The herald., 1918-02-07
The Broken
Tie
u
By Curtis Ellsworth Kingsley

80 OK
Copyright. 1917, Western Newspaper Union. }
Gurdon Espey, ringmaSter of sill
ery's Great Circus, fleckcd the ear Of
water boy who had stumbled over a
rope with the tip of his lOng-lashed
whip, and gave the urchin a quarter
10 mend his bawling. He caught a
stake man drinking out of II bottle,
seized the offending vessel and
smashed IL against plank.
You're discharged. no tipping
here!" roared the neat and nifty king
OF the Sawdust circle.
Ought 10 have known better" re-
marked hustler TO the culprit. Hes
dead down ON the hard drink. They
say he goes clear around block to
keep from passing a saloon, he hates
them so. Espey is queer one-bet
he's had Il history"
Yes, GurGOn Espey had a history,
and IL had climaxed in making him
the odd makeup Of humanity he was,
Strictness and severity were strangely
mixed with the most generous of in
stinctS. And then he would become
angry if the remotest reference was
made TO these hayward impulses.
"Oh, mister! can we speak q word
with you?" 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.
"We want TO know If we can hire
your clownT'
swell, that's good" decided the ring
master. ''What for now?"
Our circus"
"Oh! Il rival in the field, heyT" raj
ned Espey. And where may this cir
Gus Of yours be?"
Down in a 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 a surprise"
"She's fairy" piped up little fel-
low Of eight.
mo, she's just an angel" supple
mented q companion.
"We've made a sawdust ring Just
like yours. only tiny one" went on
the spokesman Of the party. We've
got quite q program. swallow a
sword. Dick Brown does some somer-
saults. Ned Rates walks a 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
a 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"
Nothing doing" growled Espey,
starting TO pass on his way, when out
Of side tent lodged a jolly-faced
lump Of rotundity.
"Who says it?' rollicked the same.
"Sick girl, boy friends getting up a
show for the little lady? What time
does this greatest show on earth come
on the boards, kids?
1.-TWO o'clock. SIR" explained the
spokesman Of the group. "Oh, hope
you can GOMEZ"
"COme? 1 wouldn't miss it for fifty
dollars 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. 1 |
should say 1t! Don't worry, Espey,"
continued the clown, waving a reassur- !
Ing hand TO the ringmaster. at 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
est, ladylike seamstress who had come |
to the little village few years pre-
vious. AS TO little Eva. the widows
child, she was one of those lovely be-
ngs who weave themselves closely into |
the hearts of ali on first sight.
Her mother had propped her up in a
chair looking out upon the open lawn
and the lot beyond. telling her that her
rare boy friends had got up q show
for her edification. Eva was
all excitement and expectancy. She
vas kept busy bowling and smiling and !