The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-12-02
EUening Story
Popcorn and Pink Lemonade.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD

BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD
"Wen,'' said Uncle Jack at abe
breakfast tasIe, as he unfolded his
napkin with one flick st suppose
next week I have to make sacrifice
OF myself, neglect my business. and
waste the whole of a rare June after
noon. How about it, Billy?'
His young nephew at the sound of
his name, lifted uncomprehending
eyes from his matutinal egg-toast-
cocoa combination. what you say,
Uncle Jack?' he asked.
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. At
least, nothing of Importance. mere
~ remarked"-hore this exasperating
young man paused, then added impress
sively-''that the circus, the really,
truly circus, stupendous, unparal-
Circus, Uncle Jack? Circus? oh,
gosh, Uncle Jack, going to take me?"
Now the reader must be immedi-
ately disabused regarding Uncle Jacks
apparent reluctance to go to the circus.
Uncle Jack would rather go to the cir
Gus than do almost anything else, un-
less 1t were to spend the equivalent
hours IN the company of Miss Caro-
line Prescott-an alternative, how
ever, which was out of the question.
For only yesterday Jack with con-
siderable ehemence for him, had told
that tantaliziLg young woman that he
was beastly sick of being fifth vice
president of the firm of devoted Fetch
& Carriers for her ladyship and was
ready to sell out all shares at once to
the latest conner. Caroline had re-
turned retort discourteous, and an
other one of the vice-presidents arriv-
ing inoppI- timely, Jack had taken an
abrupt departure.
Now the question reasonably arises
as to just why Jack should have Elk
pected any special consideration. He
did SO on the grounds of having
squirrel Caroline ever since he had
first held her miniature umbrella over
her head on the way to kindergarten
and of having asked her-to marry
him semi-annually ever since she was
seventeen and he nineteen-some five
or six years ago. But with each pass
ing year she had added new charms
and piquaAcies which attracted new
admirers until it IL oked as if her old
time companion would be crowded out
70 the running.
So much for the preliminaries which
helped to BIZ . about BIZ y's circus
trip. Sailor-suited and exuberant, he
trotted along by his uncle's side and
explored the dusty enviIpns of the
grounds, poked peanuts at the trunk
waving elephants, Eazed rapturously
at South American anteaters and Aus
tralian marsupials suddenly and I'M
scientifically become neighbors. and
finally in the awed silence of expec-
fancy. entered he big tent and headed
wait, uncle. There's Jean. Wait. /
Uncle Jack"'
''Now Bill. If we expect to get our
seats before some one else does
never sat in my own seat at a circus
yet, BiIl!'
For Billy was Juggling backward at
his uncle's hand. wait for Jean.
She's hurrying ike e, erything. Her
Aunt Car ~line-''
At the me, ia. halted abruptly, I
n IT. to-
an association of ideas began to form. /
Jean-Caroline's niece! Yes, there /
they were, sure enough, altho from
Caro1ine'S unconCern he felt sure she
green linen I. i'd wide hat. Lord! how
attractive she was and what a darn ,
shame he couldn't follow his impulse
to rush wildly over. Yet dignity de-
that he stick by his guns. I
Thru the performance which fol |
lowed, Jack was quite as conscious I
that Caroline was sitting directly in /
back of him, .hree rows up, as If he 1
had had [ -es in the back of his head, :
or as if Billy hadn't told him. He held /
even at the utmost efforts of near |!
human monkeys or bouncing clowns. |
Why had Caroline come to the circus |
without bringing along at least one
Of her escorts?
The afternoon seemed as long to /
Jack as it was brief for Billy. but the /
moment finally arrived when the last t
chariot race had teen won, the span /
g1ed beauty had defied death and the
laws of gravity for the last time, and !
the greatest show on earth, in blare
of trumpets, was over until evening. I
Jack rose, de- I'd not to glance |
around, yet somehow or other in the 4
slowly moving crowd tanning the
aisles he managed to keep always in .
sight a bit of green linen. Half way
to the entrance one of those inexpli- (
cable occurrences took place which I
arise from very small beginnings. Al
muffled explosion frczn an antonio
bile outside, the roar of hungry lion
in it's cage-something alarmed the
mob at one of the exits. Immediately
The spirit of panic permeated the at
People who had been pa
.iently waiting space to move, pressed