The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-09-25
A TERRIBLE MOMENT.

N-~~' ~NAAA~ " HAeOAo AAo1 JOl4Od Jul cLOhs "AoA
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 ap-
prentices if they failed to come up to the mark
in their respective duties. Many time haveI
seen him in his ring, his full, red face beam
ing with genial smiles as he put child through
he pad-act with:
Snow, 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
'Lor! bless you" would this veteran child
trainer observe; 'you've got to frighten 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-performer
were trapeze artists, wonderfully clever in
their line, and consequently high in favor with
Pa Dryer They were down in the bills as
'HThe Fays" Pa Dryer had picked Nina up
out of the streets, believe, when she was
about seven years OF age, but the two boys
had been legally apprenticed to him by their
Before many weeks Nina's dusky eyes and
pretty ways had captivated us all, and we were
her willing 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 IS I could see she
showed preference to neither, treating each as
frankly as q sister might brother, which WAS
natural enough, as they had grown up togeth-
er during some ten years, having become ap-
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 when they joined us, making
him three months the senior Of Joe, his very
opposite, being quick to take offense, and of q
sfngularly 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
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
am of rather retiring disposition, although
my vocation of clown rather bellies this trait
of mine Outside of the ring am familiar ly
known as ''Still Done," earning that title, I
believe, by my fcndness for quiet life the
moment have shaken the saw-dust from off
my heels. How 1 ever came to write off this
bit of terrible reality that crossed my path I
am not quite clear. Perhaps the desire to see
my name in print in q 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 frightful
malady, may be to save them from committing
a crime, had a little to 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 un-
usual to see her pretty face without smile that
exclaimed:
Dryer been acting ugly?" Whatever old Dryer
had done in Ninas younger days, 1 had
never known him since she had been with
us to treat her otherwise than kind; in
fact, he rather petted her like the rest of us.
I 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 tlacked the true ring.
she sort of looked upon me as an old fogy, and
didn't mind expressing ihersef freely, as it
were
"Oh, don't know" she answered, "only I
feel as if something was going to happen, don't
you know? It is silly of me. Why, when I
was little mite, and Pa Dryer made me hang
from my chin from the trapeze, I never felt
go" just then, my act being on, had to
flying gracefully through the air from trapeze
to trapeze. After my act Ihad hastily resumed
my everyday clothes and returned to the ring
entrance, which was not my custom, for
generally left the building as soon as l " as
through. This night something stronger than
myself bade me watch s'The Fays." I have
seen good deal of trapeze business in my
day, but never any thing so graceful and neat
form seemed to glide through the air without
any apparent effort The applause, as usual,
rule, was done in this wise: Nina taking q fly
ing leap from 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 it was Louis who
mounted to the platform to take the leap, in
stead of going through a series eff evolutions
on the middle trapeze, while Nina prepared
herself for her daring drop. had hardly
time to wonder at the change before saw
Joe, who had been executing Catherine wheel
on trapeze still higher up, give violent
start He too, think, was surprised
Shall ever forget the cry thatrang through
the building that night causing women to
faint and strong men to turn white like unto
death. I can hear it now, and the words:
ssNina! for Gods sake keep clear of the mid
die trapeze; the ropes are cut"
Too late came Joes warning. 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 I closed my eyes to shut the horror
of it out, when murmur like the hoarse roar
of the distant sea fell upon my ears, swelling
until it burst into wild huzza. I 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 clung 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 a lower trapeze and swung himself to
the rescue of LeEis, thereby enabling the lat
ter to snatch Nina from q horrible death.
Cheer upon cheer greeted the two as they
were lowered safely to the ground, while one
old fellow. in his excitement, exclaimed, as
he caught Joe by the hand.
'tA brave act ye've done this night lad It
ought to wipe out heap of sins fur ye."
That night Joe disappeared, and ''The Fays"
as far as the public was concerned, were known
no more.
For many weeks Nina lay hovering 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 prospering well in their