Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-06-06


now 70 ana jacques 20. UIe evening ne
presented his friends with tickets to the
circus. Itwas the last day Of long con-
tinued fair, and Zette and her mother
had nothing to 90. So they decked 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 ON the programme
occupied line 10 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, a maze Of
trapezes, ropes and pulleys, and the
young girl, little frightened, inquired
if it all was secure.
At last the first part of the perform
ance was over, and keeping time to
slow waltz Jacques appeared. He was
as beautiful as god in his silk tights,
that displayed to advantage his superbly
nodded form, and. for the rest, his cos
tune consisted of black satin calecon,
spangled with gold
the applause of the crowd and by o
smile to Zette's smile, he darted up q
rope to his trapeze.
The preliminaries were gone through
with amid prolonged bravos, for the
handsome gymnast was a favorite, and
it was truly 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 leap
from one trapeze to another, with his
face and head covered, then suddenly
drop from this giddy height upon net
stretched below him. The two trapeze
were swinging with regular movement.
Jacques, standing on little board, his
head enveloped in a black velvet bag,
put forth his hand blindly. The crowd
held its breath. The man was going to
jump-he had jumped
A piercing cry rent the air.
Missing the second trapeze, which had
been badly regulated, Jacques fell to the
net, but it proved too frail to support his
weight, and striking upon the seats he
rolled to the ground, where he lay mo-
tionless.
With cry of horror, Zette sprang to
her feet, rigid and pale, her eyes fixed
upon the spot where the men were now
carrying away the apparently ifeless
body of her friend.
Then suddenly seizing her mother
arm, Come" she said in hollow
voice.
Breaking through the crowd, the two
women reached the stables, but were re-
fused admission. For long while they
remained at the entrance, listening tc
what was said around them, but no one
knew anything. Finally Nine. Floury
saw clown whom she recognized as one
of Jacques friends. He was just coming
out of the refreshment room when she
called him.
"The net broke the force of the fall, >
said the man, whose face looked trou
bled, even under the paint. "The doctor
says he will be lame for life, and that
this ends for him his profession as {
gymnast. Poor fellow! But he has some
thing laid up for rainy day.
Nine. Floury looked at Zette. She
was very pale, and her eyes were fixet
upon the man as he spoke as though try
ing to find if he lied. At last she said
"Let us 60"
And thanking the clown by gesture
she left the circus
The two women did not speak as the,
traversed the grounds Of the fair, anC
they were still silent as they ascendeC
their own little stairway. But whel
Mime. Floury had lighted the candle sh,
saw Zette 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, httl
daughter?" she asked, trying to reassur
herself.
Then Zette laid her head upon he
mothers shoulder, with childlike ges
ture.
II think - that now I can MARI,
jacques" she told her.-From tn
French in Romance.