Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-09-11
A WOMAN AND A CIRCUS.
BY W. II. L. ATKINSON,

Twenty-Five years ago a circus was not
such an overgrown affair rs it now Is. A
tent covering one wing, with a few modest
sldcshews, formed the entire paraphernalia
before the days of triple Allied Masto-
oon SHOWS, with three separate rings, three
sets of performers, and three bands!"
twenty-five years ago l was q middle
aged man and doctor, but l venture to
say that knew almost as much about the
management of a circus as I did of pills
and prescriptions. l resided in consider
able village in Ohio, and for twenty years
had visited every circus which had come
within fifty miles.
You wonder why? Well, I will tell you.
When very young man, just after re-
celving my diploma and while the mystic
letters M. ID. tackled to the end of my name
were still pleasing novelty, | became en-
gagged to the prettiest girl in the village.
Folks said she was Il little wild, but she
never seemed so to me. l knew she was
full of animal spirits; I knew that she
flirted little, but, though l loved her
dearly, was not in the least Jealous.
think loved Annette too well to mis-
crust her. L always believed in girls, and
boys too, having lots of fun, so long as
there was no wicAedness lack of it. Thus
1t came to pass that Annette went where
and with whom she pleased, with no word
of interference from me.
have said that we became engaged to be
married. We We're to wait two years, dur
ing which time 1 hoped to build up n prac-
tice yhich should warrant me in taking to
myself wife and home of my own. The
Two years flew by. Everything prospered
with me, and within three months | ex-
pected to marry Annette.
Ilnt+ Ill l. -
circus visited our village and made two
days stand. Among the performers was a
bareback rider, roughly handsome-of
the Spanish gypsy type-but to;a|ly IN
educated. He succeeded, however, in
fascinating Annette.
After the show left town Annette and
Leon" doubtless corresponded, though l
never knew it. Three months later, in the
fall of the year and within week of the
day set for our wedding, the circus once
more came to town. When it left, Annette
left too. l was terribly grieved. l was so
grieved that l became physically sick. But
was proud, too, and would not assist in
any measures for bringing the runaway
back. Indeed, had she came back right
away do not think | would ever have
married her. Ny pride was hurt, and when
ones pride is wounded the sore is very sore
tried to put Anne tie out of my mind.
prospered in my profession, but 1 never
married. Yet l think l always yearned for
my wild, lost love; for, as the years rolled
away, an uncomfortable impulse sent me
to every circus that came within reach of
me. But l never saw Annette, nor Leon,
eithe-, although l must have visited over a
dozen shows every summer.
Twenty years passed away, and I was q
lonely man on the shady side of forty. "Tho
Great Monster Imperial Circus, fresh from
triumphal tour through Europe" was ad-
vertised to make a stand in Cornville.
OF course l went. There was no printed
programme, but toward the end of the per-
Torrance the ring master announced with il
loud voice, "Mademoiselie ANNETTE, the
Partisan prodigy, champion lady bare back
rider OF the world"
lNIy ears could not have deceived me. He
did say "Annette;" but, then, a thousand
chances to one it was not my Annette. She
would be forty years old now-not a likely
age for woman to show herself off as a
bareback rider. Still, for second or
two, | was in suspense.
Ha! the curtain across the entrance is
pushed back, the ringmaster cracks hii
whip with q great and sounding crack, and
two milk-white steeds canter into and
around the ring.
Then the apology for band starts up,
and, as the horses near the entrance to tho
ring once more, a Sau(iily though scantily
alfred girl rushes ont, and, amid crack
ing of whips, "hurrahs" from the circus
men, and shrill "Loup-la!" from herself,
leaps at q bound to the back of one of the
horses.
But it is not Annette-at least not nv
Annette. This is quite Young girl; l can
tell that, used rs am to the makeup" OF
circus fairies, etc.
Mademoiselle goes through the hundred
and one tricks in which a circus rider
usually shows Off her powers. Her last
trick is TO bound through rings of fire.
made by stepping iron rings i'll coal-oi OF
some other intlammable liquid. / suppose
the girl had done the trick thousand
times before, but this time was once too
often.
Her f1imsy dress caught fire, and, missing
the horses, she fell heavily to the ground
huddled head OF burning silk and galze.
Knowing that my professional services
might be required, l was in the ring in an
instant. The fire was speedily extinguished,
and the limp, crushed form was carried
tenderly to the dressing room," where !
examined her.
The girl must have been favorite, judg-
ing from the eagerness with which men
and women crowded around to know how
she was-the women inside and the men at
the entrance of the so-callcd dressing
room,"
After a careful examination I had to re-
port to the manager broken arm and Sc
we're spinal injuries.
1t was not altogether disinterested pity
which prompted me to insist on having the
Injured girl taken to my house. For. in
side her dress, fastened around her neck by
silken cord, found tiny package which
aroused my curiosity.
I could not help somehow connecting
her name and the package with myself. So
the was carried up to my house, and for
several days my old housekeeper and de-
voted the greater part of our time to nurs-
ting the sick girl. 1 was fearful that she
would be cripple for the rest of her life,
and SO l had celebrated Philadelphia
physician come down TO see her. His opin-
pn was that she would get quite we'll, end
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