Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-08-28


and the band stationed without COM
menceG TO pay, hundreds Of representa-
tlves, OF al grades and na1on~ uf oar
American population, thrUu-cd around
The door eager for admission bot brgi.li-
ing The tedious interval Of time by tos-
sing up heads aud tails who should pay
for li,kels. or enjoying an im2rompiu
game OF poker, played on head OF 4
barrel or the crown of a hat.
Tha f.tguing journey over, the troupe
hastily busted themselves with prepara-
items for The active tasks that lay before
them and those who an hour hence
roared al The Jess of the clown or shouted
in tumui:@ous admiration al the feals Of
the athletic, little knew how weariIy The
men that uttered the jesls, or performed
wonderful ''feats of agility and strength
for which their dollars and piaudas were
required, had crept along the Nsy and
dusty road as they entered tawn.
Journey after journey-ps1 nance
after performance-nade III Bmadlc
life a hard one. Arriving own al
sunset, they played thats and by
two the mex, Il o mag the q kas struck
and the gaudy trappiugs knged for
sober harness, ana awaysky went to
The next Iown-per haps l5Teity miles
dls.ant-where they nuStt3efform again
al , IN, and then repeat ahe'toil of the
night before. Was ii ,aays wonder thal
the strongest felt The burden of such a
1 llfc as being almost inlolerable, or the
| young and weak sunk beneath the weight!
| \ et those Whc 5, f,!Jnessed The performance
would never have dreamed that the sml-
1 ing. graceful figures before them were
suffering from fatigue and on this night
cheer after cheer greeted each rider,
whose feats seemed always 10 surpass
those of his predecessor.
At length Mr.. Merryman, in his own
peculiar way, announced Master Willie
and beautiful boy, whose long. fair
ing a feminine delicacy to his features.
sprang lightly into his saddle, and paced
slowly around the arena, his white horse
champiug The bit and paving the earth
seeming impatient TO Gegn. The boy
was dressed as a sailor. aud when the
ring-maSler announced The Sailor Bows
| First and Last Cruise, the clowns re-
sponse that lie never wanted TO see the
last of such good-looking crews met
with hearty rejoinder from the audi
ence. And now tegan the act. Obe-
dlent to the crack of the whip, the white
horse gaIoped swiftly around the arena, ,
while the young horseman, with The very
eloquence Of grace, told the story of a
young sailors life. Now il was the boy.
delighted with the novelty of all around
him; anon It was the homesick child.
yearuing fer the mother he might never
s'e again. At length the storm seemed
10 rise; you could imagine him mounting
the shrouIs, and swayiug on the tall
mast, backward and forward, over the
foaming waves below. Then the temp
esl struck the ship with redoublt d fury
she was Io>t-aud the form of the brave
boy seemed bauliug with The pillows, un-
til, worn out and overcome, he addressed
a last prayer for pardon, and lay upon
his back a floating corpse.
So truly was the scene depicted so
engaged was the air of the little rider
that many of the rough auditors found
a strange moisture unnming their sight,
and storm of applause, and a tumul-
lGous recall, summoned the hero of the
night back TO his scene of triumph
Scarce a moment eladsed when he re-
turned, Tut no longer as the sailor boy.
A suit of ilesh-colored silk developed
the fine proportions of his form short
skirt, confined around The waist by blue
scarf, completed his attire; and again
the voice Of the master announced him
as The Pearl Fisher" And now was
his performance most wonderful in lis
graphic. po er, portraying 10 the life the
scene he endeavored TO depict. Now he
seemed To swim lhro' the blae waters
now 10 gam prize, Secrete II IN his
girdle; now hasten for another. Al
length his strength seemed to give way.
He Struggled 10 return-it was too late
and tossing his arms wildly, he fell
across the body Of his horse. So nat
uralIy was thIs done that 10 one deemed
II TO a real exhibition Of suffering, until
as 10 a solemn strain of music he was
led around the arena, bloody foam wa 5
seen issuing out Of the mouth Of the boy.
ln an instant the audience sprang % their
feet, and a murnIur OF voices proferinc
help OF demanding what was the matter
filed the place OF the music. Nor was
the tranquility restored when it was an
uounced thai the boy had u fit, to which,
they added, he was subject. Many lefl
the tent, and the remainder Of the per
Torrance was hurriedIy given and she
dispensing crowd fastened 10 their homes
saddened and depressed, they scarce
knew why.
Pour Willie Mayhew-for the youth
ful rider was no oJher than the litlle bali
player Of the New England village
had been placed upon Il shutter and
carried over 10 the "St. Charles" where
be lay on the setlee in The bar-room
one Of his comrades holding his head
another balhlng ms brow, Oh which the
death damp seuIed, aud another chafng
his hands while even the rudest Of Tie
motley throng around him subdued the
harsh, low tones Of their voices, stepped
softly, lest they should disturb The faint
dreams Of he dying child.
Make way for the docior7" cried a
dozen voices, and the tall form OF the
only medical practitioner the place could
boast might be seen towering above the
crowd vino surrounded the boy. Os has
skill il the healing art fame spoke high
ly {: long term of service IN the Mexi-
can war. had taught him to compel The
prompt obedience Of his pauenis-a chief
ingredient IN the cure for that wild state
of society, where in,emPerauce was the