The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-23

eager eyes OF his anxious father. With
an outward GOODNESS. in strong contrast
to the beatlngs OF a tender heart within,
the performer loaded his pistol and
raised it, amid the breathless excite
ment of the expectant audience.
A pull Cf the trigger, a sharp click,
and a murmur Of disappointment told
that the weapon had missed fire. Moth
ing daurted, and still with an apparent
perfect Calmness, every movement be-
ing eagerly watched by the audience,
BoSco reloaded the pistol and again
raised it. There WAS Il sharp chick,
followed by Il loud report, and in an
other second the child stepped forward,
holding the shattered apple in his hands.
The suspended breath Of the audience
returned and broke out into deafening
shout.
"Bravo! bravo" came from a thou
rand threats simultaneously, and a thou.
sand pairs Of hands met in approval.
Encore! Do it again. rose above
tn" din, and the idea catching hold de-
v"l"p"d into a loud roar, do it again!'
Bosco seemed pleased and panied at
once. He hesitated.
do it again. and the shout assumed
a ~ptrelnptory tone. Some one threw q
half crown into the ring; it was fol-
lowed by arothCr, and soon a shower of
silver lay at the performers feet. How
could he resist: He motioned to the
boy. and a second apple was brought
and placed in position. The lads en-
Cesslvely pale face attracted general at
tcnti0n now, but a few sympathetic
voices raised in protest were howled
down by the impctuOus demand, DO it
again.
Bosco showed some traces of excite
ment as he reloaded his weapon, and
the operation seemed to occupy a long
or time. Could it be that his nerve was
failing him, or was it the sight of the
boy : face that filled him with dread?
Again he raised the weapon amid in
creased excitement and fired. The shot
was again true. and for the second time
the lad brought forward the shattered
apple.
Amid the applause that followed,
B0sco took the hand of his son and was
about to retire when once more the I'M
reasonable shout was raised: do it
again! Do it the third time!' The
performer declined.
The shouts grew louder and more de-
termined.
Again! again. resOunded through
the place, until it seemed that a mad
lntatuation had seized upon the people,
and they were thirsting for a tragic end.
Again. again. rose the shout, each
time uttered in a more angry tone. 1t
was flung from gallery to pit; the
amphitheater caught it up and threw it
back again, until the whole house rang
with the tumultuous demand.
Still BosCo declined, until on a pei
sonal appeal from the proprietor, who
feared the growing storm, he reluctantly
yielded.
When it was seen that he had given
way. a wild shout Of triumph rent the
ar. limos inhuman in its fcrUcity. Is
1t thus that audiences play with their
tuvOrites?
For the third time All apple was
placed in position and the glaring light
again thrown on. How terribly pale
wcr" those features now! Bo+ro's hand
vl>lhly trcm1}' 4 rs h" loaded the dead
~ weapon. The few tanA,r hearts in
that vast multitudc ~irk- ned at tn,
sight.
Making a t~rcmoN}u3~ effort to rrrry-
or lis self Possession, Io~co r&I~ i the
W.""'H@nI t,'H "jn. Thor" W.-"-gin
a sharp click, Il loUl r.Iu1t %Mti til. boy
fon heavily to Tie ground.
My God, Wuot have dome? What
hav" | d"r":' ,zcI@i1u,l the performer
in an agony Of @1iof and rushed from
tn" RINK. y few attt&duts lifted the
Lads Ir'stratc form and conveyed it to
an inM"r mt, while a murmur akin to
rtmur>" escaped the vast crowd.
y painful suspense followed, during
which the band struck up a lively tune.
but 1t sounded like a funeral march.
'Tho hoy! the boy! what about the
boy the audience shouted. They were
human again now At length the man
ager appeared. He told them that the
lad had been i'll all day and had taken
part in the performance at great risk.
The mental strain was too much for
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
talnting fit is over be shall be presented
to you. See, here he comes!' and as
he spoke Bosco emerged from the tent,
leading by the hand his little son, dis
playing the remnants of the third apple.
Such a shout arose as has never since
been heard under the canvas of Gal
laxys monster tent, and when Bosco
raised the boy in his arms and kissed
him affectionately on both cheeks the
cries Of bravo, Bosco!' could have
been heard tor miles around.
Alfredo BOsco has never told how
that very fainting 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 just as the
swooning boy was falling to the ground.
William Tells historic and never to be
forgotten feat no longer forms an item
In Signor Alfredo Bosco's extensive rep
ertOry.-LOndOn Tit Bits.