Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-02-08
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union

Yes, Gurdon Espey had history,
and it had climaxed in making him
the odd makeup of humanity he was,
Strictness and severity were strangely
mixed with the most generous of in
StinetS. And then he would become
angry If the remotest reference was
made to these maynard impulses.
"Oh, mister! can we speak a word
with your hailed the ringmaster as
he came outside of the big tent, and
Espey turned, with his habitual scowl,
to be confronted by twelve boys rang
ing in age from eight to twelve years;
their leader acting as spokesman.
"What is it?' he snapped out, al
ways on the suspicious alert for appli-
cations for free passes, runaways anx-
ious to join the circus, cut-rate nui-
sances, and the like.
1--WE want to know if we can hire
your clown?"
"Well, that's good :" decided the ring
master. ''What for now?"
"Our circus
"Oh! a rival in the field, hey?" raj
lied Espey. "And where may this cir
Gus of yours be?''
'Down in q lot, next to Mrs. Dan
iel's house," was explained hurriedly,
and with certain spice of pride. ''You
see, mister, little Eva Daniels has been
| sick for long time. Now she's just
able to sit up. And we all love her
so much and it's her birthday, and we
want to give her surprise"
"She's fairy! ~ piped up little fell
low of eight.
'No, she's just an ANGEL" supple
mented a companion.
"We've made a sawdust ring just
like yours, only tiny one," went on
the spokesman of the party. "We've
got quite program. I swallow q
sword. Dick Brown does some somer-
saults. Ned Bates walks clothesline
/ tight-rope. OF course, they're poor
stunts, SO we want to hire your clown
for about an hour, to make Eva laugh
! and feel good.''
"Do you happen to know how much
| q clown costs?' Intercepted the ring
| master.
mo, sir, but we've got six dollars
! and fifty cents among US. You see, we
| all get fifty cents from our parents to
come to your circus tonight, and poor
! little Eva can't be moved this far, SO
! we've put our money together to hire
| the clown, and give Eva a real good
! time"
! ~Nuthfng doing" growled Espey,
starting to pass on his way, when out
of 4 side tent lodged jolly-faced
lump of rotundtty.
~Who says it?' rollicked the same.
'Sick girl, boy friends getting up a
show For the little lady? What time
does this gre@t~st show on earth come
on the boards, kids?" -
"Twc o'clock, SIR" explained the
Spokesman Of the group. "Oh hope
you can Gomez"
"Come2 wouldn't miss it for fifty
dollars1 I'll be there in regular trim,
and my trick donkey, Napoleon Bona
parte, and my little girl-for I've got
one, bless her-in her gold chariot,
driving two milk-white ponies. I
! should say it! Don't worry, Espey,"
continued the clown, waving reassur-
! ing hand to the ringmaster. 1T don't
cost you anything, and the stunt will
be famous advertisement for our own
show. See?"
Mrs. Alice Daniels was one Of the
! poorest persons in the town, but every
body liked her and respected the mod
lest, ladylike seamstress who had come
to the little village a few years pre-
wious. As to little Eva, the widows
child, she was one of those lovely be-
ings who weave themselves closely into
the hearts Of all on first sight. The
Noble sacrifice of her boy friends evil
denced the power Of witchery and love
which the little convalescent univer-
sally inspired.
Her mother had propped her up in
chair looking out upon the open lawn
and the lot beyond, telling her that her
rare boy friends had got up show
especially for her edification. Eva was
all excitement and expectancy. She
was kept busy bowling and smiling and
throwing kisses as "the actors finally
came into the ring. She clapped her
little hands in the fullness of innocent
spontaneous delight as 'the star per-
formers" of the group went through
their amateur stunts.
Then Eva seemed translated into
fairyland. The clown had kept his
word. More than that, he had added
the feature Of music to the enter
tainment for just % the lads had