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

All the way home Dorland, newly
made junior partner OF the Iasley
| Vickery company. thought of his
| mothers last letter.
"Alleen's been going out with Will
Carey ever since you've been away"
I the letter read. with Wills being
so handsome, and Alleen a bit tickle,
and Arabella Avery encouraging the
match, the Avery Dall may mean the
! climax of things. Rally. son. think
| you ought - hurry home"
His mother was so G for his mar
riage to his rich partners daughter.
And Allec--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 bit. Fife laughed. Take off
that frown, Frank; you'll see her to-
night anyway. Let's % 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.
| Buck up, old man" Fife laughed.
1.-The lions are used to her. They
i wouldn't hurt her if she were to fall!'
Much you know about lions. man.
! a man next them exclaimed. That
girl takes her life in her hands every
| time she goes in that -ge!
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
1 !, N turned shining
gems, the shabby canvas had become
spun +.
"She's got to have her rest after the
| nervous strain of her act" the mana
ger of the show impatiently explained
i to Dorland. "She's got to sleep until
the evening performance. And she
don't like hangers-on!
| But I'm not a 'haIger-on,' OBJ
/ jected 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.
u am afraid of the lions for you"
Dor1and found himself saying. A
warm color suffused the girls face
1T ees for me, monsieur, you fear?
| 1t ees kind, most kind, monsieur-but
! they love me. The creatures have
known me thees long time; they love
mel"
land 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 place." he murmured.
; But. monsieur" she objected, 81
must have more than clerk S
! 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 rne
off when 1 took the training of the
lions-but it meant money, and !
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. Il want you to show me the
fish in the lake.
Along the sanded path she chung &c
his arm, screaming at a leafs rustic
''Ive been wanting to see the fish
playin9 by moonlight so long, but
Nora and I were afraid to come Out
here alone!'
Dorland listened with strange in
tolerance. Afraid in that flower
filled garden, by the broad light OF
the moon! And at that moment that
other girl. as delicately tender, was
exposing her delicate body in a der
of lions that others might have daily
bread!
A fortnight later and Dorland stood
in the little parlor of Mile. Cheron-
nets boarding house.
Il want you to qu:t showing the
lions" he told her. 81 am afraid fol
you. I love you--let me take youl
burden on my shoulders, Jeanette"
She grew white. you mean" she
breathed. you mean. monsieur"
81 want YOU to marry me, Jean
nette"
Her color came back, but she drew
back from his outstretChed AIMS.
II cannot-your relateeves-they
would not receive me. monsieur"
But you love me?" persisted Dor
land
Mails OUT" she confessed. "Bu
love thinks not of Itself, The tru,
, love-eet ees unselfish. 1 cannot taxi
you from your people,"
: "Dorland. why aren't you gettin.
: gagged to Alleen Xickery these days.
Stafford Fife asked lightly some week
later. It's very apparent she's onl.
waiting for you to speak,
-.Perha pS-'' DOrla Id hesitated