The Detroit times., 1916-08-24
TheEpening Story
Her Great Sin.
Copyright. isis. ny W. wsrn.rJ


II all began with a yeast cake,
Ellen Rich found that mouse had
nibbled the last one In the paper
lying upon the shelf. and as the
nearest store Vas two miles away
she ran over TO the Mainses 20 Dor
row. Ordinarily, she was not allow
ed TO 20 10 the Mainses, for they
were considered rather ungodly by
her father. Mr.. Rich was a deacon
in the Methodist church and he had
brought his only chick up according
< ~. Perhaps he had been all the
more rigid in his discipline because
Ellen had no mother.
Mrs. Mains and Myrtle we're sit
ting on the veranda. cooling of after
q hot day OF hard work. They were
pinins for some one 10 talk to. and
they welcomed Ellen with great JOY
"Oh, Ellen, what do you think
cried Myrtle. Were going TO Ar
les 10 the circus tomorrow"
1.-THE circus" said Ellen. Why
didn't know there was going "a
be- one
oh, there is--a dandy Three
rings, and ! don't know how many
clowns. Come in and IN show you
the bandbills."
Ellen followed Myrtle into The
fussy bur attractive sitting room. SO
different from the neat barrenness
TO which she was accustomed al
home. On the table under the lamp
lay the gorgeous pink and yellow
handbills. dazElingly printed. Ellen
stared AT them, scarcely compre-
hending. She had never seen such
things before. Circuses. dancing.
end cards were tsbooed subjects in
the Rich house.
II wish you'd go. too" Myrtle
said. You've never seen a circus,
have you,"
i've never seen anything" Ellen
breathed. with fascinated eyes upon
the handbills.
Then you must go. Mustn't she,
mothsrY- Myrtle appealed to her
mother. who stood looking al the
two girls.
Father won't let me"
Hell never know. He's going
away on the train tomorrow and
won't be back TIL in the night--to
look nj some cattle. heard him
tell father" urged Myrtle.
Ellen clasped her hands. strongly !
tempted.
"Jim Tafford's going. too. Myr- /
tie said. mot with us. though; we're /
all going to be together after we get 1
there. He's going TO take his mother
and the girls"
~0h. is he?" Ellen gasped The !.
color flowed over her smooth. deli
cate face. 1T can't be so bad II he
II mean" she stalmered 10 a
pause.
"Pshaw. II isn't bad at all. said
Mrs. Mains. That's all talk.
warrant your father went 10 cir !
cuses when he was young. though |
he does pretend 10 be so set against
them now Circuses were made for
young folks 10 enjoy ! vouidnt
think OF keeping Myrtle or Johnny
away. They'll have something TO
think and talk about for six months
afterward. To my mind there ain't
half the harm In a good. clean. live
circus that there is In one OF the
squshy love stories that the circu.
lating librsry's full Of"
do please go. e." pleaded Myrtle.
There's going TO be loads OF room.
And Wen pay your way"
"Oh. couldn't let you do that"
Ellen said hurriedly. I've got mon
cy. I'll think about IL and let you
know"
She ran all the way home. her
pulses racing faster than her flying
feet. Jim Trstford was going big.
sweet.tempered Jim Tafford with
whom she had gone 10 school. and
whose only fault. even IN her fathers
eyes. was that he was an Episcopa
liam. Perhaps al the circus he would
sit near her and they could speak
together.