The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-08-08

laughed herself, but it lacked the true
ring.
"Nervousl What about2" 1 asked
You see she sort of looked upon me as an
old fogy and didn't mind expressing her
self freely as it were.
"Ohl | don't know" she answered,
"only feel as if something was going to
happen, don't you know 1t is silly of
me. Why when | was a little mite and
Pa Dryer made me hang from my chin
from the trapese, never felt so"
Just then my act being on had to hur-
ry away. When next saw Nina she was
flying gracefully through the air from
trapele to trapele. After my act l had
hastily resumed my every day clothes and
returned to the ring entrance, which was
not my custom, for generally left the
building as soon as | was through. This
night something stronger than myself
babe me watch "Thc Fays." Ihave seen
a good deal of trapeze business in my day,
but never anything so graceful and neat
as "The Fays' performance. Nina's
little form seemed to glide through the
air without any apparent effort The
| applause as usual was loud and frequent.
wise; Nina taking a flying leap from q
small platform near the roof, would be
caught by Louis, who hung suspended
head downward from one of the trapeze
This night the order of thing appeared
to be reversed, for it was Louis who
mounted to the platform to take the
leap, instead of going through series
of eyolutions on the middle trapeze,
whilst Nina prepared herself for hef
daring drop. | had hardly time to
wonder at the change before 1 saw Joe,
who had been executing Catherine
wheel on trapeze still higher up, give
violent start. He too, think, was
surprised
Shall ever forget the cry that rang
through the building that night, causing
women to faint and strong men to turn
white like unto death. | can hear it
now, and the words:
"Ninal Tor Gods sake keep clear OF
the middle trapeze; the ropes are cut ="
Too late came Joe's warning. Nina's
little hands were already clinging to the
doomed bar, and Louis had taken his
leap for life.
A whir as of something whizzin2
through the air as l closed my eyes to
shut the horror of it out, when muir.
muir like the hoarse roar of the distant
sea fell upon my ears, swelling until
1t burst into wild huzza.
looked and saw Joe hanging head
downward from trapeze, while
with both hands he upheld Louis, Nina
clasped safe by the latter's right arm, the
trapeze to which she had chung but a
moment before lying in the ring some
forty feet below Joe's daring intrepid.
ity had saved his companions lives. He
had dropped from his perch above to a
lower trapeze and swung himself to the
rescue of Louis, thereby enabling the
latter to snatch Nina from a horrible
death.
Cheer upon cheer greeted the two as
they were lowered safely to the ground
while one old fellow, in his excitement,
exclaimed, as he caught Joe by the
hand:
"a brave act we've done this night
lad, 1t ought to wipe out a heap of sins
fur ye."
That night Joe disappeared, and "The
Fays," as far as the public was CON
cerned, were known no more.
For many weeks Nina lay lowering be-
tween life and death, but at last youth
conquered. She is now the happy wife
of Louis, for that terrible moment in
which her fellow performer alk herself
had hung as it were bctN cen heaven and
earth had revealed to her who had won
her heart. Louis and his wife have long
since left the profession and are prosper
ing well in their new line of life. Two
children have been vouchsated them.
Joe and Nina they are named.
And what about the other Joe. YOU
think, perhaps. Well, it was eight years
before | again met Joe. OF course |
spoke about Louis and Nina, telling him
how happy they were and how they had
named their tirst-born for him.
" She did that, Nina" he murmured.
adding, "and she must have guessed
all; l saw it in her reproachfu eyes that
night. was mad with Jealousy.
knew that she loved Louis, but thought
if he were out of her way she would for
get him and then | could win her and so,
mailman as l was, cut the ropes al
tached to the middle trapeze, the one on
which Louis always did his finish" An
exclamation of horriied surprise escaped
me as he continued with.
"You know how my iendish attempt
was frustrated. How the girl | loved
took the place of the man | would have
murdered. | learned afterward that feel
ing nervous she had persuaded Louis to
take the leap instead of herself. Only
for that | should have been branded as
murderer"
:" But you nobly redeemed yourself il
saving both their lives, ~ here spoke.
MY God can | ever shut out the
horror of it all'" he cried bitterly. Rising
| said
Yes, I think you cam" then as h,
bent his haggard eyes questioningly upor
me, added: "Wait here a few mo
ments."
=.
A little dark eyed fellow stood shyl,
cycling the man had left but few mo
ments before, then laying his hand upol
the mans arm he asked:
" Are you my big, brave Uncle Joe
Cause if you are, mamma sent me to fetcl
you"
, | GIrbi11t 10 3. -.