
the brakemen, or Tampa Of some town.
dancing along the track. The sleeping
car was home-the, only home I knew.
All night long there was the groaning
of tho wheels. the letting of OF steam.
tho calls Of the men. Bounder Broth
ers had their private train. and moth
er and lived in our Pullman car. Aft.
er while know that folks stared at
us because We were different from 9TH
ers. We were sl1owpeople. Then the
thing was to look like you didn't know.
or didn't care, how much people
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 IL 1t hadn't
been for the show.people."
Dear Franz" whispered Abbott ten
derby.
Mother had gone to Chicago, hoping
for q position In some respectable Of
fee, but they didn't want a typewriter
who wasn't q stenographer. It was
winter-and mother had mel was SO
little and bad! In q cheap
lodging house, mother got to know La
Gonizetti, and she persuaded mother
to wait with her for the season to open
up. then go with Bounder Brothers;
they were wintering In Chicago. II
was such q kind Of life as mother had
never dreamed Of. but II was more
convenient than starving, and she
thought it would give her a chance to
ind father-that travelling, all over the
country. La Confetti was lion
tanner, and that's what mother learned
and those two were the ones who
could go inside sanason's cage. The
life Was awfully hard, but she got to
like 1t, and everybody was kind to US
and money came pouring In. and she
was always hoping to run across q clue
to my father-and never DID,"
She paused, but at tho pressure Of
Abbott's sympathetic hand. she went
On with renewed courage:
when I was big enough, wore q
dny black skirt. and . red cost with
shiny buttons. and ! beat the drum
in the carnival band. You ought to
havo seen me-eo little. Alb
bot, you can't imagine how hetie
was! We had shout . dozen small
shows In our conpany, foEtune.tsllsrs,
minstreis. magic wonders. and Ill that
and the band hsd 10 masch from one
tent to the nezt andsstanA out IN front
and play, to Est the crowd In bunch.
20 the free sgMblt1on could work On
their nerves. And ID bsat away. In
my rod cost and there Were
always the stsangD1asss, sGaSing. star
ing-but I was % httlsl 0ons44nsa
they would ssnils 1t M. but mother
had taNght No asWs1 10 G0sek - aHy'
enc. hut 70 Nsae 4 slassd hook Nka
THIS
-.Hex s $4,000 .salllf. Asbet.