The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-02
EVENING STORY
Before the Ball.
Bv S. b. HACKNEY.


mothers last letter.
Athens been going out with Will
Carey ever since you've been away"
the letter read. with WINS being
so handsome. and Alleen a bit tickle,
and Arabella Avery encouraging the
match, the Avery oall may mean the
climax of things. Rally. son, think
you ought hurry home"
His mother was so for his mar
riage to his rich partners daughter.
And Allie -Alleen was charming-he
believed that he loved her.
At Corbin Junction Stafford Fife
greeted him.
TRAINS two hours late, Frank"
Dorland's pleasant dark face cloud
ed a bit. Fife laughed. Take off
that frown, Frank; you'll see her to-
night anyway Let's o to the circus"
Twice daily for four years Mile.
Jeanette Cheronlet had entered the
cage of the performing lions. an Dor
land had neither known nor cared.
But today when he watched her NOV
ing fearlessly among the fierce beasts
that at the end of the act began to
growl and lunge, his face paled like
one who sees the beloved n danger
and he is powerless to help.
"B1ck up, old man" Fife laughed.
1.-The lions are used to her. They
wouldn't hurt her if she were to fall!
Much you know about lions, man."
a man net them exclaimed. THAT
girl takes her life in her hands every
time she goes in that ger
Another half moment and made
moiselle was turning to bow her ac-
acknowledgements to the applause. Her
brown eyes. clear and innocent. met
Dorland's. She caught her breath and
hurried out of the tent The saw lust
under her feet had turned to shining
gems, the shabby canvas had become
sl"l =.
''She's got to have her rest after the
nervous strain of her act" the mana
ger of the show impatiently explained
to Dorland. "She's got to sleep until
the evening performance. And she
don't like hanSers-on.
But I'm not a hal. ger-on," OBJ
iected Dorland. II want properly to
be introduced to Mile. Cheronnet."
"A reporter. Ell? Well, maybe she'll
give you five minutes"
Still in her spangled chiffon stage
costume, mademoiselle appeared.
Il am afraid of the lions for YOU"
Dorland found himself saying.
warm color suffused the girls face.
1T ees for me, monsieur, you fear?
III eeS
they love mel The creatures have
known me thees long time; they love
met
"And so do T." echoed Dorland's
heart, "even L who have known you
but an hour!"
II wish YOU worked in a store or
some other safe placer he murmured
But, monsieur" she objected, Il
must have more than a clerks
money!
When her parents had died, she ex-
planned, the great-aunt who had lands
and money had taken her in, but not
Lucille, the sister who had married be-
meath her family. And now Lucille
was dead, and her crippled husband
and her little children were, oh, so
poor!
my aunt and my cousins cast me
off when 1 took the training of the
Iions-but it meant money, and 1
could not let poor CASTOR and the
motherless ones starve, monsieur"
Could she see him again soon? Dor
land as-.ed when he rose to go. She
hesitated There was little time on
the road. but if monsieur were ever to
be in the city in which the circus
went into winter Quarters. it might be
possible The managers paid her to
stay there and teach the lions :.
At the ball, Alleen- Vickery. looking
like a lily in a blue vase, beckoned
to him. 81 want you to show me the
fish in the lake"
Along the sanded path she chung to
his arm. screaming at leafs rustic.
1--WE been wanting to see the fish
playing by moonlight so long, but
Nora and I were afraid to come out
here alOnei"
Dorland listened with strange in
tolerance. Afraid in that flower
filled garden, by the broad light of
AI,raf
other girl. as delicately tender. was
exposing her delicate body in den
of lions that others might have daily
bread! :.
fortnight later and Dorland stood
in the little parlor of Mile. Cheron-
nets boarding house.
II want you to quit showing the
lions" he told her. II am afraid for
you 1 love you-let me take your
burden On my shoulders. Jeanette"
She grew white. you mean she
81 want you to marry me, Jean
nette..
Her color came back. but she drew
back from his outstretched arms.
81 cannot-your relateeves--they
would not receive me. monsieur!'
But you love me?" persisted Dor
land
mis- out. Sic tOiit0SSt'i. IoOl
Love thinks not of Itself, The true
love-eet ees unselfsh. 1 cannot take
you from your people"
''Dorland. why aren't you getting
aged to Alleen Vickery these days?'
Stafford Fife asked lightly some weeks
later. 1T very apparent she's only
waiting for you to speak.
"Perhaps-" Dorla Id hesitated.
but I'D be depriving myself of
the right TO love the girl who refused
to marry met
and who's she? The French hon
tanner of the circus?' Fife hazarded
jokingly.
Dorlend nodded.
"God-m1n you hardly know her,
and she-she-why. she doesn't even
speak good English" Fife stammered.
Mrs. DorIan1 overheard in a kind
of horror. When Fife was gone she
demonstrated with tears of rage.
81 wish the creature were dead"
she fumed. almost beside herself. II