The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-21


and upon this occasion the leap will be
greater than ever before. But as it is
perilous beyond all description I must
beg the utmost silence
\ net was about TO be stretched so as
to save the performer in case of falling;
but he motioned that it should not be
done, saying, so as to be heard distinctly
by all:
There is no use for that. desire TO
make the jump without it-make one
that will long be remembered
Those whc understood the matter best
were most thrilled by the words, and the
same groom who had given vent TO his
feelings with regard to the dashing Gu
ban whispered 10 his comrade:
i believe they have all gone mad.
Heaven give safety, but wouldn't vent
ure (eren ii l could do it As well as he)
for the whole concern.
Is il all ready?' asked Fred, as he ran
his eyes over the slender cords and bars
that were to be to him as the spinnings
of fate
"Readyr' y
He kissed his fingers apparently to the
audience, but in reality to the girl he
loved, seized a rope, climbed to the first
bar-then another and another, until he
reached the last, cut the other loose, and
performed all the various acts he had
gone through with from that dizzy
height, and with as much certainty and
seeming as careless as if not foot from
the ground in place of nearly hundred.
Then he rested, aud braced himself for
the final one-the daring, thrilling, un-
matched leap in mid air, from one trap
eze TO another, and failing to catch which
at the proper instant and cling to it was
death.
Backward and forward he swung,
while a breathless silence reigned, pre-.
pared himself fer the desperate feat, fix
ed his eyes upon the ireacherous bar to
which he must spring and fasten upon,
shot through the air almost like flash
of light, clutched it safely with his hands
was struggling TO gain seat as the wild
huzzas, that could no longer be controli-
ed, burst from every lip, and then the
supporters gave away, and, with
nightly crash, he fell backward 10 the
ground
Women shrieked and tainted in Ter
ror, men were awe-stricken and incapa-
BILE of action; but even in that swift de-
scent was heard above all the cry of
"Annie,"
Carried from the ring with the form
of the girl he loved clinging to him, in
slant aid was obtained, but, though no
bones were broken, it was the opinion of
the physicians that his recovery was
doubtful; the jar had been so great that
there might be internal injuries.
/ The sports Of the ring had ceased, the
audience been dismissed, but did not stir.
Sorrowfully they waited and whispered
with white lips for some final tidings.
something beyond mere uncertainty.
The company were gathered around
the injured man with fearful eyes, and
the grief of the girl would have melted
the heart of stone. And silently there
stood the fair Cuban, wringing her
hands and with the muscles of her face
working tempestously. But she was a
woman, would naturally feel more deep
ly than men, and nothing was thought
of it.
Meanwhile, even as the white winged
angel Of life and the black-winged one Of
death were battling for their prey, an
investigation was being made intorthe
cause Of the accident by those whose
duty it was to see if all was safe, and up
on whom the blame would fall the most
heavily.
Ropes and bars were found to be in
tact 1t was the iron rings that had brok-
en-, and wondering at this they stood
with them in their hands, when one OF
the physicians land by chance a che
mist) who was in attendance, came along
and had his attention called to the mat
ter.
This fatal fall, he said, after even the
most casual observation, has not been
the result of accident, but of premedita'-
ed malice upon the part of some enemy
The iron rings have been honeycombed
and rendered as brittle as glass by some
powerful acids, then rubbed over with
varnish to hide it from detection. Who
ever did the deed had murder in their
soul.
At that instant came murmur that the
injured man had aroused from his stup-
or; had spoken; and there was no longer
any doubt Of his recovery.
Thank Godr burst from the lips Of
all.
Even the pallid, ghastly face OF the
Cuban Queen flushed, and she turned
away when the other news-the treach
cry with regard to the rings-came tc
her ears, and hastily freeing herself from
the press WAS lost to sight.
But almost instantly the double repor
of a pistol was heard, and rushing in th'
direction of the sound they found tha
she had shot her horse and then hersel
and was gasping for breath, with th'
life-blood swiftly flowing from wount
in her side.
Beyond all help was the instant de
2 cision of the physicians; but can an,
, one tell the meaning of this?'
4 loved him: he would have marrieC
another. tried to kill him-failed
and Oh, God, l.
These were the last words of tn
beautiful and passionate woman, bu
told the entire story, few as they wer
was condensation of an entire volume
! From the admiring gaze of the publ
:. disappeared two STARS that night. On
, we can follow to home of light, low
= and happiness. And the other?
y An exchange tells the following: "a
i Worcester boy was engaged in nocturns
d cherry stealing a short time ago. an