Thomas County cat., 1885-11-26
"SNOWY'S" LEAP.
The Cause Of His Whitened Hair
and Terrified Look.

The sign above the door was in
scribed dramatic Agency" and the
stairway, seen dimly from without, was
worn with tread of feet, and revealed
just then n figure coming down. A
moment more and the sunlight that
was setting the dust of Union Square
aglitter with shining particles shone
upon a face that would anywhere arrest
attention. 1t was not any scar or de-
feet of feature. but a certain terrified
look that gave the man the aspect of
one who has ust seen a specter. The
reporter standing out upon the side
walk noticed it. and turning to look
after the owner of that stange counte-
nance saw that his hair was white as
snow.
''Odd looking, isn't he?" muttercd
the reporter to his companion. men,
Der of 1.-The pro 'esS on engaged just
then, like many OF his fellows, in Mi
cawberlike pursuits.
The lounging Thespian looked up,
looked after the receding figure, and
said:
..Snowball; yes. he is odd"
why do you call him Snowflake
''Oh, on account of his hair, to be
sure. Didn't you notice it?''
Certainly. l could not we'll escape
it"
We'll, that's the reason he is called
SNOWFALL or Snowy. It's only a nick
name"
'.Is he an actor?"
NO; he's a circus man. / don't
know what he is at now. But he used
to be in the trapeze and tight-rope line.
Pretty clever at his business, too, l can
tell you
The speaker was dismissing the OBJ
iect of the reporters inquiry with this.
but there was something in the awed
expression of the face, something in the
white locks clustering around it that
remained in the mind of the questioner
like some haunting presence. What
an odd face it was for an athletic and
an acrobat. Thoughts of the Grimaldis
of the stage, who carried under their
grinning masks and piebald raiment
tragical stories. came before, and ten
minutes later, when burly soul with
the girth of a Falstaff and the lungs of
Stentor, came along, who could tell
the personal history of nearly every
human being who trod the sawdust on
this side of the Atlantic, he asked him
for Snowbalrs story
''What have you heard about him?"
was what the big man said, and then
added, solemnly, ''few know the truth
about him."
Il know nothing" said the reporter
'It was his face that made an impress
sion on me-"
1T We'll might" said the other. ut
is not the face God gave the man. He
was once q jolly enough soul But one
nights fright fixed him. He has worn
the look of terror that it left upon him
tor many year. He will wear it to
his grave. If you care about it l will
tell you what know. But the narra-
tive is not cheerful one, l promise
you. 'Snowy'-we will call him-that
is not his name. but the boys call him
so-'Snowy' was a trapeze performer
You see he is well-bullt graceful fel-
low even now. But when he was
young he was as good q figure as any
one l ever saw in the business. He was
clever. too, and was among the first
who took flying leaps through space
from one trapeze to the other. When
first knew him he was with circus.
He was great attraction, too, for when |
he came out in his trunks and spangles |
and kissed his hand about the circus.
there wasn't girl present who didn't
admire him. and look it, too.
There are good many pitfalls for |
q young fellow in such business to |
stumble into But he steered clear OF |
them. He never drank. and l have |!
never heard of his being mixed up in |
any gallantries. What was odd about |
him was the way he used to keep to |
himself People believed he was in
so,ne sort of trouble. or had come from |
a good family and was sorry for taking
q circus life. But he never enlightened |
them of his own accord.
.'Soon after came to know Snowy
had the management of travelling
variety show making circuit down
East. We had all sorts of attractions.