, 1896-12-16

says e, but yer won't allus ave II yer
own way" say e. "All ready Stand
by, Bracy." sings out tn stage man
ager. Fright yer are, bos." says Bob,
lookin, at me evillike. Ting. tingr'
goes TIL bell. Up rolls tn curtain. TIL
scene. q jungle. with ropes o. big red
flowers a-climbin up IN Angling from
tn great palms, cocoanuts an banana
trees. I must say az 'ow Bob 'ad fixed
it fust rate.
TIL band strikes up, an tn music
somehow gifts inter ones blood. With
Tommy hangin round my neck I do .
lot O. turns an jumps an headers an fly.
in leaps. Then tn little munk, cream
in, falls headlong an on'y saves ITSELF
by catchin onter my tail. Lord, yer
should ear tn people stamp an ave an
Taught But one woman faints. Then I
takes tn little un in me arms, an we
swings an swings, an I gives i'm a ba-
mana, an we-chatter monkey fashion
chatter, chatter, an e throws a cocoa
nut, an I lodges. Then g bolts, an,
hidin behind tn flowers, pelts me. An
in q regular rage an 'issin an shriekin,
I does all my big flights an gifts of with
no end Of applause.
TIL little munk pops out 'is little
cad an does is little act on lis little
trapeze. Then "cheep, cheep." chat
ter, begins ter whimper an worry AN
looks out fer poppa. But poppa amt
there Otis all part of tn play. yer
know. al @ leans over an over till all
tn mothers 'earts is in their mouths.
an they Odds on tight ter tn seats in
front on EN-. 'E's SIGH a little un,
yer see. "Oh, Ell fall! An g do fall
an catches with one hand. slips agin all
'angs by one foot. TIL tiny arms is
stretched out; tn tiny body swings. TIL
baby munk chatters an jabbers with
fright.
Fer tn good Lords sake, somebody
catch imp cries q woman's voice.
That's my cue. Bangl I'm shot up a
trap-shot up 20 feet in tn air. l leap
an fly from bough to bough. TIL little
munk screams. l look up an see-wbat!
TIL baby munk swingin in tn air, an
there, among tn gas battens, is Bob
Bracy, lis red, evil face all a-workin,
leanin over-out o. tn fies-a big,
shinin knife in is and. Ny God, he's
outtin tn rope-Tommy's rope. I shall
be too late. Tn strength goes out O.
me. Millions Of lights is in me eyes
There's a red mist an smoke. Th' sea-
millions O. seas-js beatin in me ears
on me 'ead-beatin me back. Me breath
stops. Iohoke-suffocate. Me eyes grow
dim. 1 can't see. I am blind. Ne knees
trenble. I stretches put me arms, but
can. Ii IL ropes. I try ter speak-no
sound. I tries again-"Dear God, ave
mercy-'is mother-oh. lis mother
Then sudden tn strength m back.
I fly. Tommy falls. As I catches him
there's . crash in tn orchestra. Tn
people scream. TIL rope parts. an
down. down inter depths unknown we
go-Tommy an me together.
y
Better. ole man?' says . voice.
"'Ere, drink it up, deary." An q wom-
an was a-holdin my cad, an I could
smell brandy.
"Open yer eyes, dadda." I opened
'em. There was Tommy, dressed ter 60
'ome an is big red comforter round liz
neck. There was Bob. with is right
and tied up an lookin rather pale.
".Wot's the matter. mate?' says I,
pointin to it.
"Oh, on'y q bit Of q burn. Yer see, a
nipple 'ad fell out O. tn batten close ter
Tommy's rope, an tn scene caught. I
couldn't cut it away in time, 20 I as ter
tear it an got er bit scorched. But tn
little un's all right-ain't yer, Tom.
my? Lord love 'imi I'd "a rather lose
both me arms than anythink should -
happened ter Tommy-ter Mary's ba-
by" says e, a-pattin tn kids 'ead.
Well, yer see, Bob's! 'and wor wuss
than e thought-'e's bin q ''houter'' at
tn 'ospital fer o week. But it's our
weddin day termorrer, an Bob's accom-
in ter pick er bit o. grub with us Give
us a light, miss, will yers Ny pipes
gone clean out. Thank yer.
My missus cries wen she thinks on it
says she's a-goin ter cut up lis dinner
fer i'm an kiss i'm COS she vas mis-.
took an COS O. wot e did fer Tommy.
Emily Soldene in Chicago Tribune.