Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-09-04

to say, 81 see nothing at all strange in the
affection and solicitude which this beauti.
full little Fairy lavshes upon me; for am !
not very large and majestic elephant, and
does she not know that | love her better
than does any one else in all the world"
And it was pretty to see how gently she
babe him <cIodby until the evening per-
Torrance, which would begin in two hours
from that time.
There was a far greater crowd than usual
at the performance that evening, for the
flaming public announcements of Christie
pher and the Fairy had borne profitable
fruit. Not only were the seats packed all
the way up to the caves, but rows of extra
seats had been provided on the level ground
facing the ring. Several acts were done
before the manager announced the new
performers, which he did in the following
graceful manner:
Ladies' and gentlemen, now have the
pleasure to introduce to you the most cele-
brated performers of her majestys Aus
tralian colonies - Christopher and the
Fairy. You will see for yourselves that
Christopher is the largest and most power
full elephant in captivity, and that the
Fairy justly deserves her reputation for
being the most graceful and daring flying
trapeze performer in the world. The per-
formances of these two renowned individ-
uRls will consist In ground acts in which
they both take part, followed by the flying
trapeze act done by the Fairy alone, Chris
topher meanwhile standing below and
looking on at the same time giving sig
nails to the Fairy and otherwise encourag-
ing her in her daring and perlous per-
Torrance high in the air."
When he had finished, the elephant came
slowly walking out, and thereupon rose
mighty shout of applause and a great clap
ping of hands. Sitting on the massive
shoulders of the enormous brute was the
Fairy, glittering with spangles. She was
so small and fragile and dainty, and Chris
topher was so overwhelming and majestic
and stern, that the strange picture caught
the audience with sweeping force and the
applause became deafening. Christopher
calmly marched into the ring and pro-
ceeded deliberately around it, the Fairy
meanwhile guiding him with gentle hand
pressure on one side of his neck or the
other, while with the other hand she threw
kisses to the audience Her bare, dimped
arms and smiling, dimpled cheeks, her rosy
mouth, her large black eyes and curling
black hair in which diamonds shone, won
every heart for her in that immense crowd,
for so much sweetness and grace and dain-
ciness they had never seen all at once in a
circus ring before.
The circuit of the ring completed, the
elephant stopped and listened gravely to
the sorry jokes of the clown. He had
heard them before and was not to be
amused. The Fairy bounded to her feet
on the great animals back, and there
found room for some entertaining tricks
of agility. Then she gave him a tap with
her slippered little foot and in response he
brought his long trunk around, caught her
by the waist and sat her gently on the
ground. This made the audience applaud
until the Fairy was almost deaf. Other
things, some old and some new, were done
by the two, such as his walking over her,
stepping ever so carefully, as she lay on
the ground; recovering her handkerchief
from the clown, who had stolen it and hid
den it in his blouse: throwing her high in
the air and stepping forward in time to
have her alght nimbly on his back, and
things like that Then came her act on
the flying trapeze
To prepare for this the clown fetched her
a flag, which she gave to Christopher tC
hold in his trunk. Then the clown threw
a tape over trapeze hung high in the air
and with few parting caresses and wills
peIetl NOTus W CuIlslDputT SIG SpTdlR u
the tape and climbed it like a squirrel
She sat moment on the trapeze bar and
then glanced down at Christopher, who
sitting back on his launches the better tc
look so high, was gravely watching her
The band had stopped playing. A clear
musical voice from above, dropping like
pearls on the people below, called out;
"How was that, Christopher"
The elephant waved the flag and gravelS
nodded his approval.
Then came the real work of the act-al
sorts of agile turnings and graceful leaps
from the main bar to one hung higher
still; and after every one of these feats
each more daring than its predecessor
she would call down in her musical, pearl,
voice:
WAS that all right, Christopherf'
And Christopher would wave the fal
and solemnly nod his approval AS mucf
as to say "Of course it was all right; bu
we expect that from you, little Fairy"
Finally came her greatest feat-it wa.
to leap clear across the ring from on,
trapeze to another. She rested awhile be
fore undertaking it, and Christopher
knowing what was coming, braced him
self, all his massive muscles going on
tension, as though trying to give he
strength and alertness for the dangerous
task. The band played spirited air Will
the girl sat still on the bar; then the musi
ceased, and deep hush fell on the audi
ence The Fairy caught the bar in he
hands and swung underneath it, and he
clear voice rang out again;
Keep a sharp eye, old Christopher!''
The elephant nodded and waved his flag
, but with less stateliness than before. TIL
Fairy began to swing backward and fol
ward in the direction of the distant trapezt
which she was to catch after her fligh
through the air. Farther and farther di
!. she swing, higher and higher, back an
forth, her glittering spangles looking lik
: shower of meteors. A ringing voice erie
out:
I "Now we go, Christopher" and sh
. loosed her hold and went flying ava
. across the tent, higher and higher to tn
q apex of a graceful paraholic curve, the
q down toward the trapeze, still so far ava,
:, while the people held their breath an
y many closed their eyes. Down sailed tn
! small and graceful figure coming quickl
q closer to the goal; two eager hands wei
). outstretched to seize the bar; one han