The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-06-11

ately signed greasy contract and
stuck my feet under the family table.
That added ham and eggs to the
cdoriferous bill of fare of gefilltefish
and spaghetti.
1--WE started in rehearsin', and BY
the end of the week l was as full of
black-and- blue marks as the dago's
wife was full of garlic; but I'd learned
the trick of tumblin' from three Shout
ders high without landin on my collar
bone, so the acrobatic family took the
road.
at was a fair act, and them acts
go, and we managed to exist that
winter on pop-vaudeville. Then when
spring rolled around and the wick
burned out of the kerosene circuit,
we signed up with Pat Dixon's dog
and pony show. The second week out
with the circus we hit the town of
Hawkinsville, Mister, l guess they
named that town Hawkins just TO-
the same reason that they call coop
hen. Everyman and woman in the
place was programmed Hawkins.
"And the first member of the noble
family that I met was this Freddy
Bell"
Here Mrs. McJimsey registered an
other COB of audible lament.
The paperhanger shifted his posi-
ton a trife to find soft spot in the
flooring, and nodded sleepily.
eft was a case of love at first
sight, mister gushed Mrs. Jimsey.
"There was me a .walkin' through the
woods in my high-hee1ed slippers and
little gobs of grease-paint stickin' to
my eyelashes, and there was Freddy
Bell sittin' on a rock beside little
stream, with his auburn hair coined
back in one of these here soulful
pompadores and a soft-colored shirt
shown soft. blue tie. He WASH :.
writin' poetry. He was shakin' dice
in the palm of his hand and flippin'
'em out on the gravel but to me he
looked like one of these here seraphim
you read about in the hymn-book! l
told you / was simp, didn't mister?
Funny how you'll fall for somebody
the first time you set your eyes on
'em that way, amt it? There was me,
a circus girl with muscles in my arms
as big and hard as cabbages, that
had seen every kind of a man that the
Lord made and the devil inherited
and was wise to 'em all, gettin pa1pi-
tant over little, slender-legged felle.
with cigaret stains on his fingers, and
no callouses on his hands or his con
science, either Well, Freddy looked
at me as far as he could see me
through them woods, and come on.
into a plowed field, steppin' high, high
as though somebody had left me 4
million dollarsi And neither one d
us had spoke word: Loves funny
thing, mister.
Even then I might'a got out o.
town and kind of wore off the infec
ton; but after the afternoon per
Torrance, when Pm out prowlin' round
the back streets of Hawkinsville
huntin' for place to get some washin
done, who do l meet but this FREDDY
Bell-drivin' along slow in brand
new red-wheeled buggy! He pulled
up to the cinder path where l was
and smiled at me. wanna ride? says
he. And l climbed in.
Yes, sir-knowin' that it was
against all the rules-circuses are
awful strict, mister-and that | would
probably draw a fine, and maybe get
my face slapped by the dago's wife
1 climbed in. And Freddy Bell gave
the mare a slap, and we whirled Out
into the country with the wheel a
fiashin' and my heart goin like the
bass drum when the elephant act is
on. Now, with any other fellow, Ed
'a-been sittin' on the edge of the seat
ready to draw a hatpin the first time
he tried to get fresh. I'd learned to
take pretty good care of myself. But
with this Freddy l just set back and
listened to his chatter
at seemed he was temperamental
child and that nobody understood
him. He certainly was a classy lal
to have been raised in that rube town
that was regular incubator for chin
spinach, seersuckers, and copper-toed
boots | wondered a little where he'd
picked up the style-then! 1t seemed
seemed his father was the perpetual
sheriff of the country, and owned the
only livery stable in town. Bein' a
hard-handed old skate with a poetry in
his soul, he kept his only son in Jail
dishin' out cruel for the prisoners
when he wasn't followin' the ponies
in the livery stable. And all this maze
Freddys sensitive spirit revolt. He
wanted to get away-out into the
world where his talents and his looks
would be appreciated
That's the line of talk he gave me
for seven miles-while the new buggy
cravIed through the Spring mud and
the wind blew in my face, smellin' like
it does, mister! When we finally goi