The Opelousas courier., 1884-10-11

Ge~rnat10nai ana lranSCOnLlueutal VII
GUS" said Tallifer. "Dan and ! lost
each other after that upheaval, and this
Is our first meeting since tn n. The
truth of it is Just this. We had met
with some reverses, and business didn't
seem to be f~rst-class. Our resources
were limited, and just what to do we
did not know. If we could only get a
woman to join the party l said one
day, I'VE could make big money 1t
was like wishing for a sacred elephant.
Every one said that a woman would be
a great card, but in a country where
women were so scarce that money could
be made by exhibiting n in a circus,
it was not SO easy to get one. We all
bought the matter over and gave it
up. It's no use,' every n said.
Finally, after a long period Of silence,
/ unused: If we could only find a boy,
we might fix him up, and he'd do.
We've got somewhere in the packs two
or three costumes for ladies'
ga capital idea,' was the RESPONSE
but where will we get the boyY
THAT was almost as much of a poser
as the other one, but We made up our
minds that the next young FELLOW we
came across would have to be Sonora
Somebody or other, and travel with the
show. We did not have long to wait.
AT one Of the mining camps where we
stopped we noticed a slender young
fellow with big eyes and curly hair and
a fair complexion. He was a sort of
hanger-on, and didn't seem to have any
regular business, though he worked
around more or less for the men. and
made himself useful. He accepted u
proposition after a good deal of persua-
sion, and we agreed that he was to go
with us when we moved on, and on his
part it was stipulated that from the
fime we started he was to be a woman.
The next place we opened at was at
Las Animas. We had no bills or any,
thing of that kind, but we took pains
to give it out that we had a lady per-
former who was celebrated the world
over for her beauty. 1t was a great
scheme. The test was crowded, not
only the first night. but every night
thereafter, the same men coming night
after night. The boy looked well in
the costume which we gave him, and
under the lights lie made really a pretty
sight. The first night, as soon as he
entered the ring, the whole crowd got
up and yelled, and then every man Of
them made a rush for the center, bow
ing and saluting him. They all had to
shake hands, and say a word or two,
and get some response. Two or three
times we tried to clear the ring, but
unsuccessfully. Most of the men
would go out, leaving a few behind.
who, improving the opportunity. would
engage her in conversation. Then the
others would struggle back again, until
thehubbub was as bad as rel They
all had to tell her where they came
from, how many sisters they had, the
tender regard they entertained for
them, and two or three even went SO
Far as to assure her that they had
mothers back in the states somewhere,
as If she might get the impression that
they had grown IN q sage bush on
the alkali plains. We finally per
s1iaded them to leave. and, with many
a God bless your and Just cal on me
If you get scared they resumed their
seats. This sort Of thing went along
for a week, ana we were looking upon
our fortunes as made, when trouble
came upon us.
sOne Of u greasers got ugly, and,
after d fight or two with different mem
bers of the company, we dismissed him.
He then circulated the report that our
lady was neither nor nor less than a
boy picked upeby us on the border, and
that we had been playing a mighty
mean trick OF the camp. A delegation
was sent to is to make inquiry, and in
an evil hour, believing that we might
as well pull up stakes and move on
anyway, i admitted that the fair per-
former was a lad. The men went away
laughingly. and We thought nothing
more would come of it. We deter
mined, however, to move on, and that
evening we passed in packing UP. Civ
ing no exhibition. The boy had
donned mems clothing, and was as
busy as any Of us We left the tent
standing. and about midnight rolled up
III our blankets and went to Sleep.
.ome time later we were rudely awak-
ned By . laundering crash. Il was
raining hard, and everything about d
seemed to be slipping away. J grabbed
The center pole and fell with II, I don't
know how far. When we struck
we found everything In mex
tricable confusion. Most of our mules
were either disabled or killed, and all