The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-08-27
THE CLOWNS CONFESSION.

he told it to me-and how lie became
one:
Our troop was not very taking
one; for apart from Tom. our rope
dancer was 40, if Il day; and, next to a
merriman being merry. in circus it
is necessary to have your rope dancer
young for who would feel interest in
seeing an old woman come down and
break her neck? She called herself
'.Minnehaha." Our tumbler was not
good. owing to rheumatics. and our
male vaulter. owing TO corpulence aud
the want of proper costume, was
afraid to exert himself much, fearing
to Introduce Il new scene into the per-
formances which. personally. would
have been inconvenient for him.
In the beginning of October Tom
Stages was seized with an attack Of
English cholera.
He quite believed he was going to
die.
was general help to the company.
and turned my hand to anything, from
nursing baby to going on as the
young prince. | nursed him.
"Biler," he said-that was my circus
name. aud | had almost forgotten
had any other-''Biler. says he, Il
don't know what confession is and
what confession amt; but | know this,
that can't lay here and go off into
kingdom come and not say word
about it. You listea to me.
Il was Il mason aud about three
months out of my time and was en-
gagged to as pretty lass as there was
ten miles round Chester, when, one
night about 10 a foreign looking chap
knocked at the door and said to my
landlady: Amt there a mason living
here?' only he did not speak such good
English as that.
The upshot of it was that | went
downstairs and out into the rain with
him. Says he. My good fellow would
you like to earn twenty pounds?'
Il laughed.
"Thirtyr he said and in such q
grave voice that il took all the laugh
out of me.
What am to do for it?' asked;
for $50 would have provided furniture
and put 10 rights the cottage | wanted
to take my-Bessy to.
TO brick up doorway
"Where?'
mo matter where
"When?'
Now
'"But why not in the daytimer l
asked.
because YOU are not to see the
place YOU are TO 90 TO. and because
you will be taken there blindfold.'
"'What do YOU mean? asked.
mo HARM he said; adding. dis
dainfully. Why. how could Wa be in-
terested in doing you harm?'
''lIe spoke aristocratic enough. then.
| assure you.
Il hesitated. whereupon he said in
very sweet and candid voice. Why not
earn your forty pounds; | said forty.
did not /? No one will be any the
wiser. and you will be forty pounds
the richer than you otherwise would
be-
"Tll-Tll get nv tools said.
where was taken? Idon't know.
The cab rolled on aud on for an hour
with x averal stoppages. at each of
whi, my companion got out. and
made calls; but it is possible he went
round and round. At last he told me
to come out of the cab. But the shade
was not taken off my eyes until | had
been led through several passages and
rooms. and had come to what knew
was conservatory, by the close smell
of dollhouse roses.
Then my mask was taken off. Yes;
| was in conservatory leading from
drawing room. A beautiful woman
was sitting in chair, and three men.
all foreign looking. were standing
near a door that had two paues of
glass in tile upper part, and which
appeared to me to be a tool-house for
implements used in the conservatory.
You must brick up this door and
put cement over it. said he. who was
apparently the leader of the party.
There. near the door. was brick.
cement. mortar, tools. etc. anything g
that would be wanted
ITO your work he said.
Il set to work with my job. The
threshold and sides of the door were
solid. cemented brick work; and l
saw that when had finished my job
only builder would be able to dis
cover by close examination of the
building that there was covered up
space At that poiut.
The lady never said a word-the
four men behind me uttered not .
sound. but watched me closely. was
a Quick worker and in about half an
hour | had reached the lower edge OF
the two little panes of glass in the
door.
Il suppose was agitated. At all
events ! happened to strike the glass,
and the pane shivered
There was Il strange combined
| Hal from the four men as this Incl
dent happened.