Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-17

that Ted had got into a dreamy mood. He
was 80 homesick nowadays for the farm and
for the different life. He liked better to
brood over the idea of the bees humming
| over the flower beds and the doves and mar
tens calling for the cows than to give his
! whole heart and mind to the actual things
he saw and touched.
However, practice makes perfect, and by
! the time the new season opened in Bright
i town Ted had mastered the ring trick.
| There was famous programme and Ted had
| six different parts; in the Indian act, the
J buffalo hunt the chariot race, and so on
! finally to the wonderful ring trick, now ex-
| hibited for the first time. The excitemens
was good for Ted The dull, weary feelings
he had suffered from OF late vanished, his
| blood warmed to his wish, he liked the mad
gallop, he felt the joy of his own youth and
! strength and was ready to take wings and
float in air. The tent was packed with adj
| miring spectators, and all the performers
were In high spirits. The ringmaster and
clown cracked fresh jokes, at which even
the members of the company could laugh.
The horses went like the wind, the perform
ing dogs and elephants and bears all seemed
singuIarly intelligent, and altogether it was
one Oh the great days ofthe greatest show in
the universe, and the ring trlck was to
be the grand climax.
Gail right" said old Benny to Ted as the
little fellow ran out of the dressing tent in
his scarlet tights and cap.
''Al right, on deck, said Ted.
Nimbledy nimbledy up go.
The sky above and the earth below"
He stood for a moment measuring the
supports and frames with knowing glance,
then with bound, caught the lowest ring,
spun around, and light as a squirrel leaped
to the opposite one and thus Zigzagging
tad ha riur frct 70.
rest and steady himself, he swung round
twice then reversed before he should begin
the descent. He liked it up there. A cold
breath of air freshened him. The middle
fap of the tent was open for the sake Of
ventilation and light, and as he swung he
caught glimpse of the sky dotted with
tender, feecy little clouds, like sheep in Q
pasture, as his mother had once said. His
thoughts wandered to the farm for a minute,
then he suddenly remembered what he had
to do; yes, he had to reverse. He quite
forgot that he had already reversed. What
was this? Where was the ring? How still
It vasl How cooll Who was it gave Q
sharp cry? What was that roar? Not Of
wild beasts but of men and women. Oh
that crash-the end of the world must have
come.
"I'm not hurt" said Ted; '.really I'm
notp'
linen ne lalnIeu away anu was CorIlcu Oub
in old Benny's arms. Word was passed
round that the boy was not hurt, and the
show went on to its close, although all the
performers were Hurried and everything
went badly.
Ted had broken no bones, strange to say,
he had fallen on the cushion, vet somehow
he was hurt and badly hurt Nobody quite
knew why they were afraid it was his back.
Days came and went and he lay on his lit
tie bed holding his mothers hand.
81 couldn't get up to-day" he would
mutter in alarm when anybody came near
him, "but I'm getting rested and perhaps
by tomorrow
He was so used to playing his parts that
he was ashamed thus to lie and eat tho
bread of idleness. But he and old Benny
used to plan the wonderful feats he would
accomplish as soon as he got well. Yet ID
was soon understood that he would never
regain his old powers.
'sYou see," the doctor said, che is shat
tered. His age is in his favor, and if he
could have good home in the country"
she shall have home in the country"
said old Benny, and he did not lose an hour.
He set off TO Mrs. Jewellers old home, he
saw her father and mother and pleaded his
and Ted's case with them, but he did not
need to plead long. Ted had his first
glimpse of the house and the river and the
road within week. The sight of it brought
the color to his cheek and the light to his
eye
"why, mother" he cried, raising himself
up. sTt paid. It paid to have the fall.
Perhaps we couldn't have come home II I
had not been laid up"