River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-10-02
A TERRIBLE MOMENT.

that Nina Walters first joined our show, with
her fellow performer, Louis Mason and Joe
Fuller; apprenticed like himself to old Pa
Dryer, who was wont to boast that the chill
dren he took to train were as well cared for in
every respect as his own, which statement
have never had any reason to doubt: and
may say have more than once witnessed the
strict impartiality with which he administered
corporal punishment to his progeny and APP
prentices if they failed to come up TO the mark
in their respective duties. Many time have
seen him in his ring, his full, red face beam
ing with genial smiles as he put child through
he pad act with:
''Now, Maudie dear, one, two, three, jump.
Oh!--can't? Want little help" crack whips
lash around the little girls slender ankles, and
with:
'Oh! please don't, will" over the banner
the frightened child jumped.
'Iorl bless you" would this veteran child
trainer observe; you've got to brighten some
on 'em into it It's all for their good. just
look at the youngsters I've turned out earn
ing their hundred and fifty and two hundred a
week now, after which speech Pa Dryer would
beam complacently upon his listeners. But
am DEPRESSING.
Nina Walters and her fellow-pe performers
were trapeze artists, wonderfully clever in
their line, and consequently high in favor with
Pa Dryer. They were down in the bills as
"The Fays" Pa Dryer had picked Nina up
out of the streets, l believe, when she was
about seven years of age, but the two boys
had been legally apprenticed to him by their
respective parents.
Before many weeks Nina's duslky eyes ard
pretty ways had captiyatedus all, and we were
her willing slaves, from Ned, our colored tent
maker, up II was evident from the first,
however that LOUIS and Joe were deeply In
love with Nina, but as far as / could see she
showed preference to neither, treating each as
frankly as sister might brother. which was
natural enough, as they had grown MP togeth
er during some ten years, having become APP
prentices of Pa DRYER near the same time.
Louis, who was Of an open frank disposition,
with friendly word for every one, had just
turned twenty @hen they joined US, making
him three months the senior of Joe, his very
opposite, being quick to take offense, and of
singularly jealous nature. The only thing
they possessed in common was their good
looks, both being undeniably handsome
One evening, after they had been with us
some six months. as | stood waiting behind
the curtain that shut out the ring entrance-by
the way | have not yet introduced myself
Not that it is at all necessary, only perhaps,
some of my readers might like to know what
manner of person is relating these facts.
am of a rather retiring disposition, although
nv vocation of clown rather bellies this trait
of mine Outside of the ring | am familiar ly
known as 'Still Done" earning that title, L
believe, by my fondness for quiet life the
have shaken the saw-dust from off
nv heels. How ever came to write off this
bit of terrible reality that crossed my path l
am not quite clear Perhaps the desire to see
my name in print in a different form from Its
habitual one influenced me; or perhaps the
hope that it might help out some poor souls
mad with jealousy to conquer that frlShtful
malady, may be to save them from committing
a crime, had little 10 do with it.
Well, as / was saying, this evening as | stood
waiting, saw Nina coming slowly, as If in
thought, toward me. 1t was something so I'M
usual to see her pretty face without a smile that
| exclaimed
''Whv, Nina. child What ails you? Has Pa
DRYER been acting ugly?N Whatever old Dryer
had done in Nina's younger days, | had
never known him since she had been with
MS to treat her otherwise than kind; in
fact. he rather petted her like the rest of us.
[ was considerably relieved when she an
swered
ooh, no. But don't you laugh at me. | really
believe I'm nervous" Here she laughed herself,
but it lacked the true ring.
NERVOUS! What about?" Iasked. You see,
she sort of looked upon me as an old fogy, and
didn't mind expressing thersef freely, as 1t
were.
'sOh, 1 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 L
was a little mite, and Pa Dryer made me hang
from my chin from the trapeze, | never felt
60 Just then, my act being on had to
hurry away. When next | saw Nina she was
flying gracefully through the air from trapeze
to trapeze. After my act had hastily resumed
my every day clothes and returned To the ring
entrance, which was not my custom, for l
generally left the building as soon as l was
through This night something stronger than
myself babe me watch ''The Fays. have
seen good deal of trapeze business in my
day, but never any thing so graceful and neat
as 'sThe Fays'" performance. Nina's little
form seemed to glide through the air without
anv apparent effort. The applause, usual,
was loud and frequent Their finish, as
rule was done in this wise: Nina taking ny
ing leap from a 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 things
appeared to be reversed for 1t was LOUIS who
to the platform to take the leap, IN
stead of going through series eft evolutions
herself for her daring drop. | had hardly
time to wonder at the change before saw
Joe, who had been executing Catherine wheel
on a 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;
'sNina for Gods sake keep clear of the mid
die trapeze; the ropes are cut.
Too late came Joe's warming. Nina's little
hands were already clinging to the doomed
bar and Louis had taken his leap for life.
A whir as of something whizzing through
the air as 1 closed my eyes to shut the horror
of it out, when murmur ike the hoarse roar
Of the distant sea fell upon my ears, swelling
until it burst into Wild huzza l looked and
saw Joe hanging head downwards from trap
eze, while with both hands he upheld Louis,
Nina clasped safe by the latter's arm, the ira
peze to which she had ching buta moment be-
fore lying in the ring some forty feet below.
Joe's daring intrepidity had saved his compan-
ions lives. He had dropped from his perch
above to lower trapeZe and swung himself to
the rescue of Louis, thereby enabling the lat
ter to snatch Nina from horrible death.
Cheer upon cheer greeted the two as they
we're 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 heap Of sins fur ye.
That night Joe disappeared, and ''Phe Fays.
rs far as the public was concerned, were known
no more.
For MANY weeks Nina lay lowering between
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 and
herself had hung as it were between heaven
and earth had revealed to her who had won her
heart Louis and his wife have long since left
the profession and are prospecting well IN their
- ,bil hou
youchsafed 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
we're and how they had named their first born
for him
''She did that, Nina" he murmurcd, adding,
ssand she must have guessed all; | saw it in
her reproachful eyes that night. | was mad
with jealousy. / knew that she loved Louis,
but l thought if he were out of her way she
would forget him, and then | could win her,
and SO, mailman as ] was, cut the ropes at
fached to the middle trapeze-the one on
which Louis always did his finish An ex-
clamation of Mortified surprise escaped me as
be finished with:
''You know how my dendish attempt was
frustrated How the girl | loved took the
place of the man l would have murdered |
learned afterward that, feeling nervous, she
ad persuaded Louis to take the leap instead
Of herself Only for that should have been
branded as murderer"
''But you nobly redeemed yourself in saving
both their lives" here spoke.
ssMy God can / ever shut out the horror of
i alls'' he cried bitterly. Rising, | said:
''Yes. l think you can then he bent his bag
gard eyes questioningly upon me, / added:
wait here a few moments.
A little dark-eyed fellow stood shyly ewing
he man had left but few moments before,
hen laying his hand upon the man%arm nc