The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-09-26
A TERRIBLE MOMENT.

Florence Revere Pendar in n. Y. Mercury.
1t was at one of New Englands pretty towns
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 we'll cared for in
every respect as his own, which statement l
have never had any reason to doubt; and L
may say l have more than once Witnessed the
strict impartiality with which he administered
corporal Punishment tc ais progeny and ap-
p~rentices if they failed to come up to the mark
in their respective duties. Many a time hayel
seen him in his ring, his full, red face BEAM
ing with genial smiles as he put a child through
he pad-act with:
"Now, Maudie dear, one, two, three, jump.
Oh!-can't? Want a little help?" crack whips
lash around the little girls slender ankles, and
with:
'Oh! please don't. I will, " over the banner
the frightened child jumped.
'Lorl 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, a 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-performers
were trapeze artists, wonderfully clever in
their line, and consequently high In favor with
Pa Dryer. They were down In the bills as
1.-THE Fays." Pa Dryer had picked Nina up
out of the streets, / believe, when she was
had been legally apprenticed to him by their
respective parents.
Before many weeks Nina's dusky eyes and
pretty ways had captivated us all, and we were
her -lling slaves, from Ned, our colored tent
maker, UP. 1t was evident from the first,
however, that Louis and Joe were deeply in
love with Nina, but as far as l could see she
showed preference to neither, treating each as
frankly as a sister might q brother, which was
natural enough, as they had grown up togeth-
err during soma ten years, having become APP
p~rentices of Pa Dryer near the same time.
Louis, who was of al open frank disposition,
with a friendly werd for every one, had just
turned twenty when they joined US, making
him three months the senior of Joe, his very
opposite, being quick to take ~offense, and of a
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 wayI 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. l
am of q rather retiring disposition, although
my vocation of clown rather bellies this trait
OF mine Outside OF the ring / am familiar ly
known as ''Stin Done," earning that title, i
believe, by my fondness for a quiet life the
moment / have shaken the saw-dust from of
my heels. How / ever came to write of this
bit Of terrible reality that crossed my path g
am not quite clear. Perhaps the desire to see
my name in print IN q different form from it's
habitnal one Influenced me; or perhaps the
hope that it might help out some poor souls
mad with jealousy to conquer that frightful
malady, may be to save them from committing
3 crime, had a little to do with it.
Well, as / was saying, this evening as / stood
waiting, ! saw Nina coming slowly, as II in
thought. toward me. 1t was something SO IN
usual to see her pretty face without a smile that
sWhy, Nina, child What ails your Has Pa
Dryer been acting uglyy" Whatever old Dryer
never known him since she had been with
us 10 treat her otherwise than kind; in
fact. he rather petted her like the rest Of us.
/ was considerably relieved when she an
swered:
"Oh, NO. But don't You laugh at me. / really
believe I'm nervous Here she laughed herself,
but it lacked the true. ring.
sNervousI What abouty" Iasked You see
she sort OF looked upon me as an old fogy, ant
didn't mind expressing Eherself freely, as !
were.
/ don know. 5he anr wsred, 'only J
feel as If something was going TO happen, don
you knew 1t Is silly OF me-. Why, when ]
was a little mite, and PA Dryer made me hang
from my chin from the trapeze, / never fell
so-7 just then, my act being on I had e
hurry away. When next 4 saw Nina she was
flying gracefully through the air from trapezs
totrapeze. After my act had hastily resumed
my everyday clothes and returned 70 the rims
generally left The building as soon as ! was
through. This night something stronger thar
myself babe me watch ssThe Fays.n hay
seen q good deal Of trapeze business in m,
day, but never any thing 80 graceful and nea
as 1.-THE Faya'" performance Nina's Ntti
form seemed to glide through tho air withou
any apparent EFFORT The applause, AZ usual
was loud and frequent Their finish, as
rule, was done in this wise: Nina taking q fly
ing leap from q small platform near th'
roof, would be caught by Louis, VIII
hung suspended head downward from one .
the trapcze. This night the order Of thing
appeared to be reversed for Il was Louis VIII
mounted to tho platform TO take the leap, IN
stead Of going through . series ef evolution
on the middle trapcze, while Nina prepare
herself for her daring drop. I had hardI
time TO wonder at tho change before I sa'
Joe, who had been executing . Catherine whes