The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-11-17

Out cf NV ewes. and shall fetch IN haste
HIS face once more, and hold the pain en-
Araccd
The precious pain. the worst. best thing Of all.
NINETTE, THE QUEEN OF THE RING.
The manager had rendered the services
oi the company for benefit 60 a hospital
which needed funds, and there was every
prospect az N fashionable, aS well aS n
crowded house. Ninette, cur equestrian
queen, had entered more fully into the
spirit Of the scene than any Of US, although
we were all more than anxious 20 make
the affair a great succsSS,
How / loved Ninette! 80 oddly, too,
that sometimes my own love almost be
wildered me; its persistency having no
hope in it, vet its hOpelessncSS having no
despair. IL was love that never was
moved by her indifference or soorn, and
never weakened by her contempt. She
was proud Of her own beauty and Of her
power over Us NIL, aud she never attempted
20 hide this-never domineering over the
female performers, who were all Older and
palmer than herself, but domineering most
despotically over every male performer in
the circus. Bnt she did il 50 prettily and
bcwitchingly that was not the only one
who had laid his love nc her feet to be
trampled ON at her girlish pleasure. l had
bat poor health them and this was one
source Of Ninette's merry sarcasm.
We moved into the dimly-hghted build
ing which surrounded the tent, and looked
in at the performance.
% The circus is crowded, Ninette whis-
pered, as she sauntcred out with me. al
hardly ever remember our having such
crowd, Ricardo
"And | hope We never shall have il
again. | paated, unbuttoning my coat.
a The place Is stifling.n
%!Oh, | hope we shall,n she laughed,
merrily; al should ike 10 see hundreds
turned away from the doors, and no room
LEFT inside even for one child more.n
/ went into the ring amid the deafening
applause OF the crowd, and, bowing slightly,
walked coolly across the ring. Etheught
nothing Of the mass OF faces rising in rows,
but / remembered that Ninette could see
me, and that she had said l was helping in
a good cause / felt that | had performed
as had hardly ever performed before, and
the long applause was again and again
renewed MS left the ring. What would
Ninette say Would SIZE congratulate
me? Passing through the dimly-lighted
building outside the tent, where the horses
waited, caught sight OF two figsnes stand
ing aside in the shadow--Ninette and
gentleman, an army officer whom | bad
met that morning talking low and ear
ncStly. | had often noticed him in the
circus, and noticed his evident admiration
of Ninette, still i had never seen him out
there among US before, and started as /
came up to them in the gloom. Ninette
carclcsSly turned her eyes upon me for
moment, then went ON talking; coquet-
tishly and fippantly il seemed to me. /
took her horse from the man who was
bringing ID forward, and myself led il
toward Der.
" Are you ready, Mile. Ninette ?" /
asked, my voice trembling against my will.
"Ready7 Why Z" she inquired, with
slow contempt.
HAlIow me. o, pray allow me, Made
moiselle,n exclaimed the stranger, starting
forward. And Ninette, smiling, put her
foot into his hand.
Seating herself in the saddle with the
utmost ease, she carelessly, as il seemed,
backed Black Hawk against me. Signor
Ricardo she said, haughtily, - u this the
spot where the gentlemen OF our company
usually rest between their exercises in the
ring y An iroEical answer rose TO Roy
lips, but withheld the words.
"Stand back. II you please, Signor
Must you always follow me always haunt
met Stand back
With quick change Of voice and a bright
shy smile. she bent TO take her little
gilded whip as the officer handed it TO her.
:. Thanks, Monsieur le Capitaine." And
while she bent gracefully, and seemed to.
be only stroking the neck Of the splendid
black horse, she reined him in, skillfuIIy
and imperceptibly, until he touched my
shoulder.
/ turned away without answering; and
for the first time Ninettc performed with
out my eyes following her graceful motions.
The strange gentleman moved to the opcn-
ing into the tent, but when she rode back,
flushed and triumphant after her success,
be came forward again eagerly. She drew
up her lissome little figure with dash Of
odd pride, and turning Black Hawk rapidly
aside, sprang to the ground unassisted
Her part was played for that night, and,
while the loud clapping within was con
tinued, she walked slowly out into the
darkness; her long crimson habit over her
arm, her little cap pushed from her bright,
excited face, and her eyes raised TO the
young officer who walked beside her.
After that, MI is burning confusion in
my brain until one evening when awoke
to consciousness in the hospital for which
l had been performing, and heard the physi-
clans (who had seen me fall, and had at
tended pityingly upon me ever sincel whis-
per that all would be well in time.
Ricardo, dear fellow said the manager,
coming forward softly, and bending 20
whisper to me, "Thank God all will be
well. The worst is oyer.n
/ hardly know when the knowledge
dawned upon me, or how; but as | lay
there-my old companions clustering round
me--I knew that / had performed among
them for the last time / knew that life
had most wonderfully and mercifuIly been
spared me; but that should never walk
again. do not remember tb9t the knowl
edge came with any sharp or bitter pain
| think it was quiet, hopeless conviction
from the first. They had given me small
room in the hospital 90 myself; partly to
spare Others the sight Of my suffering
partly, perhaps, because had hurt myself
in their cause. /.
So the days and nights passed on and
slowly, slowly brought me little ease at
last.
One morning Monsieur, entering NV
room with brighter face than usual, told
me Ninette had come to see me. felt
the blood rush into my wan face as took
her little warm hand in both my own.
"Ohl you are SO much better, Ricardo
she said, her small lips trembling little
as she looked at HWe shall soon have
you back in your place among us.n
Ishook my headslowly. "Neyer again,
Nnette."
"Whyg" she asked in feigned astoo b.
ment.