Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-28
A F|ENDIsH REVENGE.

A FlENDlSH REVENGE.
smockton would hardly be called an
English village.
It was not much more than a hamlet, a
poor and ugly one.
But twice a year a function, called "the
fair by the inhabitants of Smockton.
swept away the clothes lines, the poles and
the donkeys, and filled the common with
glitter and animation. Several gaily painted
wagons, of the kind known IS caravans,
took possession of the common; a boot
ing gallery was established in a booth;
rickety stalls for the sale OF cheap drspery.
boots and coDglomerated sweets were
erected, and a good-sized tent stretched it's
weather-beaten canvas over the most con-
spicuous plot OF the ground.
A large picture OF crude design sus-
pended over the entrance represented i'm
possible gymnastic and acrobatic ieats,
wrestling duels and the attitude OF a fas-
cinating female Sampson, posing 100.
pound weights with extended arms and
jeweled fingers. A thin, rouged, white
wigged clown, whose lower limbs were
cased in ordinary trousers, standing out
side on a barrel, announced in shrill tones,
with intervals of drum beating, that at the
close of each OF the three daily perform
ances the celebrated athlete and fencing
master, MaZagrano, owner OF the show,
who met in single combat all the crowned
heads Of Europe, would condescend to
fight with sword, saber, foils or sticks any
gentleman in the audience willing to step
into the ring and enter the lists with him.
1t was the close OF a sultery August day;
the sun was sinking, and pierced with it's
level rays the haze, made OF heat and dust,
through which the wagons, the booths and
the people loo1Ied largely and distinct.
The lifted canvass curtain OF the ath.
letes' tents showed a roughly constructed
circle OF boards and profled on the block
opening the swiftly moving figure OF Lo-
renzo Mazagrapo engaged in single-stick
combat with a tall, straight, neat-limbed
soldier, who had thrown off his regimental
jacket and accepted the proffered oppor-
tunity of measuring himself with the pro-
f~essional fencer for ninepenny stakes The
men were not badly matched.
The athlete was by far the most muscu-
lar of the two; but the private had superior
skill and knoweldeg of his art. He wore
an easy, sood.humored smile, while his op-
ponent fought with set teeth and q dark
scowl, as if more bent on avenging some
personal quarrel than displaying profess
sional talent. The contest was the last Oh
the programme. Most of the spectators,
oppressed with the intense heat in the tent
and allured by the prospect OF refreshment
outside, had deserted the ring, and stood
lazily neal the entrance. Inside there re-
NAMED only the combatants, a boy levi
IDENTIFY a member of the company, the pale
faced clown and q mi
She was seated on a SQUARE deal chest in
a corner OF tho tent, gathering tightly
round her shoulders a threadbare water.
proof cloak which, however, did not con.
ceal her person SO closely as to prevent q
pink sandal, the lower part OF hesh-col-
ored stocking and the lower edge OF a red
skirt bound with furnished gold from being
visible. At her feet were three black cubes
with handles, ON which were written re-
spectively in large white figures pounds
100, pounds 200, pounds 500. She had
rested her elbows on her knees, dropped
her chin in her hands, and kept her Eyes
fixed on the athlete and the soldier.
1t would have been difficult to state
accurately the age of the woman, or de-
Clu0 WuGUu6T 6HO was pICUUy VI INV Ia
mated, her expression might be pleasant
enough; in it's concentrated attention it
was hard. Her completion was brown to
a dull red, her hair, plastered in festoons
on her forehead, was braided at the back
in broad, oiled plaits confined by large,
brass h~airpins. Her mouth was small her
lips thin; her eyes, which were large and
round, had the half-vacant, ha~lf-melancholy
look noticeable in the eyes OF beasts OF
burden, which, when they stretch cut their
necks to the yoke with the placid indiffer-
ence of long habit. carry in their patient,
reproachful glances a silent protest against
the hopelessness of their fate.
Any one VITO had watched the woman
narrowly might have seen that at each
ieint or subtle stroke her pupils dilated
and her breath came more quickly through
her parted lips. Presently the invincible
Mazagrano had to confess himself abso
lutely vanquished. The fight was over.
The soldier turned with a little gesture of
triumph toward the woman and smilingly
saluted her with a stick in military fashion.
She responded neither by look nor gesture.
The athlete, who had remained doggedly
mute listening to the applause OF the men
outside, who had thrust tteir heads into
the tent, allowed them to disperse once
more: then striding toward the private,
who had resumed his jacket, he placed his
Goa rse hand on his shoulder and said saw
agely:
mot so soon, my fine fellow. Let us
play quits. Work it out with your fists.
Well wrestle, if you please"
The soldier looked surprised. The woman
had started to her feet. The cloak falling
to the ground revealed the garnishes OF her
circus dress and her bare outstretched arms.
"Don't fight him. she almost shriekcd
in a voice OF terrified entreaty. HE is in
one OF his tantrums; he'll hurt you"
Mazagrano turned on her furiousIy.
49," he said, with an ugly sneer, you're
afraid I'll spoil his beauty, missus." Then
facing the private again he added. b~rutally,
"Are you a man or a coward?"
The soldier had become quite pale. He
was brave but not overstrong, and he
knew it. However, he Began slowly to un-
button his coatagain.
"Don't fight with him! Don't fight!'
repeated the m mechanically and
almost inaudibly, as she san down help
less on the wooden box.
Mazagrano crossed his arms over his
breast and stood ~motionless, while his
opponent attired himself 10 the wrestler's
scanty apparel that had been flung at his
feet. The athletes eyes were bloodshot,
his upper lip was lifted in a smile OF bestial
ferocity and occasionally he shot a cruel
glance at the woman, who glanced before
her with widened, terror-stricken eyes. As
soon rs the soldiers toilet was completed,
the two men faced each other and clio ed. |
Not for long. Almost at once the solder |
was thrown, both his shoulders t ,uching
the ground.
Before he could even attempt to rise
Mazagrano placed one knee on his chest,
and, Selling his head with bis two hands,
was slowly twisting it around. A stified
groan OF agony broke from the victim echoed
by q piercing scream OF despair from the
woman. Then tie athlete rose, spurning |
with his foot the inanimate mass.
The soldiers spinal chord was broken.
The woman had fallen forward on her ex-
arms. AS the crowd poured into
the tent Mazagrano walked up to her side, !