The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-12-25

iIsaHu44 aTe Ela'HgET Nta u GGafal fEtfF
)TTUM WA, IOWk
without breath Of wind. We ascended
till the gardens, and the streets, and tb'
churches looked like Dutch toys, and theT
got out upon the rope.
"As I took my sect beside Renford l. No
ticed that he had been drinking more thar
usual, He had lately taken 10 an odd way
Of shutting his eyes, and smiling With hi,
lips tight pressed together; and what viii
his knit brows. white tights, srangled trunks
and the bit Of ribhon round his head. with =
paste star in the centre. NJ looked, as he sal
swi nging backwards and forwards in the
air. rore like an evil being than man oa
| eve went through our performances. al
hit the last trick. A was swin-ins from
his Two hands. tie thought came into. my
head, ifAc sIouN nct ioH on ( 1. s-...s
As / LEI go with ny left band, ana
swnne Only BY ny right, beard bis voice
above NE
Kerr he said. are you guilty or not ?
81 asked him what he meant
"You know Unanswered. Confess that
you have wronged me speak fhe truth =
They are your last words |! l have but to
loose my grip, and down you CO.
81 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.
I lcaped to reach the rope with my heels,
but tailed. shut my eyes, and prayed
heaven to forgive 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 car, and Rem
ford's head inverted over me, thought
what time should he falling. falling.
knew Row slowly the sand sank from the
car, and what long, long time should be
dying, ere reached the earth.
II found strength to speak.
"Renf;'rd.' I said, You are mistaken
''Y"u lie 7 he answered.
"If you let 80 my hand you are murder
er There will be an inquest
81 don't care
at is known that there was ill.hlood be.
tween u.s. I continued Your wife will say
how jealous--
"a pife cannot gise eridsnee against he,
husband r
81 knew the next moment should be
falling through the air. A psng shot to my
heart fancied saw the bottom Of the
car rising from me. felt the grasp Of his
fingers loosen leaped up and caught his
wrist with my disengaged hand I climbed
up his body, know not how, till 7 reached
the perch. and thence into the bottom Of the
car. where lay painting for breath. and
trembling like hare.
"He soon followed me- Enlightened Won
didn't p he said. "You don't suppose
meant it. do yon p
~ made % answer but prepared for the
descent While arranging the cordaee oul
hands met could not hear his touch
struck him. and knocked him into the hot
tom ofth car. where he lay growing and
swearing til we came to the ground.
"Next morning 7 called on the rrnprieto,
! of the gardens, and told him all To nv
intense as'"nishment. he fatty refused t.
crncal our engagement, and said that oui
Guarrcls were nothing 10 him that an en-
cagement was an engagement, and bushes,
was business ; that the performance drew
crowds ofvisitors. and he insisted on it,
continuance. told him that would no
risk my life again, ard he threatened m.
with an action for breach Of contract. Short
ly after I got an engagement at Glasgow
and left London without seeing either Rem
ford or his unfortunate wife and child.
1.-TWO years passed away, during which
heard but little Of my late partner. While
I was performing at Manchester heard 0
an old friend of mine, Of the name Of Coobie
being at circus ina neighboring town.
took the train and went over to see him.
We dined, and at seven o'clock went togeth
er to tie circus. Lnurg,ng near the entrance
I saw Renford. He was considerably al
tered-thinncr, and. IL possible, more evi
eyed than ever.
II know that man, said to Coobie.
81 know yon do my friend replied. "H'
ralls himself the Exchelsior, or Champion
Some~sault Thrower to the world. He il Il
the hills for treble somessault tonight"
"You must know. sir, that . treble somer
sanlt means standing on . spr'ng-bcard
throwing your heels up, snd turning com
plctelv round three times in the air befcr,
you light upon vonr feet. need not say
is very difiicult thing to do.
81 said tn Coohie. 'It's odd that man VII,
drinks so hard should be capable Of such q
act
"His engagement depends m it, was tn
reply ;'we're full in every other line TIL
governor told him that he'd sign articles
with him Tor thst. but not Tor anything else
Eh he sees you lfet}
s'Iturned round, and saw Renford walk
Ing quickly from us. entered the circus
l n 40