The Van Buren press., 1895-11-16
the signal. and the next instant

RhFF IHE tAa AlAC GEAt AAA.Ae-1N
vas shooting toward me like an arrow.
We gripped, and took the usual swing
to and fro; as / prepared to let go felt
his clasp on my wrist Tightening spas
medically.
l knew something was wrong. !
looked down; his eyes met mine with
out sign of intelligence; they were
rolling horribly, flmy and bloodshot
his features we're purple and looked
swollen, while his form was stiffened
like that of corpse. Then the awful
truth came TO me like shock; he was
In fit of some kind. was sostartled
that nearly let go my hold; we swayed
TO and fro more slowly, and stopped
dead; the perspiration rolled like rain
from my own on his upturned face; the
tension on my muscles was becoming
unbearable. | tried TO call for help,
but no sound escaped my parehed
throat. Il was evident the onlookers,
professionals and all. thought we were
about to perform some new and start
ling feat.
II was mad before with jealousy,
was crazy now with horror. What
could | do? II dropped him he would
fall an inert mass into the net, and
either break his neck or burst through
and reach the ground crushed and
bleeding. If not killed outright, at
least crippled for life. His head now
fell back and his hold relaxed What
could l do? To support him much
longer was impossible. At that SUI
preme moment there came TO me a
temptation, so revolving that shudder
now to think Of 1t.
He, my rival, was in my power; all
l had to do was TO let him fall, and all
would be over. No one could blame
me. and no person but Flora could pos
sibly suspect anything. instinctively
looked at her; 1t was evident that she
could see We were in trouble; her eyes
were full of horror too terrible for
me to attempt to describe. The temp
tation grew stronger Some demon
seemed to whisper: Let go, fool!
Now is your chance. Let go! You can
soon get another partner"
That word restored all my manhood
| like an electric shock; the reaction was
almost unbearable, but ! withstood it.
With silent prayer l braced myself up
for last effort to save or die with him.
1t was now that the result of having re-
Gently worked the aerial act singly
came to my aid. It had made me as
supple and strong as tiger.
Exerting all my powers in final su
perhuman effort, drew Jim up until |
clagped him round the waist with my
left arm, then raised myself and bur
den to the bar, grasped il with my dis
engaged hand, got astfide, and dragged
Jim up beside me. When it Is borne
in mind that | had been all this time sus-
pended by my feet, the extraordinary
exerton required to perform this act
may be imagined. 1t Is certain none
| but trained athlete could have done it.
And exactly how did it myself never
could tell, but by Heavens help did do
it, and we were comparatively safe.
BY this time the audience had scented
danger and were awe-struck; our fell
low performers were the same, and
stupendous silence reigned in the vast
tent. After a brief rest | regained my
power of speech, and called out hoarse-
",
'The ropel the rope!"
This aroused the professionals from
their stupor, and the climbing rope by
which we ascend to the trapeze was
brought within my clutch. More dead
than alive slid down it with Jim still
in my arms.
was told afterward that | cried like
child when l recovered from the swoon
into which l had fallen, and learned
that my partner had, by the aid of 4
doctor who happened to be present,
also regained his senses. | pulled my
self round sufficiently to go with old
Morritz, and bow my acknowledge
ments to the deafening applause with
which | was greeted
1t was terrible experience, and l
have never been on trapeze since
neither has Jim. We set up in busi-
ness as makers of gymnastic apparatus,
are doing fairly well and remain better
friends than ever.