Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-01-25
GLippincott's Magazine.l
HAZEL.
BY CORA HALL RANDOLPH.

Hazel rlSked life and limb nightly at
Coppee's Nonparel Circus, wherever it
ehanced to be. She was nineteen, and
an acrobat who had grown up in the ring,
and who, for all she either knew or ex-
pected, might die there on its tan and
sawdust any night.
Lately she had often dreamed such a
thing. One moment she saw herself
TRANQUILITY poised above the vast expect
ant sea of upturned faces, the roar of ap-
plause still echoing from the roof; the
next, the air went whistling shrilly past
her ears, the circus lights and the sea of
faces below seemed rising up to meet her
with the ground, and with groan and
stihed shrieks she lay upon the tan in
the ring, sickening sensation OF pain
shooting through her in every part, a
great cry from the multitude going up
as from a single throat, the hurrying feet
of strong men rushing forward to lift her
poor MANNED body, that had just life
enough In it to be conscious yet, followed
by frantic appeals for surgeon in front,
the snuffiing upeasiness of the horses as
she was carriedpast, and then a merciful
blank that ended all.
Tonight she thought of it again as
she stood in the little dressing-room she
shared with Mrs. Bridgeman, the wife of
the trained-goat man, and made herself
up with red and white. How lustrous
her eyes shone out above the rouge
How hideous and how staring they would
look out through all the mask of paint if
the life behind them should suddenly go
out "Well, there's nobody but old
Tom to care much" she said, with half
sob, staring at her reflection in the little
glass.
"Here, Hazel, hurry up. What's the
matter with you? You'll be late again,
and Spear Will make devil of row."
said the deep voice of a middle-aged
man who had entered the room without
the ceremony of a knock. He was Tom
Scully, the man who had brought her
up and trained her to her perilous pro-
fession. He had evidently only Just
quilted the ring, for he wore tights and
spangled trunks, and his face was red and
ghstening with an oily perspiration he
was hopping with handkerchief whose
grayish hue proclaimed that it was not
over-clean.
"Can't Bridgeman go on with his
trained goats after Clyde?" asked the
girl, with a sort of tremor in her voice
"You amt a fuke again tonight, [
hope? ?" said Scully, coming closer and
speaking in low voice as if he did not
wish to be overheard.
Hazel met his glance and half nodded.
Scully puckered up his lip and whis-
tied.
That's bad" he said, in the same
l1xr
time, sure enough, Hazel, if you keep
going on this way. Where's your nerve
A year ago I'd have backed you against
all the world for square nerve. Don't
give in. Hear the shoutin' crowd in
front. Let the noise put spirit In you.
Pluck up and go on
81 can't" said Hazel deiectedly. 81
wish I could cut the whole biz"
"Cut and be ID" said Scully.
"You amt sick, [ hope?"
Sick! Oh, Lord!" cried Hazel,
"Pm sick Of life-that's all - She
raised her arm up to the level of her
face and kept it there awhile, screening
her eyes.
Scully eyed her narrowly, and step
ping back, closed the door. "Look
lere, Hazel" he said, anxiously, "you
haven't been up to any shines don't know
OF now, have you, my dear? You ain t
been fair to keep dark. I'd never stand
LII your way, as you know. If you we're
my own child I couldn't be any squarer
to you; now, say"
"No," said Hazel; "I'm all right,
Tom, but for those Dreams"
Dreaming again % said ScuIly.
dreams go by contraries. don't you
know? Rark! You're called. And
they're bowling out there like mad.
That's for Clyde.
Hazel! called a voice from the
depths.
The girl darted to the door and rushed
ont. On the way she passed tall,
handsome young fellow, who had just
left tie ring. 1t was Clyde, the bare
back rider of the troupe, Texan, and
this was bis first season with them all.
He was reserved and quiet In his man
ners, and SO distant to the other mem
bers of the troupe as to be little liked.
Apparently he did not see Hazel as she
passed. She saw him clearly enough,
and her eyes flashed, finding herself un-
noticed. The next moment she sprang
into the ring, and she was greeted with a
deafening burst of applause.
At the side OF the ring a ladder was
strongly braced, that led to a little plat
form near the roof. Hazel cleared the
space between almost at single bound,
put her foot on the first rung of the lad
der, and scrambled up Like a cat, amid
the cheers and braves of the house.
Scully, who was watching from below,
applauded with the rest. "Clear grit
she is, through and through" he cried.
Suddenly he saw she was standing fin