Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1894-06-13

i
emit perfect calmness, every movement
oeing eagerly watched by the audience,
| bosco reloaded the pistol and again
raised it. There was = sharp click,
followed by loud report, and in an.
other second the child stepped for.
ward holding the shattered apple In
his hands. The suspended breath OF
the audience returned and broke out
INTO deafening shout
| Bravo! bravoi" came from a thou.
sand threats simultaneously, and a
! thousand pairs of hands met in ap-
prevail.
Encore! Do it againr' rose above
the din. and the idea catching hold de-
veloped into loud roar: DO il
again.
Bosco seemed pleased and panied at
once He hesitated.
DO 1T again." and the shout assumed
a peremptory tone. Some one threw a
half-crown into the ring; it was fol
lowed by another, and soon a shower
OF silver lay at the performers feet.
How could he resist? He motioned to
the boy, and second apple was
brought and placed in position. The
lads excessively pale face attracted
general attention now, but n few sym
pathctic voices raised in protest were
howled down by the impetuous de-
mand DO IL again.!
Bosco showed some traces Of excite
ment as he reloaded his weapon, and
the operation seemed to occupy q
longer time. Could IL be that his nerve
WAS failing him, or was it the sight of
the boys face that filed him with
dread? Again he raised The weapon
amid increased excitement and fred.
/ The shot T=as again true, and for the
second time the lad brought forward
the shattered apple.
Amid the applause that followed,
Bosco took the hand of his son and
was about to retire when once more
the unre asonable shout was raised:
DO it againl Do it the third time"
The perform err declined.
The shouts grew louder and more de.
termined.
Again, again" rcsounded through
the place, until it seemed that a mad
lnfatuation had seized upon the people
and they were thirsting for tragic
end Again! Again. rose the shout,
each time uttered in a more angry
tone. 1t was flung from gallery to pit;
the amphitheatre caught it up and
threw il back again, until the whole
house rang with the tumultuous de-
mand.
Still Bosco declined, until on a per-
sonal appeal from the proprietor, who
feared the growing storm, he reluctant
ly yielded.
When it was seen that he had given
"a will Sl s 4.
air, almost inhuman in its ferocity. Is
1T thus that audiences play with their
favorites?
For the third time an apple was
placed In position and the glaring light
again thrown on. How terribly pale
were those features now! Bosco's
hand visibly trembled as he loaded the
deadly weapon. The few tender
hearts in the vast multitude sickened
at the sight.
Making tremendous effort to re-
cover his self-possession, Bosco raised
the weapon and took aim There was
again sharp click, loud report, and
the boy fell heavily to the ground
My God, what have l done? What
have | done?" exclaimed the performer.
in an agony of grief, and he rushed
from the ring. A few attendants
lifted the lads PROSTATE form and con-
veyed 1t to an inner tent, while a muir
muir akin to remorse escaped the vast
crowd.
painful suspense followed. during
which the band struck up lively tune,
but 1T sounded like a funeral march.
The boy! the boy! What about the
ooy?' the audience shouted Thew
were human again now. At length the
manager appeared. He told them the
lad had been i'll all day and had taken
part in the performance at great
RS X. The mental strain was too much
Tor him, however, and as the last shot
was fired his strength gave way and he
swooned. But he is not hurt" the
manager concluded, and as soon as
the fainting fit is over he shall be pre-
sented to you. See, here he comes,"
and as he spoke Boscoe emerged from
the tent. leading by the hand his little
son, displaying the remnants of the
third apple.
Such shout arose as has never since
been heard under the canvas of Gal.
laxy's monster tent. and when Bosco
raised the boy in his arms and kissed
cries of bravo! Bosco." could have
been heard for miles around.
Alfredo Bosco has never told how
that very fGinting fit OF Alfonso's
saved the lads life, for he. and he
only, knew that his aim was defective. |
and that the shot struck the apple lust
as the swooning boy was falling to the
ground William Tells bi.t,r;. .,,d
never-to-be-forgotten feat no longer
forms an item in Signor Alfredo Bos. !
cos extensive rcpertory. london lid |
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