West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-11-09

I'D from the bottom of the pole
there stretched out al arm, which
gave to the pole gallows like ap-
pearance. A rope which hung from
the end of this arm, with a halter
band of leather, added to the repui-
sive appearance. The arm moved
noiselessly and easily about the
supporting post SIS the young
lady to be hung on that gallowsT
was the facetious inquiry addressed
TO the man of horse lore and circus
mystery.
"Yes, she'll hang there for a hall
hour. Here she comes; now see
how she does it,"
The erstwhile fairy came trip
ping down stairs, if fairy can trip
when shod in sort of sabot, much
like those worn by the peasants OF
Holland, but with triae less wood
in them. Great Scott! What
transformation! The sabotS brought
down stairs something utterly un-
like the graceful woman who few
moments before had gone to the
mysterious regions Of the dressing
room. 1t was 4 being clothed in
cross between bloomer costume
and a bathing dress. She had
seemingly grown old and homely
and lost all her attractiveness In
half hour, and had the lover OF the
woman who entered the building
been permitted to see her after the
transformation. no matter how in
fatuated lie might have been, his
affection would have departed in
the presence of that frightful eXer-
cising costume. 1t must be con-
fessed that she was graceful in 1T,
so far as her movements were con-
cerned, and that its effect on her
beauty didn't bother her a particle
when she ran out into the ring
ready for her morning exercise.
Bob was ready; so was his
Bloomer-rigged owner, the ring
master, who fastened stout bit of
cord to the hsrses bride bit, the
other eud of which cord he held in
the hand that didn't hold the whip.
An attendant fastened the halter
about the waist Of ''the peerless
eouestrienne," and the gallows was
ready. But before her lesson is be-
gun Mile. Throughthehoops goes up
to Bob, pats him kindly on the head
and neck, and gives him lump of
sugar. Friendly relations are thus
established between horse and rider,
and She says "All right, let him
90" There's a snap of the ring
masters whip, Enthusiastically
womanly Get upp' in shrill, high
KEY, and the handsome grey begins
his gallop about the little circus
ring. He makes half dozen cir
cults of the ring, and then Mile.
Throughthehoops makes a frantic
rush at him, catches him by the
name with one hand and with the
other seizes the grip fastened to the
saddle girth and leaps TO his back.
At the same instant the rope ar
rangement of the gallows frame of
the mechanic is hauled taut. 1t was
we'll it was hauled taut, too, for the
horse, startled by the sudden de-
scent on his reined back, jumps
away as if struck by bullet. The
rider loses her fUothold, and if it
wasn't for that mechanic and its
galows like arm, she would have
had bad tumble. Instead the me-
chanic and its arm and harness keep
her swinging in the air, and she is
gradually lowered to the ground.
The ringmaster's whip cracks, eve.
rybody yells ''Hi-hi-hi;" the horse
finally gets down to its regular gal
lop once more, and the thing is gone
over and over again. Several times
the rider is saved from tumble by
the mechanic, and finally Bob" is
dismissed with pat and lump of
sugar. and another gray horse, who
is an old stager, comes to the ring.
Things 90 much better now. Mile.
Throughthehoops calls for the ban
ners, and big strips of white cotton
cloth come out in place of the gay
colored silken banners that would
be used in regular circus ring.
The new horse starts in with q
regular stride, Mile. Throughthe
hoops, still fastened to the mechan-
ic, leaps to his back, and the circus
without its tinsel is reproduced in
miniature. The Mile" goes on
with her act just as if a thousand
people were watching her, and cOur
tesies and smiles and waves her
hands as she would in the ring.
Who is the courtesying and smiling
at? To every employe in the big
building whose duties do net com
pei him to be elsewhere. This crowd
of men are just outside the ring, hal
looing at the top of their voice. "lii-
hi-hi," and clapping their hands and
making things hideous generally
As they shout, and the ringmaster's
whip cracks, and hands are clapped,
and the rider jumps and leaps and
yells at the top of her voice occa
sionallv. and she really seems to en-
Joy it, until a misstep throws her