Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-02-17

ness luSlCoSSO' ~ 'oSi - !
the circus herself.
At last, when darkness settled over
Green lane and the cricket orchestra
was in full swing, Abigail arose with
determined air and walked around
bor house to the woodshed There
were no other houses In Green tame,
and she had the quiet little place to
herself. Deliberately she CLOSE 4
batchet from the several thu! We're
ronced along the wall and in tue dark-
nass tried its edge with her thumb.
Satisfied, she went out into tie lane
and gained Hannah Payne's frort yard.
Under the mulberry tree it WAS very
darl, and Abigail knelt down and ran
her fingers around the trunk n"til she
found place where she knew { re bark
was rough and SCARED. a horse had
nibbled the trunk when the tree had
been a mere sapling.
Then. to the music Of the circus band
PLAYING down on the green, Abigail
Hodson snote the mulberry tree blow
after blow on the rough SCARED place.
Tho Ratchet was sharp. and her thin.
w,rv arms we're strong. and tie blade
bit deep into the tree. A brisk north
uest wind was blowing, and Abigail
had barely reached the heart Of the
tree when a hard gust came. There
was q splitting. cracking sound. and
abe had scarcely reached place Of
safety before the mulberry tree crash
ed down. breaking the fence In its fall.
AS If suddenly impressed by the grav-
Ity of the deed she had committed. Abb
gail Hcdson stood fer several moments
as If stunned Then with frightened
glance around her she picked sp her
skirts and scudded home again. No
guilty murderer could have cleaned the
telltale instrument more carefully than
did Abigail her Ratchet after the fall
of the tree.
Then she hastily changed her dress
locked her house and ran down Green
lane. Five minutes afterward she en-
tered the circus tent. Yes. for the first
time in her life Abigail Hodsnn went
to circus.
Hannah Payne saw her and ncl:lF
tumbled off her narrow seat. she
crushed the bag Of peanuts she ha'i
been consuming into her pocket an!
craned her neck to see where her ers.-
while friend would sit. Abigail took Il
seat directly opposite Hannah Payne
All the people stared very hard whea
Abigail came into the tent. because
they knew that her father and her
grandfather had disapproved Of cir
cuses. and when the Hodsons diSap-
proved Of anything their stubbornnesS
was quite as remarkable as that OF the
Paynes.
Abigail Hodson broke all precedenis
by entering the tent, and there was IT.
tie doubt that her fellow church nen'-
hers would require an explanation. III
the meantime she must enjoy 1t II sne
could, for never again would she nave
the inspiration. provocation. desIer':-
tion-call it what you will-sutiicieht 10
sustain her during such trying ordeai'
Such was her excitement concerning
the mulberry tree that she did not eH'
iov the circus at all. The clowns al-
reared silly, the horses old and decrcpit
compared to the graceful animals de-
picted on the billboards; the lonely elc-
phant looked muddy and ancient b.
yond all belief; the performing dogs
were fooishly self conceited. This WAS
Abigail's estimate of her first circus.
When it was over she crowded 'oi-
ward TO make her escape from friends
and acuuaintances who might have
seen her there and asked embarrassing
questions. She was almost the FIRST
one to leave the tent, and she Sprf
away down the street with feet mar
barely touched the ground. She Elada
ND her mind that Hannah would giieSS
who had committed the deed. and she
Abigail, would not deny it. She you'll
stoutly maintain that the tree was Il
nuisance-a public nuisance-and II
Hannah Payne wanted to begin :u't
against her she could have the pa;:e's
served at any instant.
BY this time Abigail had rearhr'i
Green lane and was toilins up is
steep incline. Ahead Of her in me
darkness she could see the darker Ink
of the fallen tree, and as she reached II
she hesitated. Behind her there cam"
hurried footsteps-those Of Hanna -
but Abigail was rooted to the spot. She
could not move an inch, no matter what
happened.
Hannah Payne's voice came III adj
vance of her spare figure. That yoH'
Abigail Hodson?" she queried SHARPLY
Eyes" she said duly.
whats the matter? know seine
thing awful has happened; If there
hadn't you wouldn't have been at the
circus! What's the matter? parted
Hannah. approaching.
"You can get the sheriff" moaned
Abigail.
"What's the matter? What's that"
almost screamed Hannah Payne. paint
ing to the fallen tree.
II cut down your mulberry tree. You