Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-13

Berrydale. mother. don't 'spose 20,
want to go to that, but can't leave
you down to Aunt Martha's?"
"Martha's going to be away today,
Mrs. Holway returned. II guess II
stay home; there's some work I plan
ned to do. Don't think of me. Blu
I'd go to the circus if were you
you've stuck to home pretty close al
summer"
Accordingly. in due time, John, il
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 seat II
the front row nearest the arena.
There was nothing SO wonderfully
high class" about the performance as
the advertisement might lead one tc
expect, John was not oyercritical, how
ever, and sat contentedly enough
through the scenes till burst from
the band announced the appearance OF
Strengthened with new interest, not
only in the feats of this equestrian
queen, but there was something ap-
pealing about the dainty figure in her
fluffy skirts as, poised on the back of
the "high-spirited Nero" she came fly
ing into the ring. Her blue eyes met
his once or twice, and just before her
exit she turned and threw kiss di-
rectly to him from the tips of her fin
gers.
1t was doubtless all part of the
performance, but John Holway-big,
honest, Standardization from
head to foot with unaccountable long
ing, and, to the evident amusement Of
those nearest him, sat half dazed for
nothing like this had ever happened
to hime before. Once more Mile. Ro-
sale came on and Johns gaze never
left her for a moment till-what was
the trouble? What had happened? A
Shrek from the spectators, the horse
trotting out riderless, and crumpled
heap in the sawdust of the arena.
John could never clearly recall the
next few minutes. but with a bound he
was within the Enclosure, the fainting
girl in his arms. Presently just outside
the tent he was one Of the little group
standing about the still figure of Mile
Resale. Looking down at the long
lashes of her closed eyes, he had a
curious feeling that he could not go
on living if they never opened again.
A painted and bespangled woman per-
former kneeling beside her remarked
pityingly: 1T never seemed like she
was one of us"
A physician was called. and arrived
just as the girl regained conscious.
ness. mo bones broken" was his an.
nouncement, but badly sprained an
kle. and shaking up generally. She
will need long rest" And he added
something about shock to the ner
vous system.
well, what's to be done?" question
ed the proprietor "She's no good to
us like this, and We can't take care
O. her"
Upon this John stepped forward.
"If there's nobody else, III see that
she's taken care Of" he volunteered
And SO the girl consented. And, only
too glad to get her off of 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.
uatton, whereupon the motherly heart
of Mrs Holway was stirred with SYM
pathy for this forlorn bit of woman
hood. Rosalie was placed in a COO, airy
chamber, where the honeysuckle's
sweet breath was brought to her, and
as she sank back in her white bed
she looked mp into Mrs. Holway's face
with the words:
II didn't know anybody in the world
could be so good! When / left the
circus folks IL didn't care what be-
came of mel"
"My dear child" began the wo-
man, when the girl broke in
And you don't know who l am, or
anything about met.
'We know you need the care that
we can give" was the reply. That's
enough to know"
But want to tell you all about it,"
The girls eyes filled with tears.
"Well, tomorrow, maybe; but now
drink this, and go to sleep. If your an
kle doesn't ache too hard"
The following day Resale told her
story. Her father had married, for
q second wife, girl who had tray
eleu Will CHC Cue gave up lIldL
life after marriage until her husband
Rosalie's father, had died, after which
she had gone back to it, taking Resale,
then a girl of fourteen, with her. A
year before this stepmother Ind died,
and the girl, already tired of that sort
of life, had wished to give it up. ~
meant to run away" she said, "but l
think GRAHAM, the proprietor, suspect
ed this, and he would not give me my
pay. He said l was not of age and he
would keep it for me. Oh. never
want to ride again." she said with
shudder. Black Nero has an ugly
temper, and l was afraid of him, and
he knew it, of course, and I am sure
he threw me on purpose
Mrs. Holway repeated Rosale's
story to her son, ending with: Poor
child: what a life, And she's barely
nineteen years old"
81 reckon we'll have to keep her
awhile said John, but he did not meet
his mothers eye just then.
A week or two later, as the two
women were sitting on the plaza one
n Tob, ioipo6 than foGip1