Smyrna times., 1896-09-09

How Sam Meyers Proposed and Was Ac-
cepted by His Annie-The Tragedy Which
Grew Out of the Love of the HOwiand
DrOthers For Jennie Dunbar.
"Ahp'
"OhP'
All the spectators of the giant leap
for life i'll the circus tent held their
breaths with terror while the 1.-THE aero
bat plunged forward, released his hold
and shot through space, to be securely
caught in the firm grasp Of his partner,
who hung from his toes from another
treacherOus trapeze.
Twelve thousand nine hundred and
ninety-eight persons caught their breaths
again as the feat was accomplished.
The two remaining persons of the 49,
000-a big circus tent always holds 49,
900 persons, you know-watched the
proceedings with an air of perfect non
chalance, as if swing for life was no
more serious matter than signaling an
electric car.
Well might they be calm, for they
were retired circus performers, and the
them, and then, as the show went on,
they began exchanging "reminiscences,
while the listening journal man forgot
all about what was before him in his
interest in these yarns
''That jump reminds me of the way
Sam Myers proposed to Annie johnson
ten years ago..
The Journal man noticed that the
veteran circus man omitted the "Sig-
nor' and 'Ma 'amselle" from his con-
versation, so that Sam Myers and An
ME Johnson did not bear in private life
the names which adorned the circus
programme and the particolored litho-
graphs which infame the circus going
propensities of Young America.
"You see, Sam Myers and Pete Will
son and Annie johnson were albinOs
that season and did a great act ON the
flying trapeze, in which Annie made
ever so many jumps across the tent and
was caught by Sam, while Pete was
performing on a third bar way up
above them. One jump after another
was made all right by her, and sudden
ly everybody was surprised to see Sam
lift Annie in the air as he caught heI
and kiss her before she turned to make
the leap back to her own trapeze. Every.
body wondered what it all meant, and
after the act was over they soon found
out.
''It seems that Sam and Pete haC
both fallen i'll love with Annie, and just
before the act Pete cOnfided to his chun
his intentions of proposing to the pretty
partner. Sam made up his mind tha
he would not be left i'll case like this
but he had no chance to speak for him
self until they began.
"When Annie made her first jump
he started to pop the question, and tn,
proposal continued with interruption
as the young lady would swing bacl
and forth and jump to and fro i'll tn
regular custom Of her performance
Finally the question was asked Just a
she swung. Sam, hanging by his toes
waited until she made the next leap AM
as he heard her say Yes he lifted he
up and kissed her with such a smac
that it could be heard all over the bi
tent.
Everybody congratulated the pal
but Pete. Somehow he had the impres
sion that he had not been treated square
ly in this proposal, and the firm brok
up then and there.
''That reminds me Of another tear
which was with circus that I was pei
forming in 4 dozen years ago. Tn
Rowland brothers were doing a doubl
trapeze act, with all sorts of DARN
jumps, much the same sort as the on
we just saw. In the same circus til
leading rider was Jennie Dunbar, VIII
was the cleverest little woman VIII
ever jumped through a hoop, and bot
the boys fell in love with her.
''She was really fond of both of then
but when they proposed she accepte
Will and told Fred that she could onl
be a sister to him. When Fred proposed
we were performing up in Canada, an
the proposal was made just before tn
afternoon performances. When the boy
came up for their turn, we all notice
that Fred was pale and nervous, Will
Will was just the reverse. Their az
went ON just the same as usual, an
finally came their last jump, which W;
the most daring Of all. Fred hung b
his toes, and Will made the swing cles
across the tent. We never knew how
happened, whether Fred was so nervoI
that he lost his grip or whether ne di
it deliberately, but just as Will can
flying through the air Fred tremble
and dropped from his hold down int
: the net, while Will shot through the a
| and fell in the ring clear beyond IL
: edge Of the net. When they ran to hin
; he was dead Jennie was almost Graz
E with grief, and Fred had an attack
brain fever, from which he did not +
cover for months,
"No cne could tell whether he deli
erately dropped to get rid of his riv
3 or whether he was so sick that he cou
4 not hold himself longer. At any rat
as soon as he got well he proposed
q Jennie again and was accepted. The
are married now and retired from Il
business. "-BostOn Journal.