Show COURTESY OF A ne CLOWN fl T Li E B lows Annie Johnston ts Fel FelA little man in motley thrusting THE his face through the curtains of the big tent looked out on oft the ga gathering crowds and grinned To him thAt of gaping hack back t GOds pioneers was wa a r she i than the one he ws afi with at al although r though the cirCUS j lf Was WS a pioneer l in Its kg way ay It was the thit had ever eYer traveled through the almost un f fOrests rests of o rout rn Indiana and i the fame Cante or of it Its performance at Vin cennes had to the Ohio tong long before the plodding oxen had drawn the heavy heRy lion cages half haIr that dis distance lance tance on Jl a harrt b hind a h hill ho hoi ill i the canvas of oC the tent the little I Iown amused by watching the tream of As far is as he hee couMe e down oon the glaringly sunny road rising of dust duet betokened the ap of a eO ly endless proe The whole county appeared to he be I to the commons just outsIde E of where the annual train training I V log ing In military tactics took on oni muster days were coming i by tM the nearly every horse hore I doubt double and one old nag ambled ii up with Uh a row of hays boys astride her pet jat I tint Mek from neck neek to tall It was a hot afternoon in August and amI anda amIa a rank overpowering odor HI HId t d from the dU dusty ly down don a n th tent The j little clown was wa half stifled by the duet duett t the h hat t and the meU and the per trickled down his l grotesquely pa face faM but an occasional Impat t if nt happing piR of his Itis handkerchief to Itar away tn th dust dUft of a new arrival ita as all that betrayed his bin discomfort tie Hl was M in the If 1 a ep ahe M a Jo Jod log d under r hi his tee Mep hole in the theL L i tre J patiently lt waiting for th p f to 10 begin My hT motley can t hold a candle andJe to tot toI t I hf heirs rs he thou thought ht with Uh an amused k a as It he surveyed them m critical critically lL ly Ju ing b by rut ut of that girls silk d dress it was a a of her ber weddin wedding er and she sun the stuff for that sun herself Rut the In Inthe Inthe the People back bak e east st I believe Ht if I told them bo bohe how he is togged logged trou trousers rs broad loth h Oat coat with Uk brass buttons ft and a eal on this the 1101 test of all the hot dog days ever everI I the will m be the bi big sight drawled the man what hat me h re I aint sever Nn even the pieter of an and they say this is the real nal liv Pvc article front from side of f the world They sa d v It kin a cock of ha hay six ix foot birli at on oi meal II here tM the baby by stirred and fretted in InI I 1 h womans arms ann and she hf wearily ear y lift lifted td it t to 0 an n easier position against t hr hou HI I wish Iab Jim would hurry hum Un 1 1St she shei i St sighed wiping her hot fatt on u a cor cort t r or of 1 is r gown Hes over or gander helln ole lis Potter put u up her Er gingerbread stand a answered n tw girl rl pointing to a la large larget e tIt t k tree on tilt edg of th the common I 1 seen em when slit she come n up on en that big ox with 1 barrel of rider eider behind behin l her la Law I 1 t kon she never miss d 4 bein hem C 11 I hand to sell her c k krs and eider lder here on toaster muster days nary a t time in tn rt eT rs s Taint Mis PUtter Potter answered the woman sit ben laid up with ith I IJ J nf nearly all summer r its mother and hi little jl v Tou rou dont mean it il the theirl irl with ea eager ine 1 standing up 1 get et a heLter better TJ Not Net ole Madam I all as pap ells 1 her Iv r hen 1 1 rOt for a sight ht of Mr her euer sense n last laRt 1 spring Irin w when n I beerd shed I come out I fro rOm Maryland ar T I to hear about h 11 r 1 Boone married It I Irandy as told m me about h her herShe She 1 said the ole oie lady was as so IW ri rich h and stUck Ut us tt that she II never even ton tied her own shoes Thee had slaves ind 1 T and money and t everything that tRat J heart could wish Ish and thy y think I t 1 hat was as good enough for forI I tir only son The totters tt they y writ 10 1 Boone Bont trying tOTing to h bead Hd him oft made mack Irand so mad that I shed per ever dt ait over it She answered rt d th litti litt wo and it was scant SIant the they got ot when they come fIle The letter Jetter they a month nver go t her ber berof I of course nobody they was omin and they want down don downto j to tM the Ohio river landin to m met t cm m 1 J Iy Jim ht he happened to bP bE when th y got the They ws as put out when hen they fled Ind 1 out for f en after omin all the way ay Maryland koos what ud of om cm ef Jim happened arost em The beat had gone on down time the river and nd ft enu thor on shore amongst the bales and boxes 8 as help ess u 5 two to kittens Jim he seen n em and beTh bein a Softhearted hap chap knowin was as wrong ron be beup up and They was so Uk like count of not lindin Beon and everything he heing in ing so from What the they on that they was daft tt The Theole ole olt Juan had ben sick eV ever r sen sense the they 1 ft Pittsburg and they was as both plum out with ith that long flat flatboat boat trip Jim JIm he jest hIP histed l em Into the I waSOn big chest and all and brought em on to Burnville j H He said plain to IK be seen n the they never been n us d to It in any way The ole gentlEman