Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-06-21

day, though, you may change your mind,
and then you need only hold out your
hand and say to me, Let us be married,
and it will make mo happy
So after thus simply settling the affair
Jacques was like Il brother in the house.
1t was he who in the springtime plant
ed the seeds in the boxes upon the little
balcony. 1t was he who twined the ten
drills about the wires, and it was he who
at all seasons furnished the gilded porce-
lain vases that held the flowers.
These flowers We're q great luxury to
! Zette.
This state Of things did not long con
tinue, however. The young girl was
noW 20 apd jacques 2G. One evening he
presented his friends with tickets to the
circus. 1t was the last day of a long con-
tinued fair, and Hette and her mother
had nothing TODD. So they deckod them
| selves in their best and Went early.
Nine. Floury was much amused with
the horses, the rope dancers, the clowns,
the trained dogs. Zette thought only of
Jacques, whose name Oh the programme
occupied a line to itself, and whose ap-
paratus was hanging up at the top of the
high tent. The latter consisted of bars,
with copper balls that shone, q maze Of
trapezes, ropes and pulleys, and the
young girl, a little frightened, inquired
if it all was secure.
At last the first part of the perform.
ance was over, and keeping time to a
slow waltz Jacques appeared. He was
as beautiful as a god in his silk tights,
that displayed to advantage his superbly
nodded form, and. for the rest, his Co.'S
tune consisted Of a black satin calecon,
spangled with gold.
After having responded by a bow to
the applause Of the crowd and by a
smile to Zctte's smile, he darted up a
rope to his trapcze.
The preliminaries We're rome through
with amid prolonged braves, for the
handsome gylnnast was a favorite, and
it was truly IA pleasure to see him act
the supple body SO plant, yet SO marvel
Ously exact in its movements.
Then there came silence-even the or
chestra was still,
It was to be the hit of the evening
and a new feat that was to give an add
ed glory to the circus. He was to lear
from II trapeze to another, with his
face and head covered, then suddenly
drop from this giddy height upon Il net
stretched below him. The two trapeze
were swinging with a regular movement.
Jacques, standing on a little board, his
head enveloped in a black velvet bag,
put forth his hand blindly. The crowC
held it's breath. The man was going tc
jump-he had jumped!
A piercing cry rent the air.
Missing the second trapeze, which hat
been badly regulated, Jacques fell to the
net, but it proved too frail to support hi
weight, and striking upon the seats he
rolled to the ground, where he lay mo
tionless.
With a Cry Of horror, Zette sprang t.
her feet, rigid and pale, her eyes fixet
upon the spot where the men We're nov
carrying away the apparently lifeles
body Of her friend.
Then suddenly Selling her mother
arm, Come" she said in a hollow
voice.
Breaking through the crowd, the tw'
women reached the stables, but We're re
fused admission. For a long while the,
remained at the entrance, listening t.
what was said around them, but no on
knew anything. Finally Nine. Flour,
saw Il clown whom she recognized as on
Of Jacques friends. He was just coming
out of the ~refreshment room when sh
called him.
"Tlle net broke the force of the fall,
said the man, whose face looked trou
blcd, even undcr the paint. 1.-The docto
says he will be lame for life, and tina
this ends for him his profession as
gymnuSt. Poor fellow! But he has some
thing laid up for IL rainy day"
Nine. Flomy looked ut Zette. Sh
was very pale, and her eyes We're fiNe'
upon the man us ln spoke as though try
ing to lind il hn led. AT last she said
LET Us CO.
And thanking the clown by Il gestur
she left the circus.
The two women did not speak as the,
traversrl the grounds of the fair, AM
they were still silent as they ascende'
their own little stairway. But whel
Nine. Floury had lighted the candle sh
saw Zetto sitting beside the bed, with
strange smile on her lips. She felt fright
ened for her and went to her.
"Of what are you thinking, littl
daughter?' she asked, trying to reassur
herself.
Then Zette laid her head upon he
ture.
II think that now I can MARI.
J~acques,' she told her.-From tn
French in Romance.