The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-02-28
HIS LAST FEAT.

$3.50 NAo "a AASN
of the golden locks OF which l was once
SO proud. and wrinkles and seams fur
rowing the checks whose dimples used
TO hide among the roses and lilies.
That period lies far back in the past
full twenty-five years ago-andit was
then that tho romance and youth
went out of my life, and left me a
worthless wreck to drag out an aimless
existence. 1t seems to me that in
some lives youth fades away gradually
almost imperceptibly-and org hard
ly knows when it gives place to age,
while in other lives it is quenched
suddenly. like n sta lost out of
heaven, which leaves no trace on the
pitiless blue.
1 do not remember the time when l
was not in the circus. 1 was born
there and educated by my parents for
a bareback rider. Good people, per-
thaps, will shrink from reading what
i have written; but l tell them that q
man is noble and honest, and a woman
may be chaste as snow, even in a circus.
And Heaven knows the temptations TO
be otherwise are not wanting. ~
In my earliest childhood l had no
pleasures unless Aleck Morton was as
sociated with them. The first memory
| = Vi WY lining III bblo NOllu FtlCCh
is the central figure In the picture.
He was sever years my senior, and
was a vaulter and acrobat of no mean
p~retensions. The bill was never COM
plete unless the nam of Monsieur
Hertini was underlined for a perform
snce. =
OF his family 1 knew nothing. He
had no parents but mine, and they
treated him always as their own son.
/ think there had been some close and
early tie between my mother and his,
though my mother never alluded to it,
and always spoke of Alexis mother
as that poor Bella Harrison" There
was q romance of course, but l never
know the particulars neither, l think,
did Alick. -s 49, -
As we grew up it was only natural
that we should drift into love. Indeed,
the time had never been when we had
not loved each other. q With all the
depth and passion Of my nature l loved
him. but alasi I was O. coquette, and
ambitious for the admiration of all. Be-
sides. I liked to make Aleck Jealous,
When his brow clopded because Of my
smiles for another.gI twas happy. for
this was convincing proof TO my foolish
heart that he loved ms.S And Iwss ons
81 those women who us continually
'sckfng proofs. Twas content to taks
title on trust; / was not satisfied with
icing told once by Alick that he loved
US; | wanted the assurance every day
1T was so very sweet 10 hear it.
Men, ! know, grow weary of this sor'
.f thing in n woman, but let them al.
ways be patient with tho heart which
loves them; for rs they n never be
vomen, with n woman's tender ara
.snsitivc capabiliiy of feeling, they ca9
sever entirely understand her constar'
:raving for expressions of love.
Aleck was always generous with me
and when he chided me it was tenderlT
IS n mother might have done, and yer
now tho kcenest pain thrills mo wher
/ remember how many tim | richly
deserved his deepest ccnsure.
For u long limo our circus remained
in tic vicinity of Hudson. 1t was
.hero | mTdc tho acquaintance of Ralph
Trevlyn. q
Ho was n young man of good family,
wealthy, aud gay, and very handsome
just The person 10 ;a,c the fancy of q
gid,ly, vain young girl like me.
| was Just twenty then, and quito
handsome enough to win the uimira-
ton and attention OF young Mr.. Trey
Ign.
He came a grca. dcalto the circus
came at Times VIII II we were not per-
forming, and sat with me under the
shade If the great trees beyond the
wllito tents OF the side shows, ana
taught me to sing sweet little songs in
which love was tho principal theme,
and love shone in to dark dangerous
ewes looking into mine.
/ encouraged him in this, mainly be-
cause it made Alick so noarly furious. |
did not care for Trevlyn any more than
! did for old blind Mat, tho bugler, but
he was handsome, and agreeable, and
Alick, l thought, was so very unreason-
able, though even her l knew in my
heart that Aleck was right.
1t went on for some time, this sense
less Irritation between me and Trevlyn,
until evon my father saw fit to romon-
strate. / was making a fool of myself,
he said. and driving Alock TO despair.
l was as good rs married to Aleck, and
no would have no moro of my childish
folly.
This reused the spirit of revolt within
me, and | firted more than ever.
Aleck entirely withdrew from my So
ciety, and it was with sharpest agony
that l saw him often lingering by the
side of pretty Blanche Jcrrold, the tight,
rope dancer. But, of course, he did moi
know how much pain this gave me, and
l would not have had him know it fol
worlds.
Sometimes lie looked at me in such Z
sad sorrowful way that it almost broke
my heart, and once he laid his kline
hand on my head, and said:
Lizzie dear, Heaven grant that sor
row may never come to you through the
course you are taklngT'
And L had flung of the hand will
mocking words, and danced away, car
olling n gay little song taught me b.
Towards sthe close of the season, W
were to perform in Washington and !
was understood the noted men Their
and from abroad were to be present
All our star parts were Of course
brought forward and rehearsed.
The name of La Refine Gabrielle. as
was known to the public, was o grea
deal on the mammoth posters, for Iva
accounted tho best female rider In tn
! circus, and people were pleased to SO
that no performance was complete Will
: out me, l5SzSSS4EtA
3 4 NV name was o plain one, only Lizzl
Leigh, but Herr. Graffenburg, the mar
+; ager. insisted that :. French name lool
cd better on the bills than plain LIZ
Leigh, SO I was La Refine Gabrielle.
1t had not been announced what fea
J, Mons. MertniIwa to perform, and
was burning upiwtth anxiety TO know
= but I would not ask Some vague pr
science told me,that Aeok would mott
content with spy ordinary exhibition
his skill, and I was full OF dread lest !
might be daring enough to sttempt