Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-12-04


answered. But afterward she had not
slept She thought of the motherly
woman who had befriended her, Of
the rank and base ingratitude of such
a course; and yet she loved him.
Suddenly q wild desire came to her
to leave everything and 60 home.
Her parents were hard country folks,
but they would welcome her with her
little money, and give her such af-
lection as they had to bestow. They
would even be proud of her in a way.
There was none Of that Puritanism in
Shawnee county which prevails in the
New England states. II was q hard
land where money alone counted.
The following afternoon her mind
was not yet made up. It must be one
course or the other, she knew. Either
go OF with her lover or go h)me.
She could not endure the delay Of .
decision longer
She stepped into the cage and at
once Rita began to act strangely. Per-
haps she knew; or perhaps the unrest
In the girls soul communicated itself
to hers. The honess dashed her tail
and retreated, growing. to the oppo-
site end Of the cage. The other three
lions began to growl in sympathy, and
crouched beside her, snarling at each
flick of the girls whip and utterly ig-
noring the stands on which they were
supposed to stand In a pyramid.
Nero was uneasy, too. Nero. at
his mistress heels, growled back at
Rita. and crouched also, motionless.
watching her. The girl kept her eyes
on Rita; she knew that the other lions
would follow her example.
She saw. dimly, the crowd of sight
seers outside the cage, seated upon
their wooden benches. But she saw
them askance. for her mind was set
on dominating the lioness, and, though
1t was easy to escape, she knew that
she would never be able to do any
thing with Rita again.
She advanced. Ticking her whip.
and Rita, growing, poised herself to
spring. This was the crucial moment.
Suddenly the girl heard Goldini's
voice.
Come QUIT" he screamed, half open
ing the cage. 1T is no good! Comet"
At that moment, Just as the girls
attention was distracted, though 1t
was but momentary wavering of an
eyelid, Rita leaped. At the same in
slant the other lions sprang into the
air.
Rita's tawny body flew across the
cage. But at the same moment Nero
sprang to meet her. He could not
stop the momentum of that bulk, but
he turned It. Lioness and dog rolled
in tussle upon the floor.
At the same instant Goldini
screamed and slammed the door of
the cage.
The girl heard shrieks of panic
among the audience She was con-
scious Of the circus employees pulling
frantically at the door Of the cage.
Before her she saw the dead body of
the faithful hound, and the lioness
and lions worrying 1t. She retreated
toward the door. Rita sprang for her
again. but the lash of the whip caught
her across the nose, and, swerving,
she flung herself against the bars.
They quivered. but stood. fast, and
before she could turn again the girl
had stepped backward to safety
through the open door.
Gho fouuA ho~sa1R 1~s~- A. A.
ter Of crowd of strangers. Fer first
thought was of Nero. Then, remem-
bering, she began to weep Historically.
Her second was Of Goldini. He had
slammed the door and left her to die!
Goldini's ancient malady had broken
out once more. And It was at the
turning point of the girls career. For
suddenly she realized that this thing
had effectively answered the question
that had tormented her.
She rose to her feet and STAGGERED
through the crowd. She meant to 20
away, right away. she could not see
Goldini again: all her love was dead.
a gray-haired woman was clasping
her to her breast The girl looked
into her face q full minute before she
realized who this was.
20, mother!" she sobbed. 20, take
me away, take me away"
Through the silent crowd the gray.
haired. black-bonneted woman led the
girl in the short skirt with the span
giles.
Copyright. 1914. by w. q. Chapman.)