Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-06
IN MID-AIR.
BY WILLIAM IL. BUSHNELL.


"My dear Fred will you not give up
this hazardous life"
:, Yes, Annie, when this season is over
| will abandon it forever, and we will get
married and settle down.
The young girl blushed deeply at the
words of her lover, but she did not resist
the arm that was thrown around her
waist and drew her closer to him, or the
kiss that followed. In fact she was very
proud Of his handsome face and manly
form, but his dangerous professionalism
Of a trapeZist-made her tremble for fear
Of accident and she continued to plead
that it should be given up
lou have now some money, Fred-I
n little-am an orphan as we'll as your
self, and we are Ill in the world to each
other
Indeed we are, Annie; but hard for
tune threw me into the life | am leading.
1t was hard school | was trained in
know little else, and after so many years
OF toll it would be almost foolish if
neglected the golden opportunity before
l renowned il altogether"
believe you love it almost as well
rs you do me" she replied with Il
smile.
Not Onc-thousandth part as well A.!
And yet | must own there is something
attractive to me in the breathless
sWing-thc hangin" from the dizzy
hcight-the daring leap in mid-air that
makes the hair of every looker-On stand
still"
And mine among the number" with
a heavy sigh.
Have no fear, darling Practice has
made me SO perfect that there is not the
slightest danger"
Danger there always is, Fred"
| can see none"
You have to depend very much upon
Others do you not?'
Certainly
And failure upon their part, careless
neSs-the breaking of Il rope-might be
fatal
He could not deny this, though he
made light Of it. quoted her fears as best
he could, and turned the conversation
into another channel-the one that is
nearer and dearest to young hearts
For a year they had been acknowl-
edged lovers, and there was no one TO
say them nay. He had striven to cdu-
cate himself and rise superior to iron
tortune-had succeeded, as men of reso-
lutte Will ever do-had been frugal and
saving, with the determination of some
day turning his back upon tent spangles
and SawduSt, and taking the place in
society to which he felt he had right
And SO it was IN a great measure with
the girl, who had become very dear to
him and done much to strengthen his
good intentions, to keep him from wan
dering into the paths that have been the
ruin of so many whom the world APP
plauded to the echo for time only to
forget rs new faces came-whO tioated
upon the topmost waves of success, to be
the more certainly wrecked upon the
dangerous rocks and dragged to the bot
tom.
She, like himself had been early or
phaned and knew something of the hard
lot Of being brought up by distant rela-
tives-begrudged the little food she ate,
and made to toll beyond her strength
But this was over now, and her slender
fingers made herneedle fly us she thought
OF the future,
And that future they talked of long
and earnestly, laid their plans and made
themselves Supremacy happy in what
was to be. There was no single cloud
save that of her lovers danger, and
again and again ii forced itself upon her
mind and found utteranCe from her lips
II IL bul q lCN SllOIi ulOuIllS, he re-
piled, before the tenting season will be
at an end, and | am free Now am
bound by contract the most lucrative ]
have ever made, ard to break it would
be ruinous. There Is little to be feared
my darling; all will 90 we'll; winter will
soon come, and then good-by to this wan
dering life"
!" But only think of how much time viii
eiapsc before / see you again. If | coGlC
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 be faithful; anC
months indeed passed before they again
saw each others faces. But, as he haC
predicted, all had gone well. 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 leape6 {
wonderful distance from one swinging
bar to another. Had it been in the
olden days of Rome they would 'havt
crowned him with the victor's laIlrels
borne him upon their shoulders, made
nm rich in gold, and hailed him as kinG
OF the athletes
AND now the last night came that hi
was TO appear before the puhlic-tht
very last night of the season, ap1 thai
OF ms benefit Well might he be prouC