Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-05-31
Vanilla Wasn't
Needed
4
BY CORONA REMINGTON
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(Copyrlghtl

THE crowd at the circus watched
L breathlessly rs the muchadver-
tised wire walker, Miss Vnleria Con.
stantlne otherwise Sally Fagin),
slowly took her position and balanced
herself on her head. Every eye In
the sea of upturned faces was focused
on the tiny figure posed on the slender
wire, her frllly, gauzy pink skirts
almost completely hiding her face.
her slender legs pointed to the star
ry sky.
Suddenly groan Of horror escaped
the spectators as Valera tOttered,
struggled frantically for second,
then went tumbllng through the air
and landed on the ground, an inert
mass of pink fun.
Jim Colburn opened his Mortified
eyes, struggled against the nausea and
faintness that seemed to be enguliing
him, and pushed his way toward the
girl.
"Get doctor, somebody, quick" he
said as he picked up the tiny acrobat
In his big arms and carried her
toward the nearest tent door. The peo-
pie suddenly galvanized Into action.
Almost before he had laid his burden
on the crude cot inside the tent, a
doctor was at his side. His mother,
who had followed him, started remOv-
ing the girls clothing with her quick,
efficient fingers.
"You go on out, Jlm," she said,
"and keep the crowd back"
With eyes still glazed with terror
Jim moved out of the tent and tried
to control the curious seething mob
OF people.
"She amt hurt much" he lied.
"Stand out Of the way, please"
In a few minutes the manager
pushed his way through. 'Is she
badly hurt" he inquired lrrltably.
Cant tell yet. think it's only
shock and broken leg" said the doc
tor.
"She'll have to go to the hospital,
We gotta leave on the midnight train
for Brastown. Shown there tOmOr-
row."
"There Isn't any hospital here"
said Mrs. Colburn. "Not In over twen-
ty miles"
"Somebodyll have to take care of
her. then. We can't stay here and
nurse sick girl for the next coupla
months"
"She can go to my home. We're on.
| ly half mile away" Mrs Colburn
retorted Indignantly. "She's sweet
little thing, but, my, amt she thin and
| puny l0okin'l She needs feedin' up
It was three days before Jim was
permitted to go In and see the pa
tlent. She seemed smaller and more
unreal than ever lying In the huge
bed In the COlbrn guest room, her
soft. curly bObbed hair, her big blue
transparent In Its dellcacy made her
| look to him like some very delicate
flower
"You amt never goln' to try that
stun again, are your" he said. at
amt no kind Of work for little thing
like you. You might have been killed"
Scotia live" she smiled gamely.
sand that's the only way | know to
make living. But amt II grand out
here? Don't seem possible folks could
be as kind as you and your mother
have been to me. Listen to the birds
singln and look at all those trees on
that hill. | never saw so many In
my life before"
~ do declare believe Wen get
that child fat before she leaves here"
laughed Mrs. COlburn week later
"She don't seem like the same per
son already"
"And, indeed, Valerla Isn't my real
name" she told Jim one day. "Fm
Just little Sally Fagin In real life
so guess yon ought TO call me Sally"
"Valerln's sC--fnncy-Iike YOU" he
answered "You'll always be that to
me-"
Spring slipped into summer and the
injured leg was quite well again and
when the day for her departure ar.
rived everybody had heavy heart
Like streak Of sunshine she had
come into their mOnotOnous lives and
now she was going AWAY. Jim did not
go to work that morning. but hung
around the house, big and awkward
and detected The train was due to
leave two o'clock and Mrs. Colburn
was In the kitchen preparing n lunch
for Valera to take with her.
"Jlm," she called at last. "Pm
plumb out OF vanilla. Can't you and
ValerIa take the car and 20 get me n