Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-08-06

DOuHu ny ContTdct the most lucrative
have ever made, and to break it would
be ruinous. There IS little to be feared,
my darling; all will go we'll; winter will
soon come, and then good-by to this wan
dering life"
" But only think of how much time will
eiapse before l see you again. If could
onl, be with you it would not be SO bad.
But fear-fear that shall never see
you again"
1t was the old story of tears and COM
forting and promises to he faithful; and
months indeed passed before they again
saw each others faces. But, as he had
predicted, all had gone we'll. Fame as
well as money had been gained by the
young and daring trapezist. He stood
at the very head of his desperate pro-
fession, and the hearts of women stood
still and strong men held their breath
when he hung in mid-air, and leaped a
wonderful distance from one swinging
bar to another. Had it been in the
olden days of Rome they would have
crowned him with the victor's laurels,
borne him upon their shoulders made
him rich in gold, and hailed him as king
of the athletes.
And now the last night came that he
was to appear before the public the
very last night of the season, and that
of his benefit. Well might he be proud
of it. Well might he look longingly for
it, for the substantial reward it would
bring. A favorite with all, volunteers
had been more numerous than usual and
the management more liberal. A whis
per had reached them that he thought of
| leaving, and they were doing their ut
| most to bind him so as to secure him for
| another season
He had left Annie early to make the
necessary preparations-but met her
again as soon as he dressed-dressed in
the most magnificent garments he had
4ever worn, and her gift--the work of her
own hands-and drawing aside as much
as possible they talked gayly, much more
than was customary for her to do, for she
appeared to have forgotten all fear for
his safety.
=" feel, darling" she whispered, "that
tonight is to be the grandest triumph of
your life
And the last"
"The last" appeared to be echoed by
stern voice, and they turned hastily
around, but could discover no one near,
and, believing their ears had deceived
them, she continued:
"How l shall glory in your success,
Fred
| And in outdoing myself for your
| dear sake"
| Besides, it is so mucH pleasure for
one to know that it is for the last time"
| "The very last!' was whispered to
their ears as if by the lips of the wind
that found its way through the little
rents in the canvas.
Both started more fitfully than they
had done before, and released the hands
they had been pressing
| A horse-one of the finest in the stud
had been led out and was standing
| near the curtain that concealed the ring
and spectators, ready to make a dashing
| entree. BY its side, but the opposite one
to them, woman was standing, black
| haired, brunette in complexion, with
tall, supple figure and eyes that flashed
with almost more than human bright
ness, For a single instant Annie caught
the expression of her face, and saw the
line of sharp white teeth that broke the
intense red of the full lips, and, drawing
back with shudder she could not re-
press, asked:
Who is that, Fred?"
"She is known by the name of the
Cuban Queens the best woman rider
Has she been with you all summer?
"Yes; but why? Are you jealous?
"No, but" and she blushed under his
earnest glanccs.
We'll" he continued, with smile,
"you might have had reason if you had
been with US Certainly l might have
had her for a wife had but given her the
slightest encouragement"
docs she love your" and the voice of
the girl was as low and sad as the beat
ing of the waves upon the reaches of the
silver sand.
. | believe she would have done so if |
would have let her. But there was no
danger Of that, darling" and he called
her attention to the beauty of the horse.
The Cubaness had also been engaged in
conversation, though a very brief one
only consisting in asking one of the rid
ers if that was the girl the trapezist was
to marry, and receiving an affirmative
answer Then she hid her face-one
famed for its tragical beauty, but now
almost devilish with the spasm of jeal-
Gus rage that distorted it-for a moment
in the tlaring name of her steed, con-
quered her emotion with powerful eff
fort wreathed her lips into the studied
smile of the artist, and stepping toward
Fred said in skilfully modulated
voice:
"Let me congratulate you in advance
upon the success of your benefit"
And let me thank you for the kind
ness you have shown in the matter"
He would have introduced her to
Annie but the girl had turned modestly
away, and so he continued:
You know that this night ends my
connection with the company Be as
sured, however, that if, in the future,