The Washington times., 1918-07-13

finished their turn anC mad Deen led by
the grooms to the stalls beyond the
elephants quarters. Near the deserted
payofice two clowns were playing cards.
Somewhere beyond the half-circle of wag-
Ons- came tDe sound of a hose shooting
water into the big stone drinking troughs
Later, great stiffness fell upon the circus
broken only by a savage-voiced clown
whenever a well-played card threatened his
last coin.
The German tiger tanner was searching
the empty circus for his dog. He whistled
pathetically under the forms and seats,
then took a lantern and inspected the
warm monkey house, carefully pushing
aside the crowd Of huddled apes to see If
they were covering the white body Of his
fox terrier
"Sharlie, Sharlie, we're you get to-" He
cracked his heavy whip over the elephants
hay, and the drowsy beast rocked and
blinked at him in the half-light
by crickey, Sharlie, gif you someding
If catch you'll"
man dressed like a Broncho Bill peeped
from a side wagon at the tanner, and waved
his hand. Hey, Dutchy, don't you know
about that hyar dog? Amt you heard the
news?"
The tanner eyed the man in the wagon
sullenly. 81 cannot shleep ven my dog vas
not in my tent, Ike. He hat been lost
three days. hope de leedle fool hat come
to no harm!"
fhar oto oil kko
wagon, then lowered his voice suddenly.
Come heah, Dutchy. I'll tell you about
the derned funeral. S'h!" He held up a
finger warningly. There's a bad bunch
in this hyar circus, fellers from .Coney ISL
and and the East Side. Sit on the steps,
Dntchy. liked that hyar dawg of yourn!"
Nobody vud hurt HIM" The tanner
growled. He vas such goot leedle fell
IerI"
Ike lit a cigarette carefully and the
match fame showed the deep lines about
his SCARED throat and face an the first,
place. Dutchy," he began in a whisper,
your dawg got the habit of barkin' out
side Fatty Grice's tent at night. Fatty's
got the dope habit an the zap hit him on
his nerves. See!"
The tanner nodded thoughtfully. 81 am
sorry If my Sharlie kept Grice awake" he
said after awhile. dis vas the first time
] hear about i'd"
Ike seated himself beside the tanner on
the wagon steps while the muffled sounds
irom the dark circus increased as the
night wore. This hyar dawg tragedy
happened the night before last" he went
on.
81 was havin' my last smoke back Of the
tiger house an l must say, Dutchy, that
that hyar beast Of yours has got double
0arrelled gurgle in his roar. He's
Tell me about my leedle dog, Ike. Der
tiger vas alride."
Ike wriggled on the wagon step and the
sound of his shuffling feet set a bright
eyed lemur scurrying round it's cage.
well, this hyar Fatty came stridin' past
the camels with a chaff bag in his hand.
The bag wabbled an shook as he walked
in a most suspicious manner. There's a
chicken in that hyar bag says to myself
or a dawg'
Fatty hurried past the cages until he
came to the lion that was standin' I'D
a-stretchin itself against the bars over
yonder. The clown looked round pretty
sharp to see If he was bein' followed, then
slipped his hand into the bag an hauls out
your little dawg. Dutchy!
Just hawled him out, Dutchy an waved
him like a derned saveloy at the lion.
Here you Sultan he says, here's a feed
fye.' Now yew wouldn't think 1t. Dutchy."
Ike went on placidly, "but that hyar lion
turned away with a blamed sniff from
your dawg and walked into the recess,"
The tanner sighed deeply, his great hands
stretched over his knees, listening blind
ness in his deep-set eyes. Sultan vas
friends NIT my leedle dog" he said quietly
"Shsrlie hunt dar mice from his cage, and
de old lion hat goot memory. He would
nod hurt my Sharlie!"
Ike nodded grimly and suppressed a
smile. The blamed clown put the dawg
back into the bag" he continued blandly
and took another look around the show.
Your tigers cage is almost next to Sui
tan's so he goes quite close to the bars an
swings your little dawg right under the
BengaTs nose. Here y'are, Stripes!' he
calls out Nice little pup Just on his
milk. You take him now, Stripes he says
shakin' the dawg in front of the bars
before he gets any olderi"
The tiger jumped at Fatty, reaching fer
him with both paws. The clown side