The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-09-06

But it was only a harmless little
tiff, said Kitty Willis. Il was petu-
liant, he was impatient, and we parted
as if we were utter strangers" and the
final tones quavered and broke.
mo tiff as you call it, is harmless,
my DEAR" replied the soothing voice
of Mrs. Mayhem, the hOusekeeper, TO
whom Kitty always carried her little
troubles. "Once l had a husband and
a home. Both are gone now. And all
through my unjust suspicion and will
full ways Ny husband was a man Of
easy ways, and often his persistent
silence when l scolded and his refusal
to quarrel with me led my wayward
tongue to utter bitter things. He had
been musician, and whenever a COM
pany Of stroll.ng players came to town
he delighted in hobnObbing with them.
One night with some old actor friends
he was gone hall the night. l re-
preached him cruelty, and in the morn
ing when he announced to me that
somehow he had lost his pOcketbOok
containing his monthly salary l ac-
cUSed him OF Squandering it in gam
bling and drove him from the house.
He did not come back that day nor
the next, but after that from another
town | received a letter. 1t incloSed
the salary which a friend had found.
He wrote very brief note. He said
that evidently we could not get on to-
gether and that maybe all he was good
for was to blow a cOTnet, and I've
never seen him since, and to the end of
my life l shall regret the bad temper
that has lost me a husband | really
loved
perhaps Norman is really quite
angry with me and will not come to
help me entertain the little ones at the
children's party this evening" mOurned
Kitty contritely.
"Oh, yes he WILL" soothed Mrs. May
hew, fondIy caressing the sohbing
penitent.
Norman Blair at that very hour
brought his automobile to a halt be-
side a lonely country road, his usually
pleasant face wearing a dissatisfied
expression. OF Kitty he was thinking
and of their petty tiff. He longed to
see her and make up, but pride and
stubbornness led him to draw back.
If he could only find some plausible
excuse for visiting the Willis homel
1t was presented, strangely, amazingly,
at that moment! The echo of a pro
digious groan drew his glance to a
little thicket. There stood an aston
iShing fgure-that Of a man with big
staring eyes and bulging cheeks and
paunch, rOtund grOteSque, and wearing
the costume of the conventional circus
clown. Such presentment in that
quiet spot completely mystified Nor
man. He had to smile. AS if all ready
made up for the sawdust ring, the
strangers face was powdered and
tinted he wore the FOOLS cap, his face
was newly painted. Suddenly he no.
ticed Norman and came toward him.
Don't stare so, don't Taught" he ut
tered complainingly, "but tell me what
to do
''Why, what is the matter?" in
quired Norman, lost in wOnderment.
Ruined homeless doomed to face
a cold, cheerless world in this outland-
ish garb I'm the clown of a Humpty
Dumpty company. We had to steal
away from Watertown with our prop
critics, all but busted. We halted in
the woods here to rehearse our enter
tainment at Mayville. 1 stroled off to
take a SnOOze. When l woke up my
comrades and the property wagon
were gone. The landlord of the hotel
at WatertOwn had pursued US and had
seized our wagon and wardrObes, and
my poor friends were visible half a
mile up on yonder hill, in hook and
without money and prospects. That
had to come eventually"
"A quick light came to the eyes Of
Norman Blair. 81 say, my friend" he
spoke rapidly, "if l agree to provide
you with good sum of money to re-
place your wardrobe will you sell me
your professional services for two
hours late this afternoon"
you're a life-saver!" almost shout
ed the other
"Then get into my auto. A friend Of
mine is to give a ch,ldren's lawn party.
When it's over you shall have a liberal
compensation.
And driving later to the Willis home
with his odd companion, the grand eX-
cuse Norman had for showing up there
was readily approved by Kitty, and
the tiff of the preceding even forgiven
and forgotten with loving kiss.
What a rOllicking, registering time
the little ones had What q rare, jolly,
funny, engaging clown held them spell
bound with his comic antics! Then at
last as he produced a trick mouse and
feigned desperate fear, he pressed the
air vent of his false front and col
lapsed into a fiat, ordinary human be-
ing amid the delirious shouts of his
appreciative audience.
Norman escorted his new friend into
the house where he could wash the
paint and powder from his face, pur-
Suant tO IA king him tO town tO he r4-