Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-12-05

hi1u; but he only made me jeering replies,
such as, oh. | nderstand-bctter than
you think for" Pm not a fool = L have
got eyes and can sccn and so on, and lef,
the house with heavy heart.
Next day the nurse girl told me that
Ranford was jealous, and that be and his
wife had quarrelcd about me- We ascend
cd that night. He never spoke to me, nor
to him. We both twiricd and tumbled
up in the air without exchanging word
''Whcn we got down | felt inclined to
give him a good thrashing for his unjust
suspicions; but [ kept my temper for the
sake of the poor woman, and so we went on
for eight or ten days
"Our next assent took place on the gala
night Of the United Order of Ancient Toxo-
pholitcs. 1t was a still summer night,
without breath Of wind. We ascended
till the gardens, the streets and the church.
es looked like Dutch toys, and then got out
upon the rope
''As took my seat beside Ranford, |
noticed that he had been drinking more than
usual. He had lately taken to an odd way
of shutting his eyes and smiling with his
lips tight pressed together, and what with
his knit brows, white tights, spanglcd trunks
and the bit Of ribbon round his head, with
the paste star in the centre, he looked, as
he sat swinging backward and forward in
tie air, more like an evil being than a man
eve went through cur performance, all
but the last trick AS was swinging from
his two hands the thought came into my
head, If he should not hid on!
."As l let 60 with my left hand, and
swung only by my right, | heard his voice
above me.
Kerr he said, ARE you guilty or not ?
Il asked him what he meant
"'You know he answered Confess
that you have wronged me; speak the truth !!
They are your last words! I have but to
loose my grip, and down you go'
Il tried to seize his disengaged arm, but
he held it above my reach, and put his other
in such position that could not catch at
it, but swung entirely at his mercy.
II leaped to reach the rope with my feet,
and so hang by my heels, but I failed. I
shut my eyes. and prayed Heaven to for
give me. Every act Of my past life rushed
through my brain at the same time was
perfectly conscious of everything about me
the blue sky, the quiet evening, the rope.
the bottom of the...'.. 81 p - e2~a's head
T should be f Sa psa!oda! sea- s2!,I Is1ssss:kE
slowly the sand sank from the car, am. s' 's
long, long time should be dying ere.9
reached the earth
Il found strength to speak
6" 'Ranford,' said, you are mistaken.
"You lie p he answered
"'If you let 60 my hand you are a mur-
derer There will be an inquest
Il don't care
between u.s. [ continued. You may be
hanged Your wife will say how jealous
"A wife cannot give evidence against
her husband!'
Il knew the next moment I should be
falling through the air. A spasm shot to
my heart. [ fancied I saw the bottom OF
the car rising from me. [ felt the grasp OF
his fingers loosen! With the energy and
strength of desperation, [ leaped up and
caught his wrist with my disengaged hand.
climbed up his body, ! know not how, till
I reached the perch, and thence into the
car, where lay painting for breath, and
trembling like hare
He soon followed me.
"sI frightened you, didn't - he said
You don't suppose meant, do you?
Il made no answer, but prepared for the
decent. While arranging the cordage, our
hands met. | could not bear his touch.
struck him, and knocked him into the bot
tom of the car, where he lay growing anJ
swearing till we came to the ground.
Next morning I called on the proprietor
of the gardens, and told him all. TO my
intense astonishment, he fatty refused te
cancel our engagement, and said that oul
quarrels were nothing to him f.; that an agree
ment was an agreement, and business wa:
business that the performance drew crowds
of visitors, and that he insisted on its con
tinuance. I told him that would not risl
my life again, and he threatened ME will
an action for breach of contract. Shortly
: a ter [ got an engagement at Glasgow, an(
left London without either seeing Ranfort
or his unfortunate wife and child.
1.-TWO years passed away, during which
, heard butlittle of my late partner. While
was performing at Manchester | heard O
= an old friend of mine, of the name Of Coobie,
! being at circus in a neighboring town.
took the train and went over to see him
We dined, and at seven o'clock We went
r together to the circus. Lounging near the
entrance [ saw Ranford. He was consider
ably altered thinner, and, if possible, moe
evil-eyed than ever
&c L know that man, I said to Coobie.
Il know you do my friend replied. He
calls himself the excelsior, or champion
somersault thrower to the world. Heis in
D the bills for treble somersault tonight.
t ''You know. sir, that treble somesault
t means standing on spring board, thriving
a your heels up, and turning completely ound
t three times in the air before you lightupon
f your feet. I need not say that it is very
/ difficult thing to do