Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-05-21
Concluded nom frs. page.l

through the air from their trapeze' salu
the well.informed young person, lana
showing what fine bodies they can make
for themselves. Like pictures OF the
Nonsense p said Mrs. Allan, mon
sense Your heads turned. You dea-
cons daughter -,
Eyes, nv child said her father. 81
agree with your mother here. I've never
denied you much. Bessie, but feel that
must deny you this. You can't go TO the
circus" =,
That settledit. Nothing but irons could
have kept Bessie from the circus; and
when the mighty show came into town,
she watched her chance and harnessed the
illy herself into the little open wagon,
and set off with George Knight, unseen
and unmssed Tor time, to visit the beast
and the gvmnasts of the forbidden enter
tainment.
.What the minister can see in that girl. .
said old Miss Sparks, looking through the
window as the wagon whirled by, 81 cant
see. She's an engaging rogue, that's true
but shouldn't want to marry her. But
as nobody wanted Miss Sparks to marry
her, it didn't so much signify.
Bessie was in great spirits. She was
disobeying; that in itself always kindled
her merriment. Then she felt sure that
Mr.. Beckwith would disapprove, and that
was another excitement. She had fore
boding that the time was coming present.
" when her free agency would cease
till it did cease she was defiant. And ac-
cordingly, well-pleased with her success
thus far, she and George sung and laughed
till the road rang with their Overlooking
gayety as they drove along and put the
filly through her PAGES.
It was only couple of miles before the
road grew dusty and thronged. People
were coming and people were going.
All sorts of vehicles jostled together. Far
off they could hear the strains of band
rising and falling on the wind till they
were in an ecstasy of expectation, as they
grew silent and listened. Booths began
to line the way, with lemonade and min
eral water and worse; and presently the
tents rose on their sight like white clouds,
the flag waving its long folds over them.
And now they were in the great space
before the tents. crowded with teams,
with foot passengers, with men leading
piebald horses and Shetland ponies, with
boys crying their wares, with the voice OF
the Boanerges who pressed the claims OF
the fat woman and the learned pig on their
attention; and through it all came the
noise of the band again in some tripping
dance music, the roaring of the beasts and
screaming of monkeys and parrots; and
then the great canvases seemed to swell
and soar and a girl, all gauze and flowers
was running up the air on rope stretched
from pole to pole far overhead, dancing
from sunbeam TO sunbeams as it seemed
to the rapt Bessie. What transport. she
thought and she sat with her head thrown
back, regardless of everything but this
flying wonder in the air, till suddenly
shrek rose from the great tent-a shrek
that was repeated in the crowded square
the shrek of thousand voices the
awful cry of fear and agony from all the
beasts within; the lion had broken loose
What scene it was what a dreadful
scene! Men were yelling as they ran,
children were screaming, women were
fainting, horses were rearing and snort
ing, the crowd was surging and plunging
this way and'that in frantic effort at es-
cape. Bessie, suddenly called from her
rapt reveing with that spirit In the air.
gave one look-one look of horror-tried
to pull the rein. and weak as child, fell
back upon the seat. The tilly turned her
head, and then, with starting and foaming
nostril, stood upright one moment, and
the next bolted away from the broken
traces and left all standing. George
Knight, with screech, flung herself from
the wagon. and was swallowed in the fly
ing multitude; but Bessie sat stone still,
herlheart beating with great knocks, as un
able to move as one paralyzed.
What swift thoughts swept through her
mind! This was the end of all her wick
edness. This was what she deserved for
all the pain she had given father and
mother-she, their only child, their hope,
who should have been their joy! This
was what she deserved, il flashed across
her, for making bleed the heart of the
man that loved her. Deserved? All. no
one could quite deserve to be torn to
pieces by the teeth of a wild beast. If
she had been true to hel self, to him, liked
less to see her power, feared less for her
liberty, what peace and pleasure might
have been hers this instant! And now
She remembered the Christian girls in
the Roman amphitheatre she was not
even a martyr. She had wanted to study
natural history she had fine chance.
She could not stir.
In another moment the brute would be
done his havoc there, and come leaping
through the canvass. Another shrek; a
great bursting wave of shrieks. All, yes.
there he came, tail in the air, tawney
name bristling, eyes blazing-coming in
great bounds through the already half
deserted place, coming straight for her!
She covered an instant, and then sprang
to her feet, and glared full at the advanc-
ing monster. 1t was too much. With a
wild cry herself, she turned-but only to
hide her face in Mr.. Beckwith's breast, as
he climbed into the wagon behind her.
Thought is fleet; instantaneous was the
rapture mingling with the agony, instan-
taneous the emotion with which she push
ed him from her. go, go.' she cried.
II can't have my folly kill you, too. Oh,
as he did not move, ''ifyou love me, 60 !"
at is because l love you that shall
stay" murmured Mr. Beckwith, swiftly,
in her ear; that shall never go until |
hear you say as much"
"Oh. you know it," she cried, and faint
ed on his shoulder, just as the keepers
sprang with their ropes upon the poor old
toothless lion. who loved his frolic and en-