The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-24
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Nellie and the Glen.
BY WILL 7. AMEs.
Copyright, 1919. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)


ter known Nellie Sands-beg pardon,
La Belle Hautiere-when she worked
in the laundry of shirt factory back
home; but had the i'll grace to men
ton II so that it came TO the ears OF
the other trapeze woman with the cir
Gus. And anybody knows what han
die information of that kid gives to a
professional rival.
"Three years off the tubs and in
the business, and she calls herself a
performer - a performer! What do
you know about that2" scornfully
exclaimed Miss Eustice, who had
gained three pounds in the last year
and was none the better in disposi-
ton for 1t, as she watched, from the
dressing tent draperies, the slender
figure of Nellie being hoisted to the
gear at the center pole. They did
not synchronize similar acts in the
Great Western.
\ OF course, Mix, the clown, has
tened TO tell Nellie what Miss Eustice
had said. and Nellie had remarked:
"She should worry; she can change
her line. too. She'll qualify for the
elephant act in less time than that y"
And the war was on.
A feud among the performers of n
circus causes about ten times as much
interest throughout the personnel as
one in vaudeville combination, for
circus folk are greatly given to dwell
ing in amity together. So the strained
relations between the trapeZe women
were closely observed by various of
the troupers, among them Nell Slater,
nh NJ htT,ly inn nho hn
Eustice with such ammunition as
the call man: Hey, Sandy, d'you
anybody like that, who'll do some
washing in tomorrow's town?'-the
strained import OF which query was
lost on everybody but Nellie.
The satisfaction that Slater got
out of the running battle between
Miss Eustice and Nellie came from
the fact that in four cases out of five
the skirmishes resulted in favor of
the new girl. And Neil liked Nellie.
But from the day La Belle Hau-
there learned that Slater had broad
casted her laundry training she prac-
tically ignored him, treatment that
was in striking contrast to the wide
eyed eagerness with which she had
recognized him on the day she joined
up with the Great Western.
Slater was a trapeze worker, too;
senior member of trio whose broth
err" act was one of the features of the
show. The more he saw of Nellie the
better he liked her, in spite of her
high-headed attitude toward him-and
the less he liked to think of keeping
his trio together for another season
Mani" he soliloquized as he watched
Hellie's 1.-THE young form swinging,
head down, at the top Of the tent, "but
she'd make a pip OF partner-eyery
way!"
Between shows that afternoon Sla-
ter found Nellie sitting outside the
women performers pavilion sewing a
band on hat.
Hello, little sister," he ventured,
got mad on at your old college
chum? Watts a-mat'?"
mine, Mr.. Slater" Nellie replied with
You amt any college chum of
a dignity approaching the majestic.
my college chums were all ladies'
wash ladies, you know. And more
over, when / take the trouble to get
mad it's either at a man or a wom-
an, not sissy he-gossip that runs
around with his mouth open trying
to be first to tell the happy news
that somebody worked in laundry
once"
Nellie's cheeks were more than
rosy, and if Slater could have seen
the eyes she deliberately averted he
might have beheld tear in each OF
them.
Jaw, say! That's laying it on
pretty thick" protested Slater. May
be did shoot off my mouth, sis; but
didn't mean anything by it. Lots of
regular queens work in those laun-
iries."
yes, you did. too, mean it." burst
out Sally. You're an old circus
man You know what these people
him of anybody that butts into the
game off a washtub. II you was
half man you'd have boosted me
omehow-seeing was from the old
own. Instead OF that you go and
Try to put me on the bum. And then
y Fou come shopping around with your
college chum' stuff. You just keep
AWAY from me or I'll tell Knowlton
you're annoying me-"
With which threat of a complaint
lgainst the objectionable circus sin,
Nellie grabbed up her work and hur-
He'd into the pavilion.
well, what do you know about
hat!" exclaimed Neil as he went his
ugubrious way. Shed do it, too;
hes got the spunk!"
After that Nellie cut Slater cold;
Snt the next time Miss Eustice in
Iutred where an imaginary odor of
ioapsuds came from Nellie turned
m her viciously and snapped: "The
lewis got kettle OF it down by the
aorse tent, doing scavenger work. Go
Ind get your mouth washed Quit"
Which descent into Billingsgate on
he part Of Nellie SO startled Miss
Justice that she found no reply
whatever.
uyUhe third day the show played Pc
-srstown, VIGOROUSLY the toughest
y community on the routing of that or
my other circus. For years it had
ieen tradition with the miners and
tmelter men Of the town that to per-
hit circus to complete its engage
nent there without wrecking its
Equipment, beating up the personnel
md liberating at least some or the
nenagerie animals would be a mat
ler Of utter disgrace to the manhood