| Show THE FICTION CORNER 4 CARNIVAL NIGHT by MARY KEMPE CHEATHAM LL along elm street to the old A ALL park grounds the carnival was drawing people like a magnet from where ellie sat on the top step in front of mrs blodgette Blod getts boarding house she could see them hurrying along in groups and couples baugh ing and chatting their merriment floating back to her on the early summer air there was nothing in the world like carnival music reflected ellie leaning her head wistfully against the porch rail the nostalgic ripple of 0 tunes half sad came to her on sudden bursts of breeze cutting into her heart with the sharpness of pain she closed her eyes to shut out the sight of the couples always the couples passing through the early dusk smiling into each others eyes murmuring words of which only the tone need be heard carnivals are tor for couples she thought no for children too for families even for old people ing j their neighbors and winning lamps and blankets but not for someone alone she opened her eyes at a soft touch on her knee and saw patty brown a little neighbor girl sitting on the step below her gee sighed patty on a long mournful breath it LONESOME ellie smiled for you too she asked patty nodded hard yes she said soberly gone to the carnival but us I 1 guess you and me and blodgett and my grandma were about the only ones in town that go blodgett the she never goes anywhere anyway and neither does grandma since my grandpa died my grandpa was swell he always took me to carnivals you live with your grandmother ellie asked she felt suddenly ashamed of how little slie she knew the neighbors she had been boarding at mrs Blodge blodgette Blod getts tVs several months since first she came to grenville Gre to work in its dress factory and to work even harder at the serious business of forgetting bruce ever since I 1 remember answered patty my grandpa loved carnivals like I 1 do grandma was always sc oldin him about it but hed take me every night and wed go on the rides and buy cotton candy my she breathed 1 I sure miss grandpa patty ellie asked humbly would you like to go to the carnival with me bipes Yi pes uttered the little girl almost toppling off the step backward would N I 1 it was like all carnivals before without the magic no ellie decided looking at gattys happy face it is I 1 who am without the magic the barkers called from their concessions drawing the crowds with imperative cries girls passed carrying feathered kew pies spangled whips bright birds and monkeys on sticks patty high on the merry go round clung lovingly to her horses bridle and waved to ellie every time she passed that was fun she beamed finished at last running to ellie for new adventure they joined hands and started over the grounds chos your girl friend sis asked a mans voice instantly guarded and alert ellie guined to look she gazed warily straight into two gray eyes so gray she thought ill always alway be a pushover tor for gray eyes oh said patty startled ashes ellie she lives at mis blodgette Blod getts yes agreed the roan man remember you told me that this afternoon when I 1 got your ball out of the street uh huh I 1 remember said patty hes heb mr kenyon she told ellie elble the man that was riding around in the loudspeaker car he ha told me his name today fun and fr frolic olle for all mimicked the young man using his hands for a megaphone me since ellie a boy friend patty suggested maybe like lika to take us on the ferris wheel eules ellies chill expression warmed to a flush catl she he exclaimed mr kenyon already knows you got a boy friend soothed m aw 00 bior A ff ol 01 0 mr air kenyon already knows you got a boy friend soothed patty 1 I told him when he asked this afternoon patty 1 I told him when he asked this afternoon catl protested ellie again feebly she used to have one pat continued helpfully but not any more 1 I used to have a girl friend too offered mr kenyon 1 I know how it is id like to take you on the terria ferris wheel take over tor for a few minutes will you mike he called to a man at the shooting gallery helplessly ellie found herself engineered along so you were asking about me she managed at last yes he answered in a little place like this who be youre an attractive girl you know this is a nice nica town too what ever happened to her asked patty the girl friend you got any more she like my job replied mr kenyon she said she see any future in it but it was the only work I 1 knew huhl snorted pat she must have been siliyl oh no said mr kenyon but she made me mad and we biad bad a quarrel I 1 told her there was another girl who would like it tine fine there of course but my real girl thought so pats right agreed ellie she was very foolish theres no more future to anything than love they walked up the ramp and the carnival man fastened all three into a seat with patty in the middle the wheel started its wonderful backward swoop taking them up up above the tents above the trees above the little trailers where the carnival workers lived the stars were close and the people oh so small and far below ellie shut her eyes recalling another carnival another time she opened them when a hand reached out to clasp her own hello elue ellie said mr kenyon softly the gray eyes looking deep into hers hello bruce whispered ellie with a quiet smile his arm to reach her had also to encircle patty who seemed not to notice they had stopped at the top now rocking gently in the night patty stared over the seat edge into space oh my she quavered THIS MUST BE ALMOST HEAVEN |
