Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-09-11
Mothers of Men
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By KENNETH GR0ESBECK
(Copyright)

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shirt-sleeyes with fog-horn voice, and
INFO the tent containing the greatest
show on earth
The circus wagons, bright spots Of
color and tinsel, shimmered under the
hot August sun.
The great white tent spread its
glare Of canvas over what had been a
green field, and about H. like strange
chickens Of stranger mother, clus-
tered the booths of gorld's wonders,
the candy and lemonade stands, and
the camp Of 'the only cannibals living
in captivity"
Beyond IT,, straining at its ropes like
living thing, strangest wonder OF
them all, rose the shining dome Of a
balloon.
In this, that very afternoon, the
daring aeronaut, Signor Mello Mellinl,
would make his ve-paralyzing as
cent as before Che crowned heads Of
the wOSd
A bell rang sharply in the Enclosure,
signaling the time when the great pro-
cession Of wonders was to begin its
triumphal march before the wondering
eyes of the audience.
Its sound had hardly ceased. when
a boy entered, a yellow envelope in
his hand, calling laconically:
"liyerson Ryerson, telegram for
Ryerson :"
AT the summons, strange figure
rose from a corner Of the lnClosure.
It's face was painted into a perpetual
grin, It's head was bald and shining.
save for the regular occurrence of
tsight yellow spots. its costume was
white and baggy, and it's feet were
long and tapping like some impos.
sihle animal.
I'm Ryerson." said the clown.
Give us the wire"
The boy handed It over, together
with a stub of pencil fof receipt sig
nature, and made off.
Ryerscn opened the envelope and
read its contents. His first start was
of umazement, and then, as he re-rend
the message his face, under Its paint
ed grin, became set in hard lines. The
literal, unemotlonaf telegraph had
brought him.
1--WE get turned out Of the house to-
day at five. Can't you do nothing?
FATHER"
Utterly at loss, he walked vacant.
~ around the Enclosure, his great feet
Tapping on the ground
The second bell rang. and the living
contents Of the inclosure seemed 10
throw Itself through Il flap in the can
vas, 70 be greeted with clatter Of APP
plause from the tiers of human faces
around the ring.
He ala not know they had gone.
His one realization was of an old man
and an old woman, fifty miles away in
the village OF Lynburg, who that
yeH afternoon were to lose the only
shelter they had.
Can't you do nothing?" The words
seemed 10 burn his poor brain. A
harsh voice broke in on him.
-1ou Ryerson, beat it into the ring
Get on the job. quicl, /"
II was Muinwucing. the proprietor.
ieweled, md hard MS nails, who had
hustled through the Enclosure and was
gone as quickly ms he had come.
Rye~on, distracted with anxiety,
walked not INTO the tent, but out be-
hind II. Before him was the proprie-
CurE wagon.
He hcSitnted a moment and, as the
vision of his fathers scanned old face
came to him, glanced quickly round
him. ran cDumsiiy up the movable
steps, and Into the wagon.
Maiuvaring's small desk stood be
fore him. lie ran 70 II. 1t was locked.
II was only chance, at best. hut I'm
desperation he struck its front blow
with his clenched fist and the tllmsy
u0.air came apart under his hand.
lie threw up the nap rummaged
rapidly through the papers, opened
drawer after drawer until ne hap
pencd upon Ii familiar lcathcr-houud
purse lie opened il, his eyes glistcu.
ing amid the cracking paint counted
the contents rapidly, ana crowded il
into am inner pocket.
La q mAmgnr more hr was on the
ground outside thc wagon uuohSeryed.
A church srcepla rose OVER the trees
aJ the end of the field. Il WA, three
o'clock lie Ind acted on impulse and
as ho realized with sinking OF the
heart, iu vain.
He could never reach Iyuhurg I'm
two hours He looked round him Ike
hunted animal A. he did so. q
thought Jruck his driven brain Ike
am inspiration The balloon!
he kucw balloons. having made nm
occasional ascension 10 help out Il
regular haIloouiSJ during former
engagement" thar had featured I'M his
ChcCkcrcd career
Tie walked rapidly 10 the rope lad.
der which hung over the side of the
basket and climbing &c. almost fen
into the light wicker framework. sig.
nor Melliui was already there, at work
arranging bis ballast. He started 10
his feet as the strange apparluon
wrigElrd over the side.
"Oh. it's you. Ryerson. he said.
"Why uh't YOU N The tent?"
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