The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-10-23
Sanmy's
Sudden Shift
BY JOHN HAMILTON
,Copyright. 1919. by the Mcclure News
paper syndicateD


a circus town. fell under the spell of
the sawdust. So In the autumn. when
the biggest OF the four circuses came
home TO winter quarters, he struck
the menagerie superintendent for a
job. Fosdjck sent him to Mcclure.
the "cst house" boss, and after talk
ing TO Mcclure for ten minutes, Sam
my climbed back into his taxi an ac-
cepted member OF the staff of the
Great and Only. with orders to re-
port Sunday morning.
After II was all settled, Sammy
broke the news TO Kitty Elwood-
and Kitty, without any ado whatever.
broke their engagement.
III that's all the consideration
get from you. Sam Edwards" Kitty
vehemently remarked. "sll you get
from me after this ~ none at all. It's
off-all off. and of for good. Here's
your hat"
But. Kit" expostulated Sammy,
"you don't get II Mt all. It's only for
one year. Look-it. l qualify as
| full-hedged keeper In couple of
months. Before the show goes out
I'm a fancy trainer and 20 one trip
with an animal act--see? 1t'll get MS
more than | could save In three years
at the old job-enough to start
right"
| 1.-TWO pu-pshaws and pu-pifiie J"
Kitty. you see. worked In a paper-box
factory. "Do you see much green In
my eye? You're going with the circus
because you've gone nuts on it--like
every little boy In this town. You In
a ring act In FIVE monthsl You
be sweeping out cages the rest OF
life-chambermaid to smelly 10, OF
animated old fur sets You've lost
out with me. Mr.. Edwards. My hus-
bands gotta have balance wheel
that can't be queered by circus char
lots. Goodby!"
There was a finality about this that
sent Sammy on his way without fur
ther word. Whereupon Kitty climbed
two flights of stairs and wept copi-
ously for an hour.
Sammy didn't spend all that winter
Just chambermaiding to cat animals.
He got to be a keeper with certain
cage of peculiarly pernickety leopards
as his most especial care. He soon
learned, however, that he wouldn't be
in any ring act by next spring. II
was January before Mcclure would
let him 90 into the leopnrd's cage
without pointed iron bar In his hand.
and February before he felt the least
at home in that environment.
But when March came, Sammy had
got along so far that when he signed
up for the touring season there was n
clause III. his contract giving him
forty-ive dollars month extra FOR
riding In that cage OF spotted cats In
the daily parade-and the show fur
nlshed the heshngs-
Opening In the "Garden" at New
York. where circus parades have long
been thing of the past. the second
booking was In the show's-and Sam
my's--home town. AS the fates would
have II. II rained pitchforks at the
first days stand. and there was no
parade. SO that Sammy was called
on to make his debut as an "aniDsnl
king" before the eyes OF his own
townspeople. Also his first appear
ance in tights.
Now Sammy had never ceased to be
sore In spirit over the detection OF
Kitty Elwood. Even among the sylphs
whom he had encountered during the
winter. praticing and rehearsing AMI
NAL acts or careering about the ring
In the equestrian pavilion. there had
been none equal to the task of dis
placing Kitty In his heart-and some
very nice girls there were among
! them. at that. Wherefore. as Sammy
climbed into his nest of feline revolu
tlonIsts II was with mingled emotions
! that he assured himself that Kitty
would certainly be somewhere In the
street crowds and that she could moi
fail to see him. What would she think
he wondered.
II was new cage. Cat animals OF
all kinds hate new surroundings-wit
ness Tabby at home. II was the first
street parade. Callph, the head devil
of the leopard clan. detested the noise
of band music. None OF the family
was overly fond OF human beings, and
crowds OF them frazzled leopardIar
nerves completely.
leopard with rasped nerves is dan
gerous. To make II worse. the cats
thanks TO delays In the costuming de
partment. had never before seen
Sammy In pink tights Aud to top II
all. Sammy was nervous himself
something trainer has no earthly
: business 10 be, ever. And the more he
thought of Kitty being somewhere In
the crowd the more nervous he be
ame.
The parade hadn't gone two blocks
before Callph, sensing the unrest In his
master began TO show his independ
ence. He sulked every time he passed