William sighed—a deep sigh of intense happiness.
They secured good seats in the second row from the bottom and sat in silence—a curious couple—their eager eyes fixed on that figure o' dreams with a loose white suit and a chalked face. He held a small camera and he was offering to take the photographs of the people who came in. At last a farmer and his wife agreed to be photographed. He posed them carefully in the middle of the ring, the lady in a chair, her hands folded in her lap, the man standing by her side, his hand on her shoulder. Then he told them not to move. He said he was going to photograph them from behind first. He went behind and disappeared through the door of the tent. The couple stayed motionless with sheepish grins on their faces. The suppressed titters of the audience increased to roars of laughter. It was some time before the rustic couple realised that the clown was not photographing them carefully from behind. William enjoyed the joke. He emitted guffaw after guffaw while Grandfather Moore's shrill cackle joined in.
"He's gone away, William!" he piped between his laughter. "He's gone right away! They think he's taking them from behind!"
At last the joke dawned upon the bucolic couple, and they went to their places amid applause.
SHE RODE ROUND THE RING BAREBACK—BLOWING
THEM KISSES. WILLIAM BLUSHED VIOLENTLY WHEN
HE IMAGINED ONE CAME TO HIM.
Then began the circus proper. The ring-master came on—a magnificent creature with long moustachios and a white shirt front. He waved his whip. Then all held their breath, for in there pranced a coal-black horse, and on its back one of the visions of beauty, whose pictures had been on the poster—golden hair, red cheeks, white tights, and short, white, frilly skirts.
To William she was Beauty personified. In the fickleness of his youth he decided not to marry the little girl next door after all. He would marry her instead. He would be a clown and marry her. He watched her with fascinated eyes. She rode round the ring bareback—she then rode round standing on the horse's back and blowing them kisses. William blushed violently when he imagined one came to him.
"Golly!" he breathed.
"Isn't she fine?" said Grandfather Moore.