Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09

now, IL appeared, he vas instrumental in
bringing him 20 Wellington. A single
salty tear fell on his cheek as Paul dwelt
on this last kindness to an almost total
stranger Thinking of 1t helped him to
throw Off the lethargy. and WITH great
effort he opened his eyes again and sat up
in bed.
He was only partially undressed His
hat coat and shoes lay OH chair by the
washstand. Nerving himself to the at
tempt, Paul crawled out of bed and started
across the uncarpeted door to reach them.
But he had overestimated his powers, the
loom spun before his eyes and he sank In a
rerveless heap just as the hall door opened
and his friend Dick, entering, exclaimed:
What are you trying to do, kid?"
Get up murmured the boy.
Yes; well. don't be in too much of
sweat was the playfully sarcastic re-
Spouse. You sneak back into bed again
until you've had square meal inside Of
you. Dye know how long you've been
asleep?"
II can't imagine" returned Paul. drop
ping thankfully across the foot of the bed
me-
| >.'Oh, pshaw! that's nothing. But what do
you think of sleeping seventy-two hours at
a stretch without waking once? That's the
kind of a trick you've been up to-
"Seventy-two hours without waking"
Paul repeated in bewilderment. lis 1t pos
sible?' Then after a minutes thought he
exclaimed: "Ah! 1t must have been the
medicine they gave me. 1t was too strong
I guess"
well. yes. rather" said Dick. dryIy
Took enough to put the big elephant
oueenie to sleep. Lucky thing you had a
Chicago, that trip"
Paul smiled feebly and again expressed
his gratitude to his good friend for what
he had done. But Dick cut short further
remarks by Fastening down stairs to order
! a bowl OF beef tea and other nourishtnR
food for his patient.
Paufs recovery was rapid Two DAYS
later he was back at the circus filing his
former assignment of balloon making and
in week had fully regained his accus-
toned strength.
One morning. about three days after the
wellington engagement expired, Paul found
the rfngmaster fretting under a bad dilem-
ma. Dick Baxter, the bicycle rider, whose
act was billed as one of the star perform
ances. was suddenly attacked by typhoid
fever. and substitute had to be procured
In order to keep faith with the colonials. In
this case 1t was not 50 easy to provide an
understu('y, the bicyclists act was to
ride across wire rope stretched from pole
to pole some forty or fifty feet above the
ring.
The grooved wheel he sat was held in DO
sition by two trapeze performers, whose
combined weight maintained the equilib-
rum of the machine. 1t was Dicks GUS
tom. when the center Of the ring was
reached, and amid the breathless suspense
or the audience, to stand on his head on the
saddle of the wheel. the gymnasts preserv-
ing a rigid immobiIity below during the
progress of the thrilling scene
Aside from this daring feat It was not
much of trick to work the treadles but il
required considerable nerve to climb to that
height and calmly submit to the jars and
toltings Of the trapsze performers whose
gyrations swayed the fragile wheel clear
out Of perpendicular every time they moved.
In vain the ringmaster begged and bullied
the leapers and tumblers to essay the feat
Each one he adjured fatty refused to en-
terrain the proposition for a minute, al
though. as he explained. he did not expect
them to stand on their heads, but simply
to ride the wheel. Finally one of the leap
ers jokingly cried: "Why don't YOU ask
Chicago to do it7 He's used to going
aloft'
: The ringmaster in despair turned to him.
"How is 1t, Chicago; do you want to ride
the wheel for me until Dick gets well?"
II wouldn't mind trying It, sir, on one
condition"
whats that?'
III you'n agree to pay Dick his salary
right along" -
The ringmaster thought minute "1'n do
a private hospital this afternoon. and his
wife will stay behind to nurse him until he
is able to join u.s. He shall be taken care
of all right
ITS a. go then: I'll try it." was Pauls
VERY good; we'll have a rehearsal in an
hour, or as soon as the stations have been
worked. Meantime you and the Kelseys
talk it over"
The Kelseys were brother and sister,
They were the two who performed on the
trapeze, which, affixed to the wheel, hung
below the wire rope. Both assured the lad
there wasn't a particle OF danger If he kept
cool and that all he had to do was to sit
firmly In the saddle and work the tread1es
while they did their "act' underneath.
They explained how ne was to get on the
wheel after they were IN position. their
weight insuring the perpendicularity Of TIE
machine and reducing the danger to a mini
mum. For like reasons he was to get off
first when the performance was over
and stand on the platform, so they could
descend together to receive the plaudits Of
the relieved audience in proper style.
When the hour had expired Paul was
ready to make the trial trip, and. wearing
a pair of borrowed canvas shoes, he stepped
into the arena, where the ringmaster anx-
iously awaited his coming.
ITO he continually