The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1874-10-01
Romance OF the TrapPZe.

About eight years ago there lived il
Port Huron man who was we'll known
to most of our citizens. He was pain
ter and photographer by profession
His children were three daughters, o
more than ordinary personal attractions
whom he seemed TO try to bring up a.
nearly as he knew how in the way they
should go. He was strict member OF
the Methodist Church, and cndeavored
to conduct the affairs of his family with
all the stern vigor of discipline provided
! for by the doctrines of that church. After
| the departure of the family from this
place bat little was heard Of them. Bits
of gossip came now and then telling how
the father had given up art and taken to
the ministry, and how the daughters, in
spite OF their training, were not turning
out very well. Rumors came that one
Of them had taken up the precarious call
ing OF performing on the trapeze that
she had been seen in various places act
ing in that capacity, but after all there
were few who read from time to time in
the newspapers Of the break neck per-
tormances Of "The Sanyeahs." dreamed
that one of them was Port Huron girl,
and the daughter of Methodist preach
err. Last week, however, the visit of the
Washburn Variety Troupe to this city
confirmed the stories that had been
heard. On the afternoon of the day on
which that delcctablc organization hon
ored our city, young lady dressed rath-
or SLOWLY, and with Jewels flashing on
a ,t-aIl- Cd i,tn h "a; Il
rooms Of the Commercial, and introduced
herself as the youngest of the three
children who had left her eight years
previously y. Upon the occasion of the
first visit to the home of her childhood
she could not resist the impulse TO call
upon some Of those with whom she had
played at that happy time. She went
away child 8 years old, and came back
a woman in her experiences Of toll and
trouble and strange events. Her form
was slender and graceful, and her face
falr but there was weary look in her
eyes, and faltering soitncss in the tones
OF her voice at times-although her ad-
dress was that of woman who had seen
great deal of the word-that told
story to which her spoken words bore
no witness. She said her sister next
older than herself was the Madame
we had heard of, and that she
was legally married 10 the man whose
name she bore. lie had been attracted /
by her pretty face and engaging ways
and made her his wife. Then he had
taught her to join with him in the peril
Gus flying trapezo performance, and she
had shared his dangers, until one day in
que of the most thrilling ieats her nerves
failed her and she tell. Her arm was
and when she left the doctors
care her career as a gymnast was ended,
Tor one arm was stiffcncd so that She
might never use it again. Then the
Younger sister had taken her place. She
lalvely bore testimony 10 the peril OF
ier calling. She had oaly four months
experience, she said, and bad nal one
all, which laid her mp tor many days
}ut she liked the business after all. and
q did her sister until she was disabled. .
She named some Of the ladies she bad
listed that day, among them her Sunday
chooI teacher, and some OF the girls she
lad played with ia the DAYS gone bv.
low Young ladies' 0rt Hgrea .Nic6.A
Commercial.