The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-12-21
HIS LAST FEAT.

do not know that anybody will care
to read my little story, for am an old
woman now, with grey hairs in place
of the golden locks of which was once
so proud. and wrinkles and seams fur
rowing the cheeks whose dimples used
10 hide among the roses and lilies.
That period lies far back in the past
full twenty-five years ago-and it was
then that the romance and youth
went out of my life, and left me 9
worthless wreck e seems &c ms" to- to me that in
some lives youth fades away gradually
almost imperceptibly-and one hard
ly knows when it gives place to age,
while in other lives it is quenched
suddenly. like star lost out of
heaven, which leaves no trace on the
pitiless blue.
+ do not remember the time when l
was not in the circus. | was born
there and educated by my parents for
bareback rider. Good people, per-
haps, will shrink from reading what
have written; but tell them that
man is noble and honest, and woman
may be chaste as snow, even in q circus.
And Heaven knows the temptations to
be otherwise are not wanting.
In my earliest childhood | had no
pleasures unless Aleck Morton was as
sociated with them. The first memory
have Of anything in this world Aleck
is the central figure in the picture.
He was seven years my senior, and
was vaulter and acrobat of no mean
pretensions. The bill was never COM
pete unless the name Of Monsieur
Mertini was underlined for perform
ance.
OF his family knew nothing. He
had no parents but mine, and they
treated him always as their own sou.
/ 4 think there had been some close and
early Ito between my mother aud his,
though my mother never alluded to it,
and always. spoke of Alexis mother
as that poor Bella Harrison" There
was romance OF course, but l never
knew the particulars; neither, | think,
did Alick.
AS we grew up IL was only natural
that we should drift into love. Indeed,
the time had never been when we had
not loved each other. With all the
depth and passion Of my nature loved
MN, but alas! was n coquette, and
ambitious for the admiration of all Be-
sides, liked 10 make Aleck Jealous,
When his brow clouded because Of nv
smiles for another, | was happy, for
TINS was convincing proof to my foolish
heart that he loved me. And Twas one
OF those women who are continually
seeking proofs Twas content TO take
'iittie on trust; | was not satisfied with
oeing told once by Alick that he loved
me- wanted the assurance every day
Ill was SO very sweet TO hear il.
Men know. grow weary Of this sort
q thing in u woman, but let them al.
ways be patient with the heart which
loves them; for as they can never be
women, with n womans tender and
sensitive canabiliE Of feeling, they can
never entirely understand her constant
craving Tor expressions Of love.
AlecK was always generous with ma.
ana when no chidcd me II was tenderlv
~ q mother might have done. and AVIAN
now ne keenest pain thrills mo wben
rnmcmncr how many times richly
deserved his deepest censlre ''
n tor long limo our circus rema,nod
NJ IA thc vicinity of Hudson. II was
tnercl made the acquaintance Of Ralph
reylyh. 'pn
ny was p young man Of good family.
Ssvsalfllys apd gay, and very handsome,
''' t''rf 'hc person to taGo tho fancy Of a