The Topeka state journal., 1914-01-28
The Euening Story

| The Evening Story
A Slender Pathway.
(By Alice North.)
Not to live In a tent or sleeping
car for a whole week was to Madge
the acme OF luxury. To be sure the
change was only to q little room. Just
big enough to turn around IN In q
moderate hotel but the bed was sta
tiOnary and c1ean.
In spite Of her strenuous profess
sion-she did a tight-r0pe act In
circus-Madge had q strong sense OF
the homemaker, and even this room
showed the Womanly touch. A clean
dresser scarf lay over the pine bureau
and on it in neat array the cehulofd
toilet set which Louis, the clown, had
given her on her last birthday, pin
cushion OF red and a red leather
frame. From the frame a picture of
q clean-cut Irish lad looked out He
| was dressed in q flannel shirt and
loose. flowing tie.
| On one corner Of the bureau stood
| Madge's workbox, also of red. "A
stitch in time." she observed musing-
| ly as she picked out a spool of red
silk from the box and critically
matched 1t against a dainty pair OF
red silk tights she held in her hand.
Then drawing q chair she sat down
beside the window, the sill OF which
was on a level with her shoulder, and
commenced her darning. Her va
grant thoughts flew hither and thith-
er, to Louis and the time when they
should both leave the circus and buy
a farm among her beloved Onondaga
hills; and to the past.
Only last evening she and Louis
had figured that this would be their
last summer season with the show.
and that next spring they could mar
ry and buy their hearts desire. Madge
wondered II either one would ever
feel q longing to return to the saw
dust again. She thought not. for her
coming into 1t had not been OF her
own selection.
"reminiscences of her early child
hood fitted across her mind like mov-
ing pictures before the eyes. She was
a little girl Of eight at home with
been noted for her nimbleness and
wonderful balancing powers. Her
brothers, older than herself, had al
ways been her playmates and she had
followed them in all their games.
4 In spite OF the May sunshine nit
as she thought Of that awful Sunday
when for the first time in the coun-
tvs history a tornado had swept
over the vicinity Of her fathers farm.
It struck houses at random, destroying
one. sparing perhaps the one next to
it. When it had gone. for it lasted
only q possible three minutes, Madge
Remembered the awful destruction.
Their home suffered little, but on
looking for the father Of the family he
was found in the demolished stable
where he had gone to fasten the cow.
Her mother died shortly afterward
from the shock, the boys were placed
tn, nd t1o
who did bareback acts in a circus
came and took her away. When she
found that the child had acquired a
very strong little figure, combined with
grace from her French mother and
steady nerves from her English faith
er. she soon had her doing acts IN
the show ring until now. as Made
moiselle Zella. she had made a name
for herself.
} Madge was recalled to the present
by her little nose, involuntarily sniff
ing the air. Hearing people moving
around. and the opening and the shut.
ting of doors, she realized it meant
fire. For an instant she was terror
stricken and could not move, then
bounding to the door, she opened 1t
and as quickly shut it again. The hal
was black with smoke. Rushing to the
window she climbed onto the chair an6
looked out. A straight perpendicular
} | OIlCk WALL IuS SlO0 OI the uOI0ls wal
what her eye Travelled down upon. Hel
room was too high for any ladder t.
reach. and across to the nearest roo
it was about hundred feet.
Il Was she to leave life now, wher
the farm and Louis love seemed *
near?
The telephone bell rang violently. ant
with trembling hands she took dowI
the receiver.
"Madge! Madge! are you there ?
It was Louis's voice. II cannot get K
you. There is only one chance.
have been on the roof opposite you
, room. There is a dead wire leading
) from your window to it. Walk it
I'll be on the other side"
''I'u try she called back. Thel
the fire broke the connection.
How glad now she was that hel
suit had needed mendinE and she hat
brought it to her room. wearing 1
there underneath her long cloak aftel
last nights performance. Quickl!
. kimono and her night robe and drew
. on the red silk tights. then the trunk
! and velvet jacket with the silve
! spangles.
Her golden hair. which had beel
hanging loosely down her back. sh'
made into a hasty knot. sticking ,
long shell hairpin into 1t. Into he
bosom she thrust Louis picture ant
, her purse. Then climbing onto tn,
chair. she again looked out Of tn,
. window and for the first time saw tn,
wire.
4 Until then Louis command (,
walk it, had cast no doubt in he
mind, but now a sudden fear seixe<
i her. Could she do It? Could she
who had thousands Of times thrilled
( spectators under the big canvas ten
!, by her daring. do this thing nov
y which meant life or death?
Il Below her, the people looked like ,