Omaha daily bee., 1882-10-07

1911 HUH liz hhhhN 10 hd
terrible! One end of the rope was
passed over the roof of a house, and
carried down the side, and made fast
to a wooden block underneath.
at had so happened that tho block
had rotted of next the ground, and
there was no weight upon it whatever.
Well, anyhow, they tied the rope to
the block, aud the professor was half
a across the street when he began
to give an exhibition of jumping. Sud.
denly we saw that the rope was giving
way. The Jerking had pulled the
block up from under the house, and
was dragging it up the side. The pro.
lessor turned quite pals, and STOOD and
waited. Ho came now slowly with
the rope. 1t seemed as it il uovcr
would stop slipping owe the roof like
a long, ugly snake. Il soon became
slack, and il was of course much harder
to balance on it; but he never lost his
preeence of mind, and stood perfectly
calm and straight. Whom the bloc,
had nearly reached the roof it WAS a
two story house-the rope slipped of,
and | heard the block drop to the
ground. l hid my face and crouched
down against q wall, and then | heard
him strike the ground like something
dead. Oh, it was 30 horrible!" She
peered around into tho darkness aud
shuddered. "Poor fellow! he fell fat
on his face. 1t was the cruelest thing
that ever happened"
She sighed, and still gazed abstract.
eddy at the people below.
"Did it kill him2'
"No, not quite; but he was dclirious
for several weeks. When they picked
him up blood gushed from his noso,
his eyes, and his ears, and a bloody
froth came from his mouth. l was a
little child then, and l dreamed of
him every night for two or three
years. l dreamed of him again last
night for the first time in a great
while. / thought 1 went to pick him
up, and could feel his broken bones
grating against each other, and his
blood-shot eyes stared wide and cold
at me-"
"You are not we'll tonight, Hoe,"
said the man of science, examining
her pulse at~tentively. He became
thoughtful. 81 don't think you ought
to risk it," he said.
ooh, 1 am not afraid now you are
here" she said in her charming way.
81 think you had better wait
'sNow don't get naughty. / must
l want to GO. Why, there's two
hundred dollars in that crowd, any
how; my manager would be crazy if
did not walk. Besides, 1 contracted
to do one street walk every two weeks
in addition to the lofty centre.pole
act every day. Why, I've done the
lofty five hundred times and never lost
my head, and. why is there danger
uowY
"But it is more difficult to see the
rope at night" he persisted.
81 never look at my feet when l
walk"
"You are feverish and nervous"
cit will make me all the more care
full"
"Well, walk them" said Golson,
with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Now, Colby, don't look that way"
He became cheerful and beaming in
a moment. The manager appeared on
the opposite roof and signalled the
girl to proceed. The attendants at
both ends examined the fastenings of
the rope to see that they were prop.
erly secured. They produced trays In
which to burn colored fires, and
heaped Jumps of the combustible
material upon the parapet. Zoe
mounted the parapet with an elastic
step, and threw kisses at the shouting
crowd below as the red fires brought
out her frail form. She looked very
charming and pretty, standing smiling
in the intense glare of the light.
"Give me the pole," she demanded
smilingly of Golson, holding out q
small, pretty hand and dimpled arm.
He picked up the cumbersome bal.
ancing pole and placed 1t in her hands.
She found the center, shook hands
with Golson, threw kisses at the crowd
and stepped firmly upon the rope.
She soon found a 500 pose, took a few
steps and halted. She glanced back
at the attendants, and a%nxiously re-
garded the pile of fire.
"You are burning it too fast" she
said. "Good-by, Colby" and she
picked her way over the narrow
bridge that spanned the yawning
chasm beneath. She was graceful,
and walked with considerable ease ap-
parently, stopping occasionally to shift
the pole and steady herself.
"She is walking slowly and shaky
tonight" said one of the men.
els she not walking as we'll as
usual2" asked Golson, hurrledly, as
he looked at her steadily. His glance
never left her q moment.
mo; she can beat that. / think
che must be in the sulks."
Golson paid no attention to the in
suit, and watched her with fascinated
gaze. His face was somewhat paler
than usual, in spite of the red glare.
He did not move a single muscle. Zoe
had passed the middle of the street
the most dangerous ~place--and con-
tlnued her walk towared the other end.
She toiled up the incline the rope do,
pressing under her tiny, nimble feet,
and at last jumped safe and sound
upon the opposite roof.
A tremendous, ~deafening shout
arose from the mob, and the plucky
girl threw a bunch of kisses at Golsop.
The color had returned to his face
with unnatural intensity, and the lool
of anxiety had passed. His chest wal
broader and his eyes brighter. HI
simply smiled at Zoe, and did not ever
applaud her performance.
The shouting below continued. The
men made no preparation to remove
the rope, but Golson started for thu
ladder.
''Hold on; she's coming back" sale
one of the attendants.