The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-12-24
Caprice of q Clown.

Cirque lmperlal,is smaller cirque, ,whlct
though mere booth, to the great hor-
ror OF the managers of the large and
magnificent Cirque Imperial was always
crowded and more especially by the eli,t
of the fashionable young men in Paris
while their side boxes were occupied
only by the country burtipkins, rich
bourgeoise and young collegians.
The cause OF this migration from the
Imperial Circus to the circus on which
the Imperial Circus looked down as be-
ing mere bobth, was the beauty and
attraction, youth and wild grace of Mile
Moranita aud her horse Diavolo. ''
's Moranita was q wonder, for all the
bills said she was, and a little more thar
the bills knew anything about, for she
was girl Of immaculate conduct, and
actually knew how to read and write.
Moranita was Frenth-a poor little
orphan, whom the clown of the estah
lishment adpioked up half starved in
a garret from which the authorities had
just taken the body of her mother, a
begg in a coarse deal box. ~ '.l
The clown was an extremely funny
fellow, because nature had twisted his
form, and given him hump, which was;
OF course, exceedingly funny, and q
cause of great mirth to the multitude
He had fine, handsome face, which was
pity, for it had two effects-one was
that it gave him great trouble to. paint
himself, and because the handsome face
had inspired him with a bitter hatred fol
His distorted person, and for the mock.
ing world who laughed a: it. 7i'''i.'
He had never known home or family
he had sometimes been near Starvation,
and had endured it with defiant Spirit
He had lived among the depraved and
dissipated, and had despised their, vices
even while enjoying with the. public the
reputation Of sharing them. He hac
been courted by managers aud applaud.
ed by crowds, but as soon as the con-
ventional grin had faded from his face
the habitual expression Of morose bitter.
ness was suffused over his handsome
features. @'
He was almost ashamed of the feeling
Of compassion that stirred his breast
When the poor, thin, cold, dark-eyed,
creature held up its thin arms
to him and asked for its mother and
bread. '' '.'.' .''7' 7''.i 1'...'.' @'' ,. :"
The feeling was Strange one, coming
like glow over his ffosen nature, and
be buried his head in tue Gh.ld's tangled
locks and wept-wept until tile thusual
emotion, shook his frame making him
weak aud helpless as the child who clung
to him. -.,-,...z '.......
The sight of those appealing bIacl,
eyes, the clutch of those little fingers,
tbe helpless cry had reused from the
depths Of his heart feelings which he. did
not know existed-a new state Of exist.
ence seemed to dawn ON him-visions oi
calm happiness, of devotion, Of affection
tioated before him; the bitterness Of his
life seemed to float away. Such a sen.
sation was the only one of happiness be
had ever known. He felt as if it had
emanated from the magnetic touch of the
child, and, clasping her to him vowed
never again to leave her. -. -. +.
Maria, now Moranita, carried down in
his arms, into warmth, and light, looked
on him as god, To her he was beau.
tiful-he was divine-and from that hour
he was the idol of her soul.
He took her TO the circus,to him there
was no degradation in this profession
and he was as proud of seeing the little
creature dash round on her pony as any
duke, might be to see his daughter dane.
ing a court minuet She grew into
strength and beauty-bright, loving, ful
Of skill and coEage--she was the joy o
his heart. They lived together, this
young girl and the deforined clown
whose hair was getting gray, and in al
Paris there was not d happier pair.
At seventeen Moranita, with her faith
er, as she called the clown, had come to
Paris. p" ~"
She was in tie height of her beauty,
her youth and her talent. The admira
ton and applause she receiy ed intoxica
ted her, and as the martial trumpet in
cites the soldier, led her I'd deeds Of da
ring, One evening, BY strange chance
out Of which destinies are made, the
young Due de Croisy's coachman made
q mistake; and instead OF stopping bis
horses at the door Of the circus stopped
at the door of the booth, into which the
crowd was going. fa7sk a E-
The Due began by getting into rage
but all at once he bethought himself ol
a paragraph he had read that morning in
the paper about some extraordinary
young equestrienne, and turning to the
Viscount de Villiers he proposed they
should have a lark, and turn into the
circus instead of turning into the Cirque
Imperial. a.u -...-.. 9 sI.s..sa .fgai
The Viscount consented with some
zest for new sensation, and he and the
Due walked into the booth with the en-
thusiastic and not over perfumed crowd
that was pressing forward.
1t so happened that just as the Dut
and the Yiscount took their seats in thu
best places the booth afforded ,Moranita
in her dazzling dress of no particulal
country at all, on her magnificent Ara
bian, dashed into the ring
As she passed the Due she glanced a
him, and the Due fell back with a strang,
sigh. $500 .-i.-''-4t.I.
"What bewildering creature y ex
claimed the viscout but the Due ssit
nothing, Night after night lie came
The managers were proud Of his patron
age, and the public stared as much q
the pac as they did at the spectacle
Moranita no longer looked at him
she knew. his eyes were upon her; ant
her heart beat quickly but her long lash
es fell beneath his glances, .. .......
Fortunio, the clown, first detected thl
cause Of the Dues presence in the cir
Gus t.t..
"Moranita," lie said one evening q
they returned from the circus, "do yo
love mel Could you ever have secre
from me = R s.,r ...ff
| "No:I could never hide auythin