The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-03-06

Heaven now. But she was my good
angel on -mine-mine-min
Do you hear, doctor? I defy you TO
part US there-you cannot! You dare
notr"
The doctor gave him a soothing
draught, out he grew wilder and rayed
of Lulu, only Lulu.
Listen he cried, ''do you hear
that callp 1t means trouble in the cir
cus Not among the animals, the wild
savage beasts, but among men, aye,
and women, too! Oh. doctor, she was
all had! just my little Lulu. We had
thought it SO cruel-not to have kncwn
and loved each other all our lives-but
she was a wife before / knew her.
Great God! how he abused her, and
when they told her he was dead, the
poor child went out into the world for
herself, and | found her-quick, doctor,
give me water-I am strangling."
The doctor lifted his head. and the
water gurgled in the throat of the dy
ing man. He could no longer swallow
but it cooled his parched lips!
Il taught her to do the trapeze busi-
ness. She was small. and light, and
quick. She was beautiful and innocent.
How loved her! And after we had
been together year she married me,
and we were SO happy-so happy! And
she played SO well Her eyes shone
with her new happiness. Her heart
was SO light that she attracted crowds;
and one night in the season here-oh,
doctor, it is hard for dying man to
talk!-she-she just took the house by
storm. There was an ovation. She
was recalled again and again! The
manager doubled her salary on the
spot-but we didn't care for that. 1t
was just the triumph in her art-we
loved each other, and the life, too.''
The leaper who was never again TO
hear the applause he once coveted,
lifted the portrait in his hand to his
lips and kissed it reverently. He look
ed so strong and bright that neophyte
in matters of life and death would have
mistaken him for well man. But the
doctor knew.
The next night Lulu was to give
them q new and dangerous feat, and
the house was full, crowded, and she
never looked SO lovely. / made my
great leap and ran out of the ring, and
found Lulu waiting to go on. She
looked so small and sweet, so like d
lovely, affectionate child, she was SO
innocent and altogether lovely that 1
took her in my arms and kissed her.
Oh, my God, that was the last timer'
''Teddie," said she, laying her soft
cheek against mine; .'Teddie, we've
been happy, haven't weP"
"And will be as long as we live," l
said. ''Then l saw that she had been
crying. and l was going to say she
should not 60 on, when the call for her
came and she was gone. She turned
and looked at me as she went in-yes,
yes, Lulu, Pm coming"
The doctor did not move; there was
no irregularity in the mans breathing
now, and he spoke distinctly and fast
but the medical man was not deceived.
1t was the beginning of the end. Even
then his thoughts wandered and he
held imaginary conversations with that
Lulu he loved
Il said she went on; she did her part
splendidly and won round after round
OF applause and came off, but / did not
see her, as had another leap to make,
L
person l saw was a cross-eyed man
We show people are superstitious, doc
tor, and-oh, this paint knew that
meant bad luck. was just balancing
for the leap when there came a cry
Oh, doctor, can hear it yet-the cry
that stands for "helpr' among circus
people. 1t was Lulu, and her voice
rang out over the whole crowd, '.Hey,
Rube" heard it, and the shot that
followed, but / was balanced for the
leap and could not stop-and l fell
short-and that was why they left me
here"
'.And LuluP" suggested the doctor,
as he saw the dying mans attention
wander.
Lulu is dead! Shot, they told me
afterwards, by her husband, who was
alive after all. But its all right, doc
tor, all right! There is no marriage or
giving in marriage there! Yes-yes,
my darling, l am coming-coming-
coming-!'
The doctors watch lay on the table
and counted and ticked off the minutes.
When the hour-hand pointed to mid
night the ward was asleep, and strange,
drifting shadows, like intangible visit
ors, swept up and down the long vista
and wrapped all the suffering inmates
in their beneticent arms. Then in the
solemn stiffness strange weird cry
rang out like notes of war trumpet,
or the midnight call of some brooding
tropical bird:
Hey, Rube!"
1t seemed to come out of space. The
white faces of disturbed sleepers peer
ed into the shadows a moment, and
then all fell back to sleep, thinking it
a troubled dream. The doctor looked
at the face of the man he was watching
and he was asleep, too.-Mrs. III. L.
Rayne.