The Devils Lake world., 1922-12-20
.Luella, the
Backslider
By CLARA DELAFlElD
60. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.)


with you" said Mr.. Meyer, shaking his
finger playfully In front Of Luella's
recess. you're of your feed, Miss
Luella. Gone down four pounds in
these two weeks. you have. You're
away below the three-hundred mark.
You got to climb back, Miss Luella,
you got to climb. Now how about q
nice pot Of cocoa. with two-pound
box of chocolates and couple Of pies
for lunch?"
The fat girl sighed wearily. Seems
to me you'll have to cut out one Of
the pies, Mr.. Meyer" she answered.
ITS the hot weather, guess"
"You Jest take life easy, Miss Lu-
ella" said the manager Of the circus.
'You amt done growing yet. There
amt no reason why you shouldn't top
the fOur-hundred mark before you're
through"
Luella sighed as q handsome man
in tights and spangles with black, up
turned mustache passed by with
friendly nod. 1t was Monsieur Mar.
aschino, the lion-tamer.
They had been such friends. Lu.
ella. the fat girl-she was only nine
teen-had evaporated pounds and
pounds Of flesh in signing over Mon
sieur Maraschino. At night dreams Of
him haunted her. She loved him.
Too well she knew the handicap
that fat girl endures. Some men
like them rather fat, but not when
they top the scale close to the three
hundred-pound mark.
Luella had been three years with
the circus. She had started at two
hundred and progressed steadlly.until
the dream of Monsieur Maraschino's
love entered her head. Then she had
begun to go down hill, despite the
crowds that came from far and wide
to see her. Love is such q destroyer
Of ambition.
my dear, don't you worry" said
the bearded lady in the next recess.
Men were deceivers ever. I know.
I've buried three"
"Oh. he's so handsome" said Luella,
with little snivel. "He-he used to
tell me was his treasure, and now
he-he only mods to me-"
There's as good fish in the sea as
ever came out Of It," said the bearded
lady.
Luella, desperate in her love, had
decided upon fatal course. She had
resolved to get thin. She knew that
this meant professional ruin, but the
fine eyes and upturned mustaches of
Monsieur Maraschino bewitched her.
The course of dreadful deceit on
which she entered was we'll known to
the other members Of the circus.
Every meal-ttme she slipped pounds
and pouads offood to the Living Skel-
eton upon the other side Of her. And
she was rewarded by gradual in.
crease Of interest on the part Of the
lion-tamer. For Luella was not bad
looking girl.
Il can't make it OUT said Mr..
Meyer sadly. Here's you, Miss Lu-
ella, down to two-seventy-fve, and
now Mr.. Longshanks is gettin' up
weight and touching the fifty mark.
guess if this hot weather don't let up
I'll have to close this section Of the
show. -;
It was curious thing, but in pro.
portion as Monsieur Maraschino be-
gan to show an awakening interest in
Miss Luella, Miss Luella seemed less
interested in him. Such is the way
Of the world and even fat girls are
not exempt from the laws Of love.
On the other hand, the pathetic,
haunting brown eyes of Mr.. Long
shanks appealed to her strangely.
Mr.. Longshanks was only twenty, q
poor boy who, half-starved all his short
life, seemed destined to be starved for
the rest of it in Mr.. Meyers circus. He
had been so grateful for those candies
that Luella slipped him.
He had been SO thankful for those
cups of cocoa passed surreptitiously
into his den. He had been so touched
by the marshmallows and the cod-liver
oil. He had nearly wept over the suet
pudding.
And so the eventful drama drew
toward its close. Time, midnight.
Place, anywhere. The circus has
closed. Two people sit, oblivious Of
the passage Of time, hand in hand.
I'm only poor living skeleton,
Miss Luella, but.I love you. Tell me
that you'll be mine.'
Luella's head sank on the edge Of
the Living Skeletons shoulder. "Oh,
yes" she breathed.
And the eyes and mustaches Of Mon
sieur Maraschino troubled her no fur
ther.
"Say, Miss Luella, you're picking up
fine" said Mr.. Meyer a week later.
"Ten pounds up this week. That sure
Is some record. guess we'll touch
the four-hundred yet. Odd" he unused,
now Mr.. Longshanks seems to be 20.
ing down Just the same amount.
guess It's love, Miss Luella. You two
sure win have one swell wedding"
The plaintive murmur Of Mr.. Long.
shanks reached Luella's ears:
"Just one marshmallow, darlingr"
"NOpe" said Euella. cracking an