Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-01-30
"Run, Rosie, run! To the windowl

The lions are loosel"
Run! She was rooted to the spot.
In the doorway by which they had en-
tered crouched great, tawny, yellow
mass, that, fiat upon the boards, came
wriggling without q sound toward
them.
Down the rope Bill Berrill slipped, as
Rosie, recovering her strength, started
to the back of the hall. The lion rose
up. 1t took five quick strides, then
stopped as, with thud, Bill Berrill
dropped on to his feet.
ut is locked, and 1 cannot reach it."
cried the terrified girl, as she stretched
in vain for the fastening of the great
window.
The clown turned. AS