The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-04-20
miscellaneous.
A WOMAN'S WIT.

Crack, crack, crack
One of the horses dead The driver tum-
bles down from his seat, second later fol-
lowed by an outside passenger.
The crash of glass, flying splnters, the
shrill whistle Of the rifle balls Over and above
all the unearthly yell of the savages Taken
prisoners-Billy and Dave Hopkins, known
on theatrical posters as the "Balsamo Broth
ers," Mademoiselle Helene, the Queen of the
Floating Wire" in private life Mrs. Billy
Hopkins; "El Nino, the child wonder" in fact,
Billy Hopkins, Jr. Dead-The driver and two
passengers
The BalsamG Brothers, Mademoiselle Helene
and FL Nino were Ell route to fill an engage
mcnt in Denver, ust then assuming the I'M
portance of a mining city.
The prisoners were tied upon the coach
horses and hurried some 10 or Is miles away.
When night approached, q green SPOT was
selected by running stream, and the party
encamped.
Words fail TO portray the anxieties, the
agonies of the prisoners. When the fire was
built, the victims imagined fiery death :;
when the chiefs touched their knives or so
much as turned to look at their captives it
seemed as if they were experiencing in ad-
vance the delights oflacerating and mangling
human flesh.
the noble rel men" represented on the stage.
These tiends were dirty, lacking even the
tnery and feathers which go to make up the
busy bravo who poses upon the bill boards
In their faces could be read the record of bru-
tai, beastly bloody, natures.
Poor little woman How she reproached
herself, in an agony of tears-fOr she it was
who urged the acceptance of this Western
engagement. The salary, which was some
thing wonderful in figures, was to be paid in
gold. Its dazzling light blinded Mrs Lucy
to the risk of which they had spoken, and at
which they laughed; the salary which would
go so far towards paying for the little home
they meant t. buy, and for which they had
been boarding ever since their boy was born
Great heavens, Dayel what are we to do {?
These devils mean to torture us. See they
ale collecting wood for the purpose NV
wife and child may be saved for worse fate p
at would have been much better for us all
to be lying on the road, stiff and stark like
those other poor fellows~
Il tell you what, Dave, mean to give them
trouble yet"
"What can we do Billy?" Our hands are
tied, and wherever we go We are guarded"
The two men relapsed into gloomy silence.
For some time the Indians amused them
selves over the wardrobe of the show people.
Especially were they delighted with the
stage iewelry, and the fluffy skirts in which
the Queen of the Floating Wire" appeared
in public.
The tights belonging to the Balsamo broth
ers, however, occasioned much wonderment
Over these they gesticulated and vociferatcd
as they were passed from hand to hand.
Presently couple of the braves brought
the garments forward and reeled off words,
the purport of which the brothers might not
have fathomed had the gestures been omitted
1t was evident they asked an explanation of
the use or merits of the singular affairs
81 say, Dave" spoke up Billy, quickly,
"they want to know what these tights are
for. If we can only persuade them to allow
us to do some stage business it may save our
lives day or two"
"Or they may take us for medicine men,"
answered Dave. "If we get our hands free
we may escape somehow"
With this idea in their minds they went
through great amount of pantomimic dia
logue, and succeeded in conveying some ideas
into the brains of their dusky captors, which
resulted in their being released, still carefully
guarded, however
They swung the trapeze from the bough of
q large oak-performers on this cOntrivance
always carry ing the necessary rope and bars
with them.
The savages watched every movement with
the deepest interest, their curiosity increasing
with every moment.
Billy managed to exchange few words
with his wife, and was glad to find she had
her hands free.
"Lucy, when you see these fellows look.
ing their eyes out, take the boy and slip
away. Follow that star, and you will strike
some town before long
"And leave you, my husband Never We
can die together"
You must fly, my darling A worse fate
than death awaits you. Oh, my God, Lucy,
do not hesitate We will keep them interest
ed as long as we can. You must hasten
away with all your might | would plunge
knife in your heart myselfrathcr than leave
you to the mercy OF these worse than brutes "
"Come on, Billy" shouted Dave "They
are impatient"
Billy with whispered "Good-by! God
keep you safer' left his wife. His bosom
throbbed with wild emotion as he thought of
the terrible strait in which they were placed,
and wondered if he would ever see the dearly
loved partner of his joys and SORROWS, or ever
again fonde the second edition of himself
1t was curious sight, certainly, the like of
which the mammoth trees about them never
before witnessed
The DOZEN OF hideously painted Indians
were gathered about the fire, whose d flames
| lined the dark shadows of the night with a
crimson glow, and transmitted overhanging
foliage seemingly into the cunning work Of
| the silver or goldsmith.
Towering over the trees and glistenng in
the moonlight, one might have seen
"A few baby peaks that were peeplnR
| From under their bed -clothes of snow"
| The Balsamo Brothers had performed be-
| fore many audience in the East, but never
were they so anxious to excel as ON this &C.
casion, Pride in their skill, the wish to as