was wasso wasso so s sick fk he had to lean his head bead on her shoulder all the way nd she kep hi his white hair with her fine soft rs and to him as if hed hen ben a child She tried to chirk him up b him soon be beto beto to Boones home and bout when ben Boone loone was a little feller tell teU Jim hard hardly I stand it heWs hes that son sott hearted He kite knew all the time what a dis dia wits WMS in store more when hen they should set eyes on Irandy and the cabin and find Boone to b so rough and common It was as dark when I they got Boone got home yit And ant a sign of It a light about the place So Jim lee the ole folks folk setting in the wagon and went in to break the news to Irandy what ut a hl d piece she is at t times He said she was set settin settin tin on t the doorstep ill in her bare feet and dirty ole dress jawin jain little Tilliam Shed ben soap p aU all day and was as dead tired When Jim tole her r what t as the surprise seemed to strike her all of a heap heal S She never Mer made a mo JnO 2 to git gil Up and as soon as she could git gil her breath she begun to splutter like blue bla blazes ShE said some folks had more burdens laid onto their shoulders than thanh h hv Ii rights was as their share and she ace sef what made them ole peo plc rome ome out OUI where the they was neither wanted nor Sile no USe for that kup I ole oIt Mia MM ratcliffe if she was Boones Ious bus mother Ok Oh she jest talked imp scan I randy didn even offer to shake hands shed stared a I she saki sorter stilt like Jike Yell Welt I Is rl s you ny as wen well col come e OIl on in Jim says ys t there e was teatS tears in tM the ole ladys eyes when he foth red Into tM the cabin bin but she wiped i 1 tm em aWIl away real ral quick and spoke lip up cheerful to toole toole ole tr Ir Ole Ol Mis tried to tn apologize feT fer She said id that thai their dau daugh daughter h ter beck bad ji hI tried to 10 keep emu em from frem it but that Boone foe to them and it had been ten years ears since he h had d left home and they felt they must see him once more beforE they died Jim said it was so pitiful the way she he talked that he got ot all aIt worked lip up Why hy they turn right around And go h home the next day cried the theirl girl irl with flashing eyes all over again w when n she be one once gits its her temper up but people as rich as them dot have to 1 nut up with high and mighty ways I I The They a ate e not rich any more was tm the aDS answer r A fe few years yai ago they lost Jost all n they had slaves land MOO and every everything ery I thing and their married dau in Baltimore Is carp care of em cm She was at sure Oure they find it agree agreeable able ahle out here her so she the tiK money for fm em to on but the ole man maim had his POckets omin down on Of that an th they dont feel as the they could write writt beck and ask her for mo more to fm em emas as can be but she got ot Any mure t than n site she needs and they hate to ask for it why the ole lady is I here today akin Mis Potters Potter pl place t Boone persuaded her to come on and amid tole 1 her ber if she could make as much as Mis Potter always d dius it will ill be enough h to pay their way war back bak to Maryland He helped her get ready I 1 dont kno know what hat ht he said laid to to make her ber bertand herstand stand tand aside ide and not interfere but she be made up tm the gingerbread tn all as meek as I Moses and nd let Jim roll the barrs o of cider werd out of the without a I Why Thy dent Boone scratch ratch around and ra raise the mont money ho sut JUt in inthe th the man who had hewed in interested silence e H as he be listened to the story Now he bt stopped to bite bitt another mouthful from rom a big t of tobacco he took from his bis broadcloth oat coat pocket Pea Pears like their only son JOn i is the theone ont one that ou ought t to do 00 fer em and at least he could make shut up I and treat his par parents civil Boone sniffed miffed the womAn Why hy I hes under thumb so tight that he das nl if she dont take snuff Bet Besides ides hes bes hen ben on the flat of his back Ok oft and on alt all summer with dumb ague Its run into a slow fever fen r now and it takes eer every Picayune they can raDe together to Kit git his medicines Then too be Irandy sprained hew hem ankle a month or so Of back baek and things have been awful score te then The Theole ole milan man he bt dont realize reaUze he be is In the wa way hes g so childish and broken down don He jest sorter droops around siam for the comforts comfort hes always ben UBe u uto to in a way that a almost breaks his ole heart beart She feels it keen enough h for both of em he because a she cant beer to see e him lackin anything M be needs and shed ed rather die than he be It a bur bar burden barden den to anybody t 1 tell Jim rm Im sorry rr for the whole ae set and I can see e it the pleasent nt eat at thing or IrAnd tv to give up a room to them when hen only two to in inthe inthe the cabin and her ways ays aint their ways ays and their hem puts every everything thing out or of joint but Jim he skies sides I with ith the Ole Oe people Hes mighty might for em And would have put his bis hand handin in his own pocket and paid their ex expenses Jn long ago hack to Maryland ef hed aDen aben able Heo Hes hen ben a great comfort