The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-02-15

Gully ?" repeated John, cycling him
still more sharply. "You are a show
man 2"
''Was, and another few days like the
last and [ could play walking skeleton
to perfection" and he glanced up at the
engineer with pair OF the bIacket pos
sible eyes, and Il face marked with re-
solution and bravery.
''What biz % queried John Lathrop.
''Bar and trapeze.'' -
He did not appear to have time to
spare to make lengthy replies-only ut
tered the briofest possible between
mouthfuls; and, noticing this, his qnes-
toner paused until he had finished his
almost wolf-like meal. and then resum-
ed:
81 used to kick up my heels and strut
over the sawdust once myself.
s'You ?''
''Yes, but I gave it up years ago-had
d little set-to with tiger, and got near
/ ly chawed up. And you don't look as
if you had fared much better Here's a
| pipe-smoke and spin your yarn"
''Well, 1 did the flying trapeze and
ali that sort of thing in the Grand
Transcontinental and Ever so many
other-things Circus. Hnmbug were a
better name, as it turned out for u.s.
Yet [ reckon we might have got our pay
Ii it had been q success. But we had a
devil Of hard time. The public didn't
ppreciate-horses gave out, wagons
broke down, the premiere equestrienne'
ran away with Bones of the side-show,
funds ran low, the great Polar bear
wanted his ice, became disgusted and
turned up his toes; the zebra passed in
his checks, and the result was we be
came flat broke, and had to leave our
baggage and take the tramp ii order to
get home"
'.Been there myself" said John La
throp, becoming deeply Interested
''Then L needn't tell you what sort of
a time [ have had footing It, stealing
rides and begging tor something to eat. "
''Bad enough in SUMNER" grcwled
John.
''But now? Talk of the North Pole!
Whew! [ thought / should freeze to
/ death in that old tank, with the water
1 dripping and freezing around me; and,
If yof hadn't taken care of me, guess
I'd have throwu myself under the cars,
and put an END to the thing WHATS
/ the use Of fighting hard times and bad
luck forever 2"
"Weil, cheer up. You're all right
now-tlat is, to the end OF my run.
Then you shall go home with me and
recruit bit, and it'll go hard if 1 can't
/ manage to get you free ride with some
/ of the boys TO the end of the road It's
against all orders, but John Lathrop's
/ got heart in him, and won't see any
one suffer if he can help it-ao5 much 3"
His presence attested the truth OF his
words. He was tall, broad-shouidered
and deep chested, and his face told of
''goodness" in every feature, and his
manner, if bluff, was hearty. In the
| physical, the stranger was his opposite
! Yet bis frame was strongly knit, and his
muscles, trained by severe and long
continued exercise until they stood out
as whip cords, strictly obeyed his will
and were firm IS steel, and daring fash
ed from his black eyes and was revealed
by every line about the mouth
81 don't know" he said, looking at
the engineer thankfully, chow [ am
ever to pay you. My life you certainly
saved, and 1t may be ! can do you
good turn some day. If the chance
comes you can depend upon my doing
it, for m not one to forget favor
81 believe it. But don't think of my
giving you ride and bite It's no
more than any man that wasn't brute
would have doae, and who knows but
either or my boy, when he grows up,
may want c lift of the same kind
''Yonr boy %
eyes, the brightest, cutest little chap
You ever saw. I'll show him to you to-
morrow. Yes, and my wife, too-iust
the prettiest, dearest little woman that
/ ever walked in two Shoes
/ fsNo. % was running smoothly and
! steadily along. 1t was Sunday III 1rning,
and there was nothing in the way-not
even an up-train to pass until John La
throp would uucouple his iron steed and
put him in the great round stable, to
rest and be cleaned for twenty four
hours. So, while the fireman kept his
eyes ahead, John Lathrop seated him
self, and, while keeping watch of the
steam gauge and his eyes open, told of
his early life under canvas, his present
home happiness, and the bright eyed,
blIthe- hearted ones that were waiting
there to welcome him.
''The life of an engineer he said,
''has its ups and downs the same as any
other, and is full of danger, and requires
Il sharp lookout and strong hand and
quick decision. l know one is never
safe, and my Jennie often talks of what
narrow escapes I've had, and shivers as
she think how others nave been killed
running over this very real
''Why don't You give it up p
"Weil, there's an excitement about it
I like, and the pay is certain, though
it aren't what it ought to be, consider
ing the risks we have to run and how
I vya eyer carry o11r Iives in our hands aS