Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-05-27
UP IN THE AIR.
ICOyTINUED.I

ford was jealous, and that he and his wife had
qusrreled about me. We assembled that night,
He never spoke to me, nor to him. We both
twirled and tumbled up in the air without ex-
changing a word
"When we got down felt inclined to give
him a good thrashing for his unjust suspicious;
but kept my temper for the sake of the poor
woman, and so we went on for eight or ten
days.
ON next ascent took place on the gala
night of the United Order Of Ancient Toxo-
pholites 1t was a still summer night, with
out a breath Of wind. We assembled till the
gardens, and the streets, and the churches
looked like Dutch toys, and then got out upon
the rope.
Gas took my seat beside Ranfora, noticed
that he had been drinking more that usual.
He had lately taken to an odd way of shutting
his eyes, and smiling with his lips tight press
ed together; and what with his knit brOws,
white tights spaRgled trunks, and the bit of
ribbon round his head, with paste star in the
centre, he looked as he sat swinging backward
aud forward in the air, more like an evil being
than q man.
I'VE went through our performance, all but
the last trick. As was swinging from his two
hands, the thought came into my head, II he
should not mold on
Gas left 90 my left hand, and swung only
by my right, heard his voice above me.
- Kerr, said he, are you guilty or not f"
II asked him what he meant.
"sYOu know, he answered. Confess that
YOU have wronged me; speak the trsth They
are your last words, have but to loose my
grip, and down you go.
II 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 ii, but
swung entirely at his mercy.
"I leaped to reach the rope with my feet,
and so hang by my heels, but failed. Il 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 con-
sciOus of every thing about me-the blue sky,
the quiet evening, the rope, the bottom Of the
car, and Ranford's head inverted over me. 1
thought what time l should be falling, fall
ing / knew how slowly the sand sunk from
the car, and what long, long time l should
be dying ere reached the earth.
II found strength TO speak,
. 'Ranford, / said, you are mistaken
'''YOu fep he answered.
"'If you let 90 my hand you are q murder
er. There will be an inquest
L don't care
cit is known that there was iII-blood be-
tween US continued. You may be hanged
Your wife will say how jealous
o a tclts cannot gIUs eUIdsnes against
her hUS5ahdp
II knew the next moment I should be fall
ing through the air. A spasm shot to my
heart. / fancied / saw the bottom of the car
rising from me. felt the grasp of his fingers
loosed With the energy and strength of des-
peration, / lesped up and caught hisgwrist
S S1 pos ssw t esched the perch
and thence into the car, where 1 lay painting
for breath, and trembling like hare.
.'He soon followed me.
"sI frightened you didn't 1 p he said. you
don't suppose I meant it, do your
Il made no answer, bat prepared for the de-
scent While arranging the cordage, eur hand:
met. could net bear his touch. L struck him
and knocked him into the bottom OF the car
where be lay growing and swearing till W.
came to the ground.
Next morning called on the proprietor O
the gardens, and told him all. To my intens,
establishment, he fatty refused to cancel ou
engagement, and said that our quarrels wer,
nothing to him that an agreement was al
agreement, and business was business; that tn
performance drew crowds of visitors, and b.
insisted on its continuance told him that
would not risk my life again, and he threaten
ed me with an action for breach of contract
Shortly after / got an engagement at Glasgow
and left London without seeing Ranford or ri
unfortunate wife and child.
Two years passed away, during which
heard but little Of my late partner. While
was performing at Manchester heard Of q
old friend Of mine, of the name OF Coobie, be
ing at a circus in neighboring town. l TOO
the train and went over to see him. We dined
and at seven o'clock we went together to tn
circus. Lounging near the entrance ! sa'
RanfOrd. He was considerably altered-thin
ner, and, if possible, more evileyed than ever
81 know that man. said 10 Coobie.
~'fI know you do my friend replied. "a
calls himself the excelsior, or champion soner
ssult throWer TO the world. be is in the bill
for q treble somersault tonight
ssYou know, sir, that a treble somersau
means standing on spring board, THROWN
your heels up, and turning completely roun
three times in the air before you light upO
your feet. / need not say tn at it ia 6 very di
fcult thing 10 do.
II said TO Coobie, 'It's odd that man WI
drinks so hard should be capable Of such
feat
"'His engagement depends on it, was Ii
reply; we're full in every other line. The z,
vernon told him that he d sign articles wit
him for that, but not for anything else. Ell
he gees you
~ turned round and saw Ranford waikiki
quickly from Us. entered the circus, an
was accommodated with seat in the orchestra
/ could not help thinking Of my old partne
and had a strange nervousness upon me as
something was about to happen; but the fee
ing wore of when RanfOrd came into the rim
The audience applsuded loudly, for he hi
thrown q treble somersault twice before, ar
Was fsvorite in consequence.
II saw that he was not sober, and notice
that be had the same little star upon his for
head that he wore the last time we made
ascent together While the grooms were alte
ing the position of the spring board, he wal
ed up to the orchestra, and, with the old dew
ism smile upon his face, said to me:
''You can't keep away, can't you! Y,
aciH GOMEZ
"'Rsnferd,' I whispered, 'ysu'r re not You
self tonight; take my adyice-don't throw d
treble -
"He swors an oath, and then burst into
lou laugh.
"'You want me to fail, do YOU? he sal
Fail when you're here Hi!-youp-la
"Hs ran up on the spring board, bowed al
kissed his hands. The music began. He thre
several single somersaults, then a double on
then he stopped, and crossed his arms, Al
looked at me. The audience we're enthusiast
and be began again, repeating the perfo
nance, and stopped again. There was mo
applause. Then be turned toward me, SIN
ing, as If he said. 'Eow'-and went to work
third time. He made some little preparati
turned over once or twice. The house "
- n