Smyrna times., 1876-06-21

sung anu laugneu I'LL the ROAD rang with |
their overAowing gayety as they drove
along and put the flly through her PAGES.
1t was a 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 a 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 mineral waters
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-pas-
sengers, 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 the attention, and
through it all came the burst 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 sunbeam, 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 a shrek rose from the
great tent-a shrek that was repeated in
! The crowded square-the shrek of thou
sand voices-one awful cry of fear and
agony from all the people, echoed again by
all the beasts within; the lion had broken
loose!
! What a scene it was-what dreadful
scene! Men were yelling as they ran, chill
>lren were screaming women were fainting
horses were rearing and snorting, the crowd
was surging and plunging this way and
that i'll a frantic effort at escape. Bessie,
suddenly called from her rapt reveling
with that spirit in the air, gave one look
one look of horror-tried to pull the rein,
seat. The filly turned her head, and then,
with starting and foaming nostrl, stood
upright one moment, and the next bolted
away from the broken traces and left all
standing. George Knight, with a screech,
flung herself from the wagon and was swal-
lowed in the flying multitude; but Bessie
sat stone-still, her heart beating with great
knocks, as unable to move as one para.
lyzed.
What swift thoughts swept through hel
mind This was the end of all her wicked
ness. This was what she deserved for al
the pain she had given her father anc
mother-she, their only child, their hope
who should have been their joy This wal
what she deserved, it flashed across her
fer making bleed the heart of the man tina
loved her. Deserved? All, no one coulC
quite deserve to be torn to pieces by tn,
teeth of wild beast. If she had been tru,
to herself to him, liked less to see he
power, feared less for her liberty, wha
peace and pleasure might have been her
the Christian girls in the Roman ampithes
tire size was not even martyr. She hac
wanted to study natural history; she hac
a fine chance. She could not stir. II
another moment the brute would be don
his havoc there, and come leaping through
the canvas. Another shrek a great burst
ing wave of shrieks. All, yes there Ii
came, tail in the air, tawny name bristling
eyes blazing in great bound
through the already half.deserted place
coming straight for her She covered a
instant, then sprang to her feet, and glare
full at the advancing monster 1t was to
much. With a wild cry herself she turne
but only to hide her face in Mr. Beck
3 with's breast, as he climbed into the WACO
behind her.
Thought is fleet; instantaneous was tn
;, rapture mingling with the agony, instant'
neous the motion with which she pushe
him from her. "Go go p she cried. j."
l. can't have my folly kill you too Oh" q
: he did not move, " if you love me, go ~
"It is because | love you that l sha
l stay" murmured Mr.. Beckwith, swiftly, i
'r her ear; that shall never 90 until hes
/ you say as much"
e ooh, you know it r' she cried an
tainted on his shoulder, just ms the keeper
e sprang with their ropes upon the poor oil
toothless lion, who loved his frolic an
d enjoyed the scare, and Of whom Mr.. Becl
er with-a muscular Christian, with a pistt
ie in his pocket having made his harmle
10 acquaintance, moreover, inside the tent
W had not felt it necessary to be much afrai,
e 1t was George Knights seat that NJ
le Beckwith occupied that evening as the
lie drove slowly home, after the recapture
e, the flly and the mending of the broke
lie traces, Mr.. Beckwith having made IL
most of the three hours in which he ha
at had Mistress Bessie on his hands; an
III Bessie herself, tired and weak, lying res
Il fully, if you will believe it, within the ar
,s that enfolded her.
:" Bessie" he was saying, "this is on
Ks the second lion, in the way. What vi