The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-10
IN MID-AIR.

hly destf Freu, Will you not give up
this hazardous life?"
eyes, Annie, when this season is
over I will abandon it forever, and we
will get married and settle down."
The young girl blushed deeply at the
words of her lover, but she did not
resist the arm that was thrown around
her waist, and drew her closer to him,
or the kiss that followed. In fact, she
was very proud of his handsome face
and manly form, but his dangerous
professionalism of trapezist-made
her tremble for fear Of accidents, and
she continued to plead that it should be
given up.
"You have now some money, Fred
l little, am an orphan as well as your
self, and we are all in the world to each
other"
"Indeed we are, Annie; but hard
fortune threw me into the life I am
leading. 1t was hard school I was
trained III. l know little else, and
after SO many years Of toll it would be
almost foolish if [ neglected the golden
opportunity before I renounced it alto
gether
III believe you love it almost as well
as you do me, she replied with smile.
And yet l must own there Is something
attractive to me in the breathless swing
the hanging from the dizzy height
the daring leap in mid-air that makes
the heart OF every looker-on stand
STILL"
And mine among the NUMBER" with
a heavy' sigh. r"'. -. -a'
'Have no fear, darling. Practice
has made me so perfect that there is
not the slightest danger"
Danger there always is, Fred"
81 can see none"
"You have to depend very much
upon others, do you not?"
"Certainly."
"And failure upon their part, care
lessness-the breaking Of rope might
be fatal.'
He could not deny it, though he made
light of it, quieted her fears as best he
could, and turned the conversation into
another channel-the one that is near
est and dearest to young hearts,
For year they had been acknoWl-
edged lovers, and there was no one to
say them nay. lie had striven to edu-
cate himself, and rise superior to iron
tortune-had succeeded as men of rcsO-
lutte will ever do-had been frugal and
saving, with the determination Of some
day turning his back upon tent, s,pan-
giles and sawdust, and taking the place
i'll society to which he felt he had {.
right.
And so it was in great measure with
the girl who had become very dear to
INN and done much to strengthen his
good intentions, to keep him from Wan-
derlng into the paths that have been
the ruin Of SO many whom the world
applauded to the echo for time, only
to forget as new faces came-who
tloated upon the topmost waves of sue
cess, to be the more certainly wrecked
upon tiio dangerous rocks and dragged
to the bottom.
She, like himself, had been early
orphaned and knew something Of the
hard lot Of being brought up by distant
relatives -begrudged the little food she
ate, and made to toll beyond her
strength. But this was over now, and
her slender fingers made her needle fly
as she thought of the future.
And that future they talked of long
and earnestly, laid their plans and made
themselves supremely happy in what
was to be. There was no Single cloud
save that Of fear entertained by the girl
for the safety Of her lover, and again
and again it forced itself upon her
mind, and found utterance from her
lips.
''It Is but few short months,n he
replied, ''before the tenting season will
be at an end, and I am free. Now L
am bound by contract the most lucra-
tive l have ever made, and to break it
would be ruinous. There is little to
be feared, my darling. All will 90
we'll. Winter will soon come, and
then goodbye to this wandering life"
But only think Of how much time
will elapse before I see you again. If
| could only he with you, it would not
he so bad. But 1 fear-fear that l
shall never see you again."
LII was the old story of tears and
comforting and promises to be faithful;
and months indeed passed be ore they
again saw each others faces. But. as
Inc had predicted, all had gone well.
Fame as well as money had been gained
by the young and daring trapezist. He
stood at the very head Of his desperate
profession, and the hearts of women
stood still and strong men held their
breath when he hung high in mid-air,
and leaped-a wonderful distance-fr
one swinging bar to another. Had it
been in the olden days Of Rome they
would have crowned him with the VIC
tors laurels, borne him upon their
shoulders, made him rich in gold, and
hailed him as King Of Athletes.
And now the last night came that he
was to appear before the public--the
very last night of the season, and that