Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-08

u nZe his own ignorance, however, anu
<ztN noting the ability of Bender, careful
0W man whoShad been identified with all his
fathers interests allowed him to remain
in charge Between them they struggled to conserve
and to dsipae the profits Bender had to do with the
first clause of this arrangement, and the show made
its dates amid anxiety
Young Speycncroft possessed many faults, the worst
of which finally showed in a lack OF respect for his
own people-those upon whose fahfulness and energy
the existence OF the business depended. This large
family was composed OF many smaller ones, and of
these component parts the most important was Joes
Though the aerial Autons were really mixed bunch
OF Smiths and Johnsons, and of the Csntaur Sis
ters" simply Murphey, Joe plain Joe all the time
and no one ever referred to his little group save as
"Toe's family" 1t was all his own, and when the
grease paint washed off and the pangles and scar
let folded in the costume chests "Joes family re-
NAMED intact, while the others became Murpheys and
Tohnsons and what not.
The "fanily" was not So large as had been on
time Before the opening OF this chapter Joe's wife
had been put OF the business by the swapping OF
clutch during her sackwire turn, and after period
in the hospital oe seeing tragedy in every approach
ing telegraph boy) she left the Of the family to
hn-that is to say the telegraph boy eventually arrived
and Joe spoiled his makeup in violent weeping
OF the family remaining were Minnie and Cesar and
Bill Minnie was Joes daughter and she had puny
start in the world when compared with other girls At
the time of the telegraph boys arrival she had been
sixteen with her mothers yellow hair and blue eyes
promising vaguely what she would be like some day
And now that two years had passed the hair had
ripened to ruddier gold and the eyes were darker
and in 80 much she was splendid reproduction OF the
woman who had been.
Cesar and Bill the two solemn mouse-colored
burros Joe had adopted before his entering the show
business. He acquired them during a futile twelve
month spent in prospecting and the same stohd-look-
ing creatures wagging their long expecant ears in the
same way, fitted the act in sawdust ring as well as
they had packed his grub across Arizona Following
head TO tail, grave procession they perfect
foil for clown.
That was Joe's part, He only clown But
the white imbecity of him at the ringside thoroughly
disguised the real Joe, the head Of the family who
would walk over the fields Sunday mornings carry
ing wild flowers when the tall girl could find any to
pluck This family Joe mld-hearted, simple
man with humorous wrinkles puckering about tired
eyes, yet man of astonishing ninblenes despite the
age his gray hair proclaimed Now with the powder
rubbed and splash of red paint daubng his nose
(where ne tried to balance the feather, he the
merrest clown alive caperng laughing, vacant of all
save mrth. Young Speyencroft had noticed him dur
ing performances and had remarked that he was a
good clown" He had never walked over the fields with
the real Joe
The second uncomfortable epoch in Joe's life was
disappeared He learned after sleepless night, that
she had gone off with young Speyencroft. Somehow
or other Joe could not view this happening others
did Speyencroft rich-why he owned complete
outfit and they had always said Joe's Minnie would
do famousy. As for Joe, he too much OF a clowr
TO measure such worldly things. They said he Coulc
soon be manager if he would, and have his name or
the bills too, no doubt. Joe, said nothing. His hac
been childs belief in his own and himself, and ont
cannot injure the dignity Of child without arousin.
that which forces the Such sudden growth in
child, or a clown. is bad Joe scarcely listened to tn
Qood.natured comment. A clown has made so much o
rnifth out of nothing at all he grows suspicious o
gopd fortune And as matter OF TACT except 10
the brief little note announcing Minnies decision Il
him. he had not heard from her
Young Speyencroft did not return to the show. TIL
days drfted away, and Bender continued to man
ase it no one doubted that he received orders by ma
from tho owner off somewhere other.
Joe resented being left out of the equation II
brooded over this for quite time, during whic
his act noticeably suffered Then night when tn
last curious folk had left the lot long after he ha
washed up and could have been in bed he see
lettering about There was light in the manager
little tent, and Joe knew that Bender would be theI
balancing his days receipts perhaps writing pres
stuff Meanwhile Joe was making up his clowns min
Very little bufoonery showed in him when he stroc
quickly out of the dark and stood at the tents ha
The manager looked up serious face, the lin
of it drawn and aged the wrinkles around Joe's cy
having no humor left in their Fuckers. He did n
yYnile greeting, but said, in tone of fiat determn
Non:
give come over to have talk with you, Bender"
Now there were few people OF the show who pr
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