The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-24
amazing grimace.

tsYehi / know a young fellow, Ben
Ceilings, started there an errand boy
in box-factory and now owns half
the town: two box factories of his own,
the opera house. half of Main street
and nearly every cottage on the hill.
Say, I'd brush the Broadway lint of
my coat tomorrow to settle down In a
pretty little tank like that.
Its a great little town, Lo. I've
been there three times and lived once
for two weeks right with Ben Ceilings
In his own swell house. He'd gimme
his shirt If / asked him, that's what
he thinks of me. Only met him on
train once, too. He's seen some OF my
wood carvings and he'd gimme a job
right In one.of his box factories doing
the high class handwork any day in
the week / wanted That's the kind of
friends we are"
She pressed her finger tips to her
lips, then blew at them lightly as If
she would watt him rose petal.
Rave on, Al. Rave on"
He leaned to her with an entire
fiattening of tone. You're the only
thing In the world that / can rave
about, Lo; you and your tantalizing
ways. Ever since / ran away from
an orphan asylum in Utica to join a
show, I've had a picture of a little girl
like you hung on my heart. | can't see
this or any other country. hon. without
you the biggest part of the scenery.
You're the only thing ever had time
TO rave about In my life, Lo."
She threw him smile that was full
of quirks.
''Me and the meadows! -rhe
meadows you're always piping about.
Look at 'em out there! Listen to the
| grass growing!"
A porter passed down the swaying
aisle, lighting lamps. A gassy turbid
glare filled the coach, shutting out the
darkening landscape, and the windows
| suddenly reflected the murky interior.
"You-you sweet little kid, you.
You sweet little. soft little kitten
She collapsed in an attitude of mock
| prostration against his shoulder, her
cheek. the quality of thick, cream
1
grain of his coat.
How that boy loves met"
| He withdrew her sharply.
| Always kidding! Amt you nothing
but doll; ain't you got nothing bur
| sawdust inside of you? Amt you got
no feelings, no nothing, no hearth
"Feel 1t beating, way down in my
wrist"
| Cant you learn that life amt just
one long ha, ha? Can't you learn that
when a fellows been eating out his
heart and soul and vitals the whole
six months he's been playing in the
show with you, that it amt no laugh
ing matter? Can't you learn that,
girl?"
She retreated pouting to her corner,
her richly curved lips quivering.
You can't talk to me like that!
know what's eating you. You're sore
about last night. But you can't talk
to me like thati"
He leaned to her In immediate con-
triton.
10, didn't mean 1t, only some
times with your cutting up like you
didn't care, you drive me crazy, that's
all. amt said nothing to you about
last night. have I? Amt been keeping
it inside Of me? Only sometimes you
drive me crazy; you drive me crazy"
Lego my wrists"
II tell you when 1 see you cutting
up from the swing with him down
there In the wings and nearly forget
ting to hurl the bar to me, / get to
seeing things so black that-that it's
wonder I don't miss the bar and
break my neck-break my neck"
"Leggo my wrists"
81 tell you it. makes a crazy man
out Of me to see you cutting up with
him. l see black, 1 tell you! get
dizzy with blackness."
Gee, the way you keep raving for
fear / won't swing that bar straight
Don't be afraid, little boy. / been get
ting 1t to you somehow for couple
Of hundred performances, amt 1? Don't
be scared. Al; I'll take care of you"
A slow red spread to his ears and
down into his collar, but his voice
remained carefully below the rumble
Of the train.
"You wouldn't dare talk that way to
me, Lo, If ii was me instead of your
friend who was directing the show
You know pretty well you gotta be
as careful each time you swing that
bar out to me as If you'd never done II
before. You don't want me to land
with a broken back, do your
II told you I'd take care Of you
little boy"
"You can't tantalize me that way
You know that amt what's eating me
l wasn't with Reno's Star Acrobat AcI
Tor four years to be bluffed off by a lit
tie extravaganza speciality act that
that could do In my Sleep"
swell, If you amt scared you hol
Ter enough
81 didn't open Rigley's vaudeville
bill with solo trapeze act for tw,
] years not to learn how to grab a ba
that's swung out to me by girl that
too busy flirting with the stage di
rector down in the wings to watch on
what she'sAsioing."
'Tt didn't even swerve half an Incl
last night; you said so yourself"
> 'Iordy, the nerve of little XII
like you Afraid, am Il Say. wa
9 an expert acrobat already when I wa
turning somersaults in the orphan asy
| l. aoly In