Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-10-16
HIS LUCKY FOURTH
BY ELLA M. BANGS.

AS John went out to pick peas for
the Fourth-of-July dinn4Spf his moth
er and himself, he pad Ed, and his
dark eyes swept over the scene before
him with sense of pleasure, familiar
as it was, for the small farm stood on
high ground, with green fields and
woods stretching to where, a mile
away, the clustered roofs and white
church spires, pricked out among the
green, stood where the village lay.
Going on, the young man soliloquized,
II declare I feel like a kid. I'd like
to Jump up and down and holler I've
put out the flag, and dunno what else
to do, but I'd like to have a real glori-
Gus Fourth
AS he went on he bethought him of
circus that was to take place in the
neighbOring town of Berrydale, and
when little later he returned to the
house, he looked up the handful re-
garding it. Yes, here it was. "Won-
derful High-Class Performance. Aero
bats, Trained Dogs, Chariot Races and
Mile. Resale, the Queen of Equestri-
ans"
Accordingly, in due time, John, in
his runabOut, set out for Berrydale,
passed the booths outside the tent, i'm
mune to the temptations of pink lem
onade, peanuts and popcorn, and, en-
tering the circus tent, found a seat
in the front row nearest the arena.
There was nothing so wonderfully
thigh class" about the performance as
the advertisements might lead one to
expect. John was not overcritical, how
ever, and sat cOntentedly enough
through the scene till burst from the
band announced the appearance of
Mile. Resale. Then the young man
Strengthened with a new interest, not
only in the feats of this equestrian
queen, but there was something appeal
ing about the dainty figure in her fluffy
skirts as, poised on the back of the
"high-Spirited Nero" she came on, and
Johns gaze never left her for a mo-
ment till-what was the trouble? What
had happened? A shrek from the
spectators, the horse trotted out rider
dust of the arena.
John could never really recall the
next few minutes, but with a bound
he was within the Enclosure, the faint
ing girl in his arms. Presently just
outside the tent he was one of the lit
tie group standing alsout the still fig
ure of Mile. ROSalie.
a physician was called, and arrived
just as the girl regained consciousness.
mo bones broken was his announce
ment, 'but a badly sprained ankle, '
and shaking up generally She will
need a long rest" And ne added
something about a shock to the rerv-
Gus system.
swell, what's TO be done?" cues
toned the proprietor. "She's no good
to us like this, and we can't take care
o. her."
Upon this John stepped forward. eff
there's nobody else, I'll see that she's
taken-eare of" he volunteered.
And so the girl consented. And, only
too glad to get her off his hands. the
man gave her over to John, without
question, and John took her straight
home to his mother.
Here John briefly explained the sit
uation, whereupon the motherly heart
of Mrs. Holway was stirred with SYM
pathy for this forlorn bit of woman
hood. Resale was placed in cool,
airy chamber, where the honeysuckle's
sweet breath was brought to her, and
as she sank back in her white bed she
looked up into Mrs. Holway's face with
the words:
i didn't know anybody In the world
could be so good! When 1 left the
circus folks Fl didn't care what be-
come OF me! Oh, never want to ride
againi' she said with a shudder.
Black Nero has an ugly temper, and
was afraid of him, and he knew 1t,
OF course. and I am sure he threw me
on purpose"
IL xecknn. we'll haxa. 10. keen. her