The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-18
The Euenine Story
Clowns and Cupid.
nv Louise Oliver.l

father, and the fact that his clear
young tenor voice was as silent dur
ing the singing of the hymn as Sara's
own sweet soprano confirmed her sus-
picions of two days standing Tnere
had been a quarrel
"Bless their heartsi" she sympa-
thized, with her thoughts miles away
from the song. II wonder what the
trouble is" And her eyes, rowing
away from her book as though in
search of the cause. found 1t.
There he was-thc stranger-in a
pew just ahead to the right.
"Humph!" concluded Miss Lynda
with involuntary contempt. "I'n bet
that circus agent who has been here
week and walked home with Sara the
other night is to blame for the whole
thing. She is a goose! A toothbrush
moustache and a box-plaited coat will
draw a girl under twenty-five as
honey pot does flies. I'll bet he hasn't
seen the inside of G. church before
since he was baptized-and I'll bet he
knows this minute that Sara's right
behind him looking like June rose
in her new silk suit and straw hat,
and I'll bet, too, that he Won't walk
home with her after the sermon either
if 1 can help it. Not if l am in as
good health as I am this minute he
WON'T"
The hymn closed and the sermon
reSdn. MISS Lynda nedTQ none Ol II.
Her thoughts were busy. There will
have to be something DONE" she kept
saying to herself, land something
quick. I'm not worrying about that
donkey with the Norfolk coat so much,
for, dear knows, he'll leave with the
circus Tuesday, but Billy will leave
town. too, if they have had a fight,
and maybe never come back, and that
will just about kill Sara, for I know
the girl better than she knows her.
self. Billy got that offer from the
Dayton firm and he is hotheaded
enough to accept it. Poor things!"
She sighed and glanced again at Sara's
unsmiling, unhappy face.
Her thoughts continued: "Of course,
talking to them will do about as much
good as trying to pvt out a fire with
gasoline, they are both so touchy But
there ought to be some way! The cir
Gus is Tuesday and Billy was to take
her, but he won't now. And that ninny
will hang around her and cause more
trouble. I believe I have the faint
glimmering of a plan! Yes, 1 have
the very thing,''
And that afternoon, after congratu-
lating herself upon her success at frus-
trating the ninny's plan of walking
home with Sara, and satisfying herself
that there had been a serious quarrel
between the two young people, she
managed to get her niece out of hear
ing while she called Billy's father on
the phone. After a very satisfying
consultation, Mr.. Langley concluded
with: IT'S bad business for young
men to lose their heads and leave
town, isn't it, Lynda? You and I know
that, don't WEI" And the short silence
that preceded Miss Lyndia's reply was
de to the fact that all her blood had
suddenly rushed to her heart. 1t had
all been so long ago she was sure he
had forgotten.
Yes, indeed, we should, Henry"
she answered as lightly as she could.
Now don't forget Instructions
On Tuesday, at luncheon Miss
Lynda said casually over a forkfui of
salad, 81 think I'll go up to Potter's
and exchange those gloves before cir
Gus time
"All right" agreed Sara languidly.
''Ill go with YOU
Now this was exactly what Miss
Lynda did not want. But she diplo-
matically waited a moment before an
swering. 81 thought maybe you
wouldn't mind taking those booties
I've just finished over to the new
Martin baby. I'd do it only it's the
other direction
Certainly I'll go, auntie, but we'll
never get seats together unless we
meet somewhere"
i've thought of that. Tickets are
on sale at Lynn's book store and I'll
stop in and get our two together 1
can leave yours for you in an envelope
with your name on it, SO it won't mat
ter if we don't meet first. you see"
That's a good plan, for every one
in town is going and there will be an
awful crowd"
At lunch Mr.. Henry Langley said to
his moody son over a chop; BILLY, 1
can't get away until the last second,
so on my way down town I'll stop at
Lynn's and get the tickets and leave
one for you with your name on it.
Don't wait for me. I'll go straight from
the office
VERY well, dad"
A little clever juggling of tickets be-
tween the two older people and the
estranged lovers found themselves to-
gether in the tenth row Of reserved
seats in a crowd too dense to move
either one way or another.
Sara was munching noncha1antly
from a box of chocolates and her hat
had been knocked a bit away in the
crowd. 1t tilted sidewise at a rakish
angle that robbed her of all dignity.
This was the view that Billy had of
her as he sat down, his hand deep in
his pocket after more peanuts and
his jaws working over time.
The procession was starting around
the ring with a blare of trumpets and
band. The look of indignation on
Sara's face and the amazement and
perplexity on Billy's were instantly ar
rested. Primal instincts were obliter-
ated in the magical parade before
them, glittering pageant of fairies,
magnificent royalty, gorgeous orien-
tails, races of five colors, animals of
all countries with trappings right out
of Arabian Nights and music calcu-
lated to lure the genii of Aladdin
right into the big tent.
Billy watched and munched. Sara,
giving herself up to the delights of the
biggest show on earth, forgot her
neighbor and gazed intently at the
spectacle. The romp in the rings be-
gan and heads were turning like
knobs on pivots trying to see every
thing at once. Bears rode bicycles,
elephants had a ball game, ponies
were living pictures, Cinnamon spun
by their hair, equestrians did stunts,
and acrobats risked their lives.
Then came the clowns, a whole doz-
of then, Nth THAR. idic.,lc,,s So