The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-05-31

these creatures But their caresses,
which had formerly pleased, sickened
me now ! shuddored from the touch
of their painted lips, through which
the fumes Of rum and whiskey flavor
cd their kisses
NJ tried to get Ruth Hepburn, that
was her name, to come and see us per-
form, l thought maybe she'd think
differently Of me if She saw me With
my lions and heard the people cheer
ing me. But she was shocked and
Mortified at the very idea, She had
never been insidea theatre or circus
in her life, and thought ours an I'M
godly calling, But yet | never dreamt
of the horror She had of such as me
Till one evening. We'd been meeting
like this for about ten, days, she talk
ing in her pious, modest way Of, sori-
Gus things, and ] thinking how gcn-
tie and sweet she was. | never meant
to brighten her but Ibroke in on her
lecture with my own story. | told her
| loved her, and if she'd marry me I'd
make her a good husband, and maybe
in time I'd 60 in for religion and such
like. Well, she turned from me with
such a look of terror, of lo&thing, |
might have been proposing to her to
60 direct to hell. idF aHl-
Chow can you say such dreadful
things to me?" she burst out. 81 can
never, never talk toyou again. l did
not think you would have insulted
me-"
"Insult you" l cried, trying to take
her hand. II don't believe you right
| ly know what ] am saying to you"
But she shrank from me as if | had
been some foul beast, and crying, ooh
don't, don't touch me". turned anC
fled as fast as her feet would carry her
and never paused till she was far on
of our reach. @
My blood was up then I felt OF
fire, being repulsed in this fashion b!
I. a slip of girl | could have crushed
in my two hands | took draugh
Of brandy before went on to perform
and | said, as / flung myself into TIN
lions cage, "Let the brutes do thei
) worst, tear me to pieces if they like
it's all one to me.
| was reckless, mad. But, strang
to say, the lions were more submissiv
) than ever that night. suppose
was the force of my passion gave m
extra power over them, for they ha
never been so completely under m
control. | made them tumble an
, play like kittens; and when, at tn
| last, fired off my pistol to rouse an
e irritate them, instead of escapin
e quickly under cover of the smoke,
I walked lcisurely to the door, unfastel
: ed it, and gave the animals a partin
I nod OF triumph ere | closed it benin
me.
My mates thought it was the bral
G dy made me so daring, and the boz
y said to me:
81 "There'll be an end to your lion pc
eJ Torrance soon, Jim, if you take
u drinking"
; That was Christmas Eve. The ne.
g day / wandered about, feeling restle
+ and unhappy. Sometimes | thougl
/ ia go to the little Methodist chap
IS on the chance OF seeing her, but
% hadn't the courage. 1t was so loi
n since had been in a place of worsli
81 that | thought all the people wou
T. know that | hadn't come to pray, b
u to see my girl.
y, Boxing night was great time t
q, us. We felt sure of q full house the
and so we had-packod people stan
q ing everywhere. | was moonil
N about listlessly, for my performan
lg was the last thing in the programn
+ W,
le and | didn'tca much to see the OF
!; ers, though they'dreach got some M
'd act or trick to go through, when 0
vs. of the Clowns touched me on t
IL shoulder.
o. "There's young woman at the dc
~ wants to speak to YOU he says.
m "Go and hang yourself for q fool,
Se' said testify, for he was fond Of "sellin
Vt, q fellow, and fancied he guessed {
d. actly what was the matter with mo
IS '1t's true, no larks; go and see
'st yourself" And he sprang into t
er ring with a shout and tumble, he
over heels, Tor IL was his turn To go
ar l walked away down the little CT
en- vass passage, dimly lighted by one (
10 BILE oil lamp, half-laughing to mys
Is. to think how easily | could be gull
he But sure enough, when | opened
ng door, there, in the dark and &C
ms stood the girl who was never out
ng my thoughts now, Ruth Hepburn.
ny al wanted to see YOU" she began
)itN rectly, before was sufficiently rec
50 cred from my surprise to speak,
tell you how sorry am for the wa!
old treated you. | was thinking Of it
ut; the time in church yesterday, for W