The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-11
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY

I8FT< - III
A Sid Show Romance
~ JANE. OSBORN.
fcopyrisht. 1919. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
a 4YSiDE Of her improvised tent
Maia could hear the voices OF
| - the eager young Parker" shrill
ainst the background of Jazz mu-
Ic that came from the yeranda he
ond, and the huzzing OF voices OF
re crowds that she could indistinet-
SOC Outlined through the canvas
pat hid her from the rest OF the
hen and women, girls and boys who
"a assembled on the Woodmere
kTn fpy the ffete that was to raise
nough money to tide over one OF the
Acal Charities through the summer.
This way to have your fortune
2ids vent on the persistent young
bank greatest gypsy in the
forld Come and have your fortune
pld. Learn your past and know
our fatnre This way. ladies AMI
entl efnen.N
Then another higher pitched boy
- voice the voice of the barker
rival attraction.
This way to see the wild animals!
Greatest menagerie in the world!
largest alligator in captivity. Fierc-
81 bear in the world! Eats 'eln
Hive Hugs ,em to death! This way,
IBIS way Best show on the grounds"
And then the incessant "This way
n have your fortune told. Creates:
nth silver and she'll tell you your
brtnne.
And still Maia sat within her close
tile tent, none too comfortable he
eath the heavy load of chains and
aWdig jewelry that embellished her
|ostume. Moreover her hair was
|anging loosely on her shoulders and
ke mask across her face was oppres-
i've. But worst of all, she was sit.
ing there in her tent wasting her
lime and the vocal energy of her will
Ing young aid with the megaphone
outside without having the satisfaction
: taking In any money.
She wondered what she would tell
he people when they did come; 1t
tdn't seem exactly easy. Still. It
AS all in the days work, and If Mrs.
tanley Barton chose to keep her OF.
q graduate nurses salary to idle
Ter time away In this sfashion, why
really wasn't going to disturb
.Isia,
Ipr Maia had not been back from
lei long months of Red Cross duty
b France many weeks, and even a
.espite such as this from the more try
|ag sort of nursing was bringing vel
|on,e relief to overweight nerves.
|]he had gone to Woodmere to take
|harse OF Bobby Barton's strained
Inee. hut the ten-year-old Bobby had
scovered rapidly.
Meantime Alicia Barton had fatty
|efused to sit IN the stuffy tent tell
Rg fortunes, though she had been
remised by her mother to the COM
aittee and duly advertised as one
\ the side shows" As a last-min-
1te substitute Maia, about to return
d town, had been urged to stay a
little longer for the purpose of TAX
az AlieiA's place. And Alicia had
zone sailing and Maia had been put
hto the gypsy costume specially
made for Alicia. and Mrs. Barton
kas sure Il Maia kept her mask on
10 one would know the difference.
Meantime Bobby Barton, entirely
as to his strained knee and
more than enthusiastic over the one
Who had brought comfort and diver
sion TO his irksome days of con-
was continuing to bark"
outside her tent.
g minutes passed and no shadow
iarkened the entrance OF her :ert
Laia was aware of a slight disappoint-
ment. Then she heard her barker:
HGreatest attraction of the grounds.
Hey. why doesn't some one come and
ret their fortune told?" Apparently
Bebhy, too, was becoming disccur-
ased,
Then through her mask Maia was
aware that some one was rapidly
making for the tent entrance. She
teit an unexpected sense of confusion
stage fright. 1t seemed-and she
Ehuffled her fortune cards nervously.
She had gone into the operating room
duty often with far less nervousness
Than this.
These was a fumbling at the tent
llap, sidewise shutting Of the feet
and then a dark face was thrust in.
auirinEly In. It wasn't an unkipd face
nor an especially ferocious one, and It's
was one more of inquisi-
EiVeness than anything else, but still
one doesn't encounter even gentle
brown hears every day and 1t was with
tifficulty that Maia changed a shrill
,ream Of terror INTO a terrified ooh.
kse somebody do something. The
But somebody and a good many
somehodies had done something.
Bobby had seen the vanishing black
81 of Bruno, dropped his megaphone
ma had seized the trailing rope.
fIIey. you menagarie people, your
BEARS loose" he called to the group
& tents across the path, and before
NaiR had time to think Just what
ras the wisest course of action when
meeting a bear single-handed, "the
people had come, four or
ave * them and had dragged of their
.ntirely harmless. and spiritless beast,