The Lamar register., 1919-09-17
"A Circus
.2Ouance
oo
Copyright. 1919 by the Western News
paper union)
By EVELYN LEE

tcopyrixht. isi: by tn. Western News
paper UnionD
81 have puppus," said Hiram
Pearee-'a puppus I'm going to the sue
Gus"
what purposef" challenged his
equally homespun wife, although she
had dropped the backwoods yernacu-
lar long ago. "A clrcusi And you
II deacon OF the church Oh Hiram
have you forgotten that all our woes
and misery date from the day our lit
tie Leslie went TO q clrcusf'
Thereupon Mary broke down utter
~. her face fell into her hands and
she sobbed and wept as though her
heart would break. Hiram WINGED.
Then he stole over 10 her side and
placed q loving. gentle hand upon the
silvered head.
II haven't forgot, poor old desrl"
he said tenderly. ITS because OF Les
lie that I'm goin'. There isn't an hour
since my temper and cruelty drove
him away from us that | haven't re-
preached myself. There hasn't been
II month In all the weary. waiting i've
y liiul 10 Iiuu oui
what became OF him."
Yes. Hiram Pearce remembered well
the day when Leslie. lad Of fifteen.
hnd run away from school and had
gone to the interdicted tented show.
IL vs. the truancy and disobedience.
more than the fact that he had visited
the suwdust arena that stirred up his
father. who had used the whipping
strap us he never used II before and
as he resolved later he would never
use Is again. That night Lester
Pearee disappeared and his stubborn
father had delivered the stolid die
tum:
Let mm go-I shA'n't hunt for him.
or stop him As he makes his bed. so
must he lie When he is tired OF
husks he'll come back. like the prodi-
gal. the wiser. and. hope. the better
for his little journey In the world"
But as the weeks went on. and then
the months. and the years. there was
an aching void in the heart OF the grin
old farmer, and the fsst-wrinkling face
and bent form of Mary told him OF her
secret sufferings
"Mary." he said. look up and keep
calm. I have something TO tell you.
Only today through a correspondent !
have received an intimstion that Les
lie has been with Morton's Big Show.
and Mortons Big Show exhibits on the
town common here tomorrow"
"Oh. Hiram, II can't be true 7" qua
vered Mary, all H-tremble. and clinging
TO his arm. white and nurried. "oh,
yes. yes-I can hardly wait. You must
20 TO the circus. indeed. and l must 60
with you,'
All the next morning Hiram Peerce
hung around the various groups OF
workmen erecting the tents and get
ting ready for the arrival of the per-
forming troupe due about noon. Half
a dozen times Hiram Inquired about
"a young fellow named Peace" but
those Intercepted shook their heads
negatively. and his spirits sank as the
hours wore on. Then he was lost.
confused amid the hustle and the
crowds. Mary's face was twitchlng.
her eyes snIiously roaming all over
the great tent as they sat beneath the
white. glsring canvas. II Leslie was
with the show of course he must be an
actor. She shuddered as the tumblers
trapezists and bareback riders came
into the ring and their daring feats
showed the risks OF their calling But
no Leslie appeared, and Mrs. Pearce
drew down her veil to conceal her
tears as they left the show. Hiram
could not leave the scene. He went
around among the wagons and small
tents. and, coming across a man whose
brlskness Indicated that he had some
thing 10 do with the show. told him of
his quest.
"Pearce? repeated the latter; 1--WE
have no one with US OF that name"
He ID my dear lost Leslie I" sobbed