Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-02-14
IRASBURGH. VERMONT, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY IA, 1862.

h give him good thrashing for his unjus
4 suspicious; but kept my temper for tn
q sake of the poor woman, and SO we wen
e on for eight or ten days.
Our next ascent took place on th
gala night of the United Order of An
r cient Toxopholites. It was n still sum
2 mer night, without a breath of wind
? We ascended till the gardens and tn
streets and the churches looked lik
} Dutch toys, and then got out upon tn
rope.
AS / took my seat behind Ranford,
! noticed that he had been drinking NOR
= than usual. He had lately taken to al
: old way of shutting his eyes, and smiling
with his lips tight pressed together, anC
what with bis knit brows, white tights
spangled trunks, and the bit of ribbor
round bis head, with paste star in the
centre, he looked, as he sat swinging
backward and forward in the air, more
like an evil being than a man.
We went through our performance, all
but the last trick. AS l was swinging
from his two hands, the thought came
into my head, fhe should not hold on !
As let go with my left hand, and
swung only by my right, l heard his
voice above me.
'Keer,' he said, 'are you guilty or not?'
] asked what he meant.
you know he answered. Confess
that you have wronged me; speak the
truth. They are your last words
have but to loose my grip and down you
gor
tried to seize his disengaged arm,
but be held it above my reach, and put
his other in such a position that could
not catch at it, but swung entirely at his
mercy.
l leaped to reach the rope with my
feet, and so hang by my heels, but l
failed. / shut ny eyes, and prayed Hea-
ven to forgive me. Every act of my past
life rushed thro' my brain at the same
time was perfectly conscious of every
thing about me-the blue sky, the quiet
evening, the rope, the bottom of the car,
and Raniord's head inverted over me. /
thought what time ! should he falling.
! knew how slowly the sand sunk from
the car, and what a long, long time
should be dying ere reached the earth .
found strength to speak.
'Ranford,' | said, you are mistaken
You lie = he answered.
If you let 90 my hand you are a
murderer. There will be an inquest
4 don't care
IT is known that there was ill-blood
between US continued. You may be
hanged. Your wife will say how jeal-
GUS
a 'cVe cannot testify against her hus-
JandP
I knew the next moment should be
alIing through the air. A spasm shot to
ny heart fanced saw the bottom OF
he car rising from me. felt the grasp
If his fingers loosen! With the energy
md strength of desperation l leaped up
md caught his wrist with my disengaged ,
,and. l climbed up his body l knew
lot how, till l reached the perch, and
hence into the car, whore lay painting
or breath, and trembling like hare,
He soon followed me.
1 frightened you, didn't l. he said
You don't suppose meant it, do you !?
| made no answer, but prepared for
he descent. While arranging the cord
ge, our hands met, could not bear :
is touch. | struck him and knocked
i'm into the bottom of the car, where he
~ growing and swearing till we came
} the ground.
Next morning called upon the pro-
rietor of the gardens, and told him all. :
o my intense astOnishment, he fatty I
efused to cancel our engagement, and r
aid our quarrels were nothing to him K
lat an engagement was an agreement. c
nd business was business; that the per- r
rmance drew crowds of visitors, and he b
sisted on its continuance. | told him Il
lat would not risk my life again, and v
3 threatened me with an action for
each of contract. Shortly after | got
| engagement at Glasgow and left Lon ~
IN without either seeing Ranford or his y,
fortunate wife and child. -.
Two years passed away, during which h,
heard but little of my partner. While al
was performing at Manchester | heard
an old friend of mine, Of the name Of
,obie, being at circus in a neig hbor- in
, town. | took the train and went en-
er to see him. We dned, and at sew nc
o'nlock wa want togather tO the circus