The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-03-24

the audience, asking their indulgence for
Mr.. Sands, who could not possibly appear
owing to severe accident which befel
him on the previous evening, and Offering
to substitute two or three acts of horse
manship in place of his feats.
Groans and Kisses greeted this an
nouncement! The South Thomastoners
knew that he had appeared at North
Ihomaston, and looked upon tho apology
as an attempt to defraud them out of their
rights, and give their rivals the best of
it. They rose en- masse and sworc they
would tear down the canvas, burn the
wagons, and knock the show into etern al
smash, unless the Sampson came to time.
1t was no idle threat, for the South
Thomastoners were stalwart fellows
most of them INTERCHANGEABLE, and more
than willing to carry out their destruc-
tive proponsites if only just for the fun
of the thing but now, thinking them
selves the victims of fraud. and jealous
of the advantage which, in case of the
non-performance of Sampson, their rivals
would have, determined to cry havoc and
let slip the dogs of war, in case their de-
mand was not complied with.
In vain the doctor, who was we'll known
among them, stepped into the ring, and
endorsed the statement of the ring-nlas-
ter, and assured him that Mr.. Sands
could not leave his bed much less per-
form; they would not listen to him, but
again renewed their yells and threats.
Poor Dick on his sick bed heard the
shouts, but little guessed the cause of
them, till, in a short time, his partner
rushed into the room, and, breathless
with alarm, revealed the true state of the
case. Sands was thunder-stricken, and
even made an effort to rise, but the ap-
pearance of tho doctor prevented it
The physician insisted that his appear
ance IVA. out Of the question, and after
moments hasty consultation, Dicks part
ner crossed the street to where the can
vas stood opposite, and entering the ring,
once more appealed to the indulgence,
the kindness, the humanity of the excited
crowd-in vain. The threats were re-
doubled, and one or two commenced tear
ing up the seats.
Finding things were, in the language
Of our hero, 4" checkered in the EXTREME"
the ring master begged and obtained ten
minutes respite; and in the meantime
poor Sands, after thinking the matter all
over, and rejecting that his all was sta
ked in the show, and that without it he
might as well be dead as alive, had man
aged to crawl out of bed and by the time
his partner appeared again, was dressed
in his tights, tinsel and spangles, and
ready, as he declared, to appear. In vain
the doctor protested. In vain his part
ncr argued that his life was of more con-
sequence than all the shows in the world.
Dick, full of pluck and maddcncd by the
inLumanity of the audience, was deter
mined, and five minutes after stood in the
arena.
The audience fairly shricked with de-
light. There he was, and the North
Thomastoners could not crow over them
now.
With the fortitude of hero Dick
entered upon his task. He was weak
from the loss of blood, which every mo-
mcnt rushed to his mouth, suffering in
tense agony from the effects of the terri
bic blow, and yet he left nothing undone.
Pluck-nothing but pluck of the noblest
kind, kept him up as he pulled against
the straining horses, tossed the ffty-sixes
about, and handled the cannon as coolly
as though it we're pop-gun. If Dick
quailed, he did not show it, but, bending
down, he received the anvil on his chest,
and bang bang! fell the sledges, ham
mer and tongs! The last blow was
struck. 1t was accomplished Dick rose
with assistance. He had kept his word,
saved the show, and the tempest of ap-
plause fell swectly on his ears. But as
he was being led of, congratulating him
self upon his success, and still borne up
by his heroic pluck, one of the South
Thomastoncrs, who had been at the show
the night before in the rival town, and
who had witnessed the accident, yelled
out-hulIo you, come back ! You let then,
hit 1ou ON the breast at North Thomas
ton, last night, and you'ue got to do 1t
here, or doWn goes your canuass ?"
Poor Richard heard no more. Be-
tween rage and pain he tainted on the
spot, and it was many a long week ere he
could say, " Richards himself again"
The above incident is strictly true.
and will account among Dicks friends
for the weakness of his lungs, and his ex-
IRENE inability to make more than a
" few remarks" at time, as he has never
recovered from the shock of that terrible
sledgc hammer blow.