River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-09-27
THE PRINCESS OF THE AIR.

IL YVES very hot in Van Bustick's cir
Gus in the town OF Lynn, on Fliday,
July Is, 1870. So hot that the Polar
bear looked like bundle Of yellowish
tripe, or an old quilt put to soak for a
washing-day. So hot that the little
candy-boy's wares melted and stuck to-
gether in one conglomeration- mint.
lemon, sour-balls," gum. drops, lozen-
ges and bulls eyes--and he was forced
TO throw away the mass in disgust, to
the no small ire of the head of that de.
partment. The ginger.cakes retro
graded 10 their pristine stage Of dough
the pea nuts blistered into fresh coat
of brown; the animals dozed in their
cages, and the men clustered and swore.
Mademoiselle Zephyra Delphina Can
talini was in her dressing-room prepar.
ing for the grand entrance. Her c.inps
fattened out, and dropped exasperat
ingly over her temples the rouge ran
in streaks mingled with -four over her
face; and the lampblack on her eve.
brows resembled a stove polisher's
crumbs of comfort in state Of liaue.
faction. They were anything but
"crumbs OF comfort to poor Mile.
Zephyra Delphina, however, and She
puckered her lips into an .unamiable
acidity.
On the show-bil she was depicted rs
an airy sylphide, in diaphanous gar.
ments, spangled with dew; her hair
unbound, fairy waua in her hand, and
her slippered feet almost spurning the
backs of the steeds. In reality, she
was dumpy little woman of thirty
eight, with crows feet under her eves'a
thick waist, number fiyen boots. and
her name was Maria Towcber. There
had been Mr.. Towcher; hut fatigue
engendered by constant attendance on
the members Of Van Bustick's menare.
RE ("and the beasts is very wearin'. es.
pecially them that's contankerous").
aided by injudicious potations Of Med.
ford rum, had fastened his demise.
There was child-a little daughter
ten years old-named Angela. She
stood 10y her mothers side, arlayed in
pink tarletan and gilt paper -aminiature
Columbine-to be initiated this day into
the mysteries of " the ring '-nota "rail.
road rng,' nor "ring of Iolit,cilns,"
but the magic circle Of saw dust, trimp-
ling hoofs, cracking whips, and red.
faced ring masters. Not fairy circle"
either, though Angela was fairy.hke and
gauzy.
-Four months she had been in process
OF drill for this occasion. Morning.
noon, and night, her feet had twinkled
on the back OF "Sparker,n Jennie /
and "Nio,' the three most amiabIe I
ponies in the establishment. She had /
learned 10 balance with a pole. and /
without one--to vault lightly through a |
hoop covered with tissue paper--to /
stand on the point of one kidded foot. 4
and kiss her hand enchantingly az an I
imaginary audience. Outside the tent I
were flaming placards setting forth the
unparalleled attractions of " the little
Princess Of the Air the most graceful
and accomplished Of iutantile perform.
ers She had received gold medals
hon the crowned heads OF Europel'
As the Princess had never crossed
the Atlantic-nay more, had never ven.
turcd 20 set foot on horseback i'm the
presence Of a single uuprotessional spec
tator, the above assertion might have
been called in question los any one who
should choose 20 tke the trouhie-hut
nobody did o, and Lynn was none the
wiser.
The townspeoplc HoeAcd into tbp
tent roscally little boy gave mel5dious