The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-20

ing about the fields. He lonRed to climb the
NIL and mset the wind ready TO buffet him
when ha ron ched the top. and 10 dabbls his
let inl the cool stream where biz mothers
brothers used TO swim on summer after
moons. The season wAs hot aud on nights
when the animals wore ~rsstless, whom the
lions roared and dashed the bars with their
tails n the tigers. snarIing, phcsd their
cages and the hyenas yelled and this ele-
plants trumpeted. and ths horses fright
Ted could not sleep. There was Lo air to
breathe and tbs many scents made him long
for the folds Of Glover and the garden with
it, bsds of ~mignonette.
"nother,n he barst out, why don't
they like tls circus?'
sas late on her sewing a. usual, but she had
supposed the boy was fast asleep.
Why, grandfather and grandmother and
the rest Of them"
"Ssms psoplo don't like q circus, Ted"
she said gently. 1T Just a feeling"
But US the greatest show on earth!"
~ know it's \ great thing in its way
said Mrs. Llswellsn. ''but yon SGT, Ted, my
family are quiet people and their way IL
different. suppose 1t IN partly the tights
and the spangles, and the crowns, tho
CANDY, make-bslisvs, which made ,ather
fsel that nothing 10 modest and honest and
F Es about anybody who belongs 70 Z circus.
him - You and ] do he would nay he was !
good man. And il he knew how everybody
had to work, to 70 over svsry part again
and again, he would see that no good per-
formers could be dissipsted or lazy"
learning the ring trick and o%ertainIy
thsfs was plenty OF hard work about that.
II was. IS w have said, the first thing that
Ted did not take to by natural instinct, as
= duck to water. Never before had he
shrunk back from what he was hidden to
do, giving way TO . 1T Of trembling.
harder than the trapezs, and Tod liked Of
All things to 70 flying from ropo to rope
to tbs topraost ring, loving the idea that
the hearts Of tbs spectators sometimes sank
into their boots At tbs conviction that he
was in danger, 10Y he suffered nameless
t@errors, he felt clumsy, he had lost faith in
himself. The truth was, up to the present
he had gone on doing everything that came
in his wav without = thought of what might
happen If he failed. Now he was like q
Eomnambulist who awakens to find himself
in q position OF danger. It was as if he
had to learn his tricks all over again,
and proof instead OF heretofore swiftly ana
unerrinGly BY Instinct. Old Benny was pa
tient and tender with ths little fellow.
All you have to do is to oatch hold of
the ring and turn round on it, said he.
You know all the while there is a cushion
underneath you and that if you were to fall
you would not be hurt
II shan't fall,' said Ted, "but I don't
like it,"
You have not got used to it, and it's
there that tho fun comes in" said Benny.
You never had q stumble yet, not even a
balk; you're like a Bird"
Ted hung his head and confessed to him
self that he no longer felt like a bird. He
Was 50 weary. There was a gray haze over
all the narrow little world Of his, and each
dav it settled closer and closer. Ho felt
dull, inert, as il he longed to sleep, at least
to sit down aimlessly and dream wide awake
about ths hill and the river and the cool,
quiet nights in tho old place.
II myself nave hated to do things that 1
grew mighty proud of whom I mad got at
the knack of them,'' said Benny. Come
now, try again, Ted"
Ted brnced himself up and went through
the rehearsal, but when it was over he
burst out crying and sat down all in q
tremble.
TITS a safe sign to be a little afraid,''
said Mrs. Bill. 1T isn't the tricks one is
afraid Of that one trips in. but those one
feels too sure Of"
They all dattered and encouraged him,
and Ted felt ashamed of his faint-heayted-
ness; A regular salary was promised him
by the manager as 500 as he has made q
SUCCESS of the ring trick. and this was
what ho and his mother had been looking
to ever since he was ten-years old. |
1t was odd why he disliked the ring trick,
1t was simply a matter of swinging
himself up to tho top Of a high. tall frame
work on rings which hung on horizontal
bars. The supports below were twelve feet
apart, but met with another transom beam
ring on the apex. The way was to
catch the lower ring, swing round on it,
then with the impetus gained to leap the
gap, seize the opposite ring a little higher
up and 30 on from right and left and left
It was a pretty feat, and, perhaps, no
harder than any other of tho flying tricks,
but it needed a clear head, and tho trouble
that Ted had got into a dreamy mood.
was 80 homesick nowadays for the farm
and for the different life. He liked better
over the flower beds and the doves and
martens calling for the COWS then to give
MS whole heart and mind to the actual
Ehings he saw and touched.
However, practice makes perfect, and by
The lime the new season opened in Bright
led had mastered the ring trick.
There was q famous programme, and Ted
lad six different parts; in the Indian act,
he buffalo hunt, the chariot race, and so
IN finally to the wonderful ring trick, now
for tho first time. The excite
nent was good for Ted. The dull, weary
ceilings he had suffered from of late van
shed. his blood warmed to his wish, he
the mad Rallop, he felt tho joy of his
I'VE youth and strength and was read to
wings and float in air. The tent was
,acked with admiring spectators, and ali
he performers were in high spirits. The
and clown cracked fresh Jokes,
It which even the members of the company
ould laugh. The horses went like the
Wind, the performing dogs and elephants
nd beass all seemed singularly intelligent,
nd altogether it was one of the great lava
t the greatest chow in the universe, and
he ring trick" was to be the grand climax.
"AN right" said old Benny to Ted, az
he little fellow ran out of the dressing tent
n his scarlet tights and cap.
IAN right, on deck" said Ted.
Nimbledy, ninbledy up | 60,
The sky above and the earth below"
he stood for a moment measuring the
aHd frames with a knowing glance,
hen with K bound, caught the lowest ring,
pun round. and light as a squirrel leaped
. the opposite one and thus ziRzageinp
to the upper ring. Here, just to
est and steady himself, he swung round
vice then reversed before he should begin
he descent. He liked it up there. A cold
reath OF mir freshaned him. The middle
ap Of the tent was open for the sake of
and light, and rs he swung he
might q glimpse OF the sky, dotted with
snder, tleocy little clouds, like sheep in a
as his mother had once said. His
wandered to the farm for a min
then he suddenly remembered what he {
to do; yes, he had to reverse. Flo quite