The Press., 1919-12-11
A Circus Romance
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 By EVELYN LEE
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 paper Union.)
 Il have puppus," said Hiram Pearce-"a puppus in going to the sue cus."
 What purpose?" challenged his equally homespun wife, although she had dropped the backwoods vernacu- lar long ago. "A circus? And you a deacon of the church! Oh, Hiram have you forgotten that all our woes and misery date from the day our lit tie Leslie went to circus?"
 Thereupon Mary broke down utter ly, her face fell into her hands and she sobbed and wept as though her heart would break. Hiram winced. Then he stole over to her side and placed loving, gentle hand upon the silvered head.
 II haven't forgot, poor old dear" he said tenderly. "It's because of Les lie that Pm goin'. There isn't an hour since my temper and cruelty drove him away from us that I haven't re- preached myself. There hasn't been month in all the weary, waiting five
 
 what became of him."
 Yes Hiram Pearce remembered well the day len Leslie, a lad of fifteen, had run away from school and had gone to the intcrd;ctCd tented show. It was the trulncy and diSobedience, more than the fact that he had visited the sawdI>%t arena that stirred up his " ho f1 hn ,,.hi, strap as h. never used it before and as he resolved later he would never use is again. That night Lester Pearce disappeared and his stubborn father had delivered the stolid dic- tum:
 'Let him go-I sha'n't hunt for him. or stop him As he makes his bed, so must he lie. When he is tired of husks he'll come back, like the prodi- gal, the wiser, and, I hope, the better for his little journey in the world"
 But as the weeks went on. and then the months, and the years, there was an aching void in the heart of the grim old farmer, and the fast-wrinSlng face and bent form of Mary told him of her secret suffcringS.
 Mary" he said, Hook up and keep calm. l have something to tell you. Only today through a correspondent I have received an intimatiOn that Les lie has been With Morton's Big Show, and Morton's Big Show exhibits on the town common here tomorrow" "Oh, Hiram! it can't be true!" qua vered Mary, all a-tremble, and clinging i to his arm, white and Hurried. "Oh, | yes, yes-I can hardly wait. You must go to the circus, indeed, and I must go with you !'
 All the next morning Hiram Pearce hung around the various groups of workmen erecting the tents and get ting ready for the arrival of the per forming troupe due about noon. Half a dozen times Hiram inquired about "a young fellow named Peace," but those interrOgated shook their heads negatively, and his spirits sank as the hours wore on. Then he was lost confused amid the hustle and the crowds. Mary's face was twitching her eyes anxiously roaming all over the great tent as they sat beneath the white, glaring canvas. If Leslie was with the show of course he must be ar actor. She shuddered as the tumblers trapezists and bareback riders came into the ring and their daring feat: showed the risks of their calling. Blu no Leslie appeared, and Mrs. Pearc' drew down her veil to conceal he tears as they left the show. Hiram could not leave the scene. He wen around among the wagons and smal tents, and, coming across a man whos' briskness indicated that he had some thing to do with the show, told him O his quest.
 "Pearce? repeated the latter; "w' have no one with us of that name"
 ''He is my dear lost Leslie!' sobbet Mrs. Pearce.
 'You couldn't mean one Leslie War burton?" spoke the man quickly. "Yol see, circus folks use fancy names About twenty, light hair, slightly cur ly, always joking and smiling?"
 "Yes! Yes!" cried Mrs. Pearce '"That's our boy! Oh, Hiram have we found him at last?"
 "You come with me-" spoke their in formant, and he led the way to a huge wagon, so large that it had doors an( windows like house, and resemble( one as to it's interior. It was filled with cots and invalid chairs, an( half a dozen men, women and children occupied these
 A pretty, dainty girlish woman wa: flaming a fevered child in this circu. hospital. A young man, who limped a: he walked about, smtlingly converset with this and that recumbent patient Toward him Mary ran with the fer vent words:
 "Oh. Leslie! Leslie! don't vol know me"
 When the circus left town that nigh 1t departed without Leslie Pearce ant his wife, Eloise, daughter of the ring master. Once more the truant bo. was back under the home roof, with wonderful story to relate-of a crip bling fall from trapeze, of becomin. the doctor" who took charge of thos, injured like himself, and the sick chil dren of performers. And he would have gone home unsolicited that sam' day had not father and mother cOm' after him. for he had saved enougl to pay off the mortgage on the olt home, with surplus left to add tw, wings to the house.
 PenniIion Singing.