to the oJ ole I lady hes jest jett that I 1 hO hope e shell sell out as faa fas as Mis II Potter alwa always s done lefore the girl irl could rould echo ho her wish there was a discordant scraping inside the nt II a sound of the band b begin gill rung to their in instruments In Instantly there was a rush toward the tent tHI amid nd all three of the little group sprang to their feet The little woman looked wildly around for Jim with such sueh an aim anxious expression that the clown n lingered a moment regardless of the stream of people veople pouring into the e en entrance trance tranee so near him that the curtain which screened him from public view was nearly torn tom down don He waited un until until til he saw a burly man sian push his way through the crowds and transfer the he heavy Y bab baby from the wo womans womans mans tired arms to his broad shoulder Then he turned away aay with a queer lit little littie tie tle smile on his bis painted face Hes jest that softhearted he re repeated repeated half under his breath The wo we womans mans mens story had stirred him strangely Its a pity theres not JI like e him he continued r I guess uess that too few Jima Jims and too many Is 15 what hat is the matter r with ith this dizzy old planet that yere ere sn grumbling about Humpty asked the pock pockmarked marked as he came up with his hiR armadillo aU all ready for the performance Then in his ris most prof nal tones If it Is fi the tooth toothache toothache ache y z have now Ill be cur curin curing in ing it wit wid wan touch of thiS thiSba ba baste te from Oh get out exclaimed the clown putting his hand on the tall shoulder and springing lightly down from the b barrel Im dead sick of aU all this monkey business If it a matter of bread and butter I laugh a again din in a year yearA A dull red glowed und under r the paint on Uh I I u s sk I k k II r rT rr r T I 5 He Had Been Funny Enough in the Ring lung But Now Found His Jokes Irresistible II I I the downs face and nd he ran into the ring in tv to the signal without a reply A thundering round of ap greeted him which broke out again as he glanced all around with a purposely silly leer Then be caught si sight ht of honest ace smiling mulling tX ox on him from one 01 of the front bt benches It struck hint like lite a pain that thi this man uman could not net look Jook through b his disguise of tawdry circus irus trappings and see that a mans heart was as beat under th the dons moUe motley There came am a suddEn fler lon longing ing to tear off his 1 s outward of bank for a moment and no Jim Hm the stifled un underneath noble enough to the th tender r hi hiv aIry in the rough exterior of the aWkward and to be claimed by him as a kindred spirit As he laughed and danced and Sing sang no IW ont one dreamed that his thoughts kept reverting to Scenes nes that the womans story had called up or that a plan Was slowly shaping in his hb mind where b by he ml might t serve the homesick old soul ul waiting out und under r th the oak tree for forthe the performance to be done Xo No wonder that people olle accustomed to seeing old Mrs Ir Potter it in that place owned gowned in homespun and knitting a yarn seek Fk had stopped to tarp stare at thE newcomer omer uh Such K a tJ type of high born perfect t had never ap Peered in iii their midst before The dress that she ht wore Wor was A a relic of the old Maryland f days tY SO was Mas tM the lace rap cap that r rested like K a bit of rare ner fr front Rt work ork on her silvery hair Mrs MIl Potter knew everybody for miles around and was ready to lau laugh h and joke with Uh Any Anyone anyone one wOO who stopped at her stand Mrs IT sat in dini dignified ed silence a faint color deepening in her ch k like the blush of a winter r rose It wa was so much worse than she IRe had anticipated to have tb these rude strangers staring starin at her as if she w were re a part of the silo show She brEathed a sigh of relief when hen the Inn music be began for it drew the crowds into the tent as if by bJ ma magic k She and little William Villiam were ere left tn en alone Hr Her white hite head dropped lower and lower until presently she Me was 3 to all surroundings Little William Wilham sitting on the old siem with ith h hack against again t the cider barrel as 41 gotten and the rabin abin vanished entirely froan rein her memory She was a bark back in the old Maryland days dayson I on h her r fathers bPd hedged ed about with loving forethought ht a as ten In berly sheltered as some me delicate white flower Every Fery path had hen heen made smooth for her r every wish l all her life long until that day when they had set get their fa faces es w hard to find Boone noone It wu was down the Ohio on II that long journey b by that gh she suddenly woke to the knowl edge that her husbands illness had bad left him a old man as weak and irresponsible at as I a eluid hid But mercifully her dreams were back backof o of that tm time Th They y We were back wih with Boone in his gay y young manh when he danced b with th the governors o daughter aD and entertained I his friends In lordly style on th the ol oki sian tation Back of oC that tune wh when Jan the restlessness of his hip teens sent nt him roy lug inh over the Alleghenies to th the frontier regardless of oC thir their am fr |