The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-10


had been screwed up to some desperate
purpose. The one bowed solemnly to the
boxes, the other to the whole house, but
it was carelessly done, and Pernte's hand
was not even laid on his heart when he
turned to the ladies.
As soon as the house had recovered
from its amazement, il made the roof ring
and the rope tremble, not to speak OF
those who stood nn it, with thunders Of
applause. Sarfucio's theatre, it must be
Surmised, had been an ancient Windmill,
Of more than common height, which al
lowed room for his present elevation, and
there he aud his former rival stood, some
forty feet above The stage. Most people
expected the Frenchman to fall, but he
did not The Italian had evidently no
notion Of the like; he received the ovation
as his due; and the little dark man who
acted as his crier-by the way, he called
-esSsA ->-.,.,,~u>-.,>, <,.,.,I SSsy%&v6 and an
nounced that tive Ladies NSIl SsNs(eVe"
were that evening to witness perform
ance never before exhibited on any stage !;
it was called the dance of friendship, in
vented by Monsieur Perote, and immense
ly improved by Signor Sarfucio.
The two on the rope Immediately began
to put themselves in dancing position !;
they were both in the full dress of the
period, with lace rufiies, bag-wigs. and
swords. The eyes of the whole house
were fixed on them. Signor Sarfucio was
still grand, but in beginning the dance
of friendship, he seemed to have some dif,
ficulty with his feet. Perot" had per-
ceived this, aud made some remark, which
nobody else could hear; but it aroused
the Italians anger. lie raised his hand
as if to strike him; the same instant, Pc
rote's rapier was draw1, and before the
audience couiG comprehend that they had
actually quarrrlled, SarfuciO's hanger was
out also, and they thrusting at each other
on the tight-rOpe. A pin might have
been heard falling in the crowded house,
where everybody sat still in his place ga
zing up at the two fighting in the air.
How they kept their footing, he genius
of mischief only knows. The cOncentra-
ted hatred and nalice Of their faces were
fearful to see up there in the fiickering
lamp-light. Pass after pass, lunge after
lunge, they made at each other with the
rapidity of lightning. Both were good
swordsmen, but Perote was the etter, !;
ne warded off the Italians thrusts with
his small rapier, and positively seemed
more certain OF his footing than before the
quarrel began still Sartucio, making one
desperate lungc, received back stroke,
which threw him off his balance, and, at
the same moment, he attempted TO grapple
with his enemy. Down he went, and
down went Perote. A cry OF horror rose
from the spectators; but some power had
interfered ON their behalf, for there was
the Italian hanging to the rope by his
feet, and the Frenchman holding on to it,
with both his hands Look, ladies' and
gentlemen" he cried, with a face of til
umph sufficient for having saved Christen-
dom; behold how | have periled my
life, and, still more, my fame, to unmask
deceit and yindicate science! Look at
the straps attached to his shoe soleS, and
passed over the rope there is how he
made himself safe. and dared to surpasS
me, whose lille VAS spent on the rope,
whdse great-great-grandia performed
before Henry Quatre. guessed it-l
knew it, through the inspiration Of my
science, and die happy, since the villain
is unrnasked."
Monsieur Perote did not die happy or
otherwise on that occasion. b fore his
parting speech was done, the spectators
had recovered their SENSES sufficiently to
give the alarm and rush to the rescue
with ladders, fire escapes, and ftather-b DIS
to be fallen upon. lie was got safely
down; so was Sarfucio, though it proved
more difficult business, and the doctors
never could understand why he did not
die Of appnplexy. From that evening,
however, his glory had dcparted-a fact
rentine family was so sensible, that he
departed also without sound Of trumpet,
and to the great regret Of several trades.
nen.s His now successful rival made a
longer stay and good deal of noise about
the unmasking; but the whole scene
cured the Dublin world of fashion of its
fancy for such performances. One knows
not what Blondin may effect, but the like
have never been popular among the play
gocrS of the royal city since they happen
ed to witness a duel on the tight-rope.
A DARE DEVIL REBEL SCoUT-JOHN
MORGAN, OF KENTUCKY, SwEARs HE WILL
CAPTUkE A GENERAL. The Nashville cor
respondent of the New York Times, wri-
ting of John Morgan, says the name of
81 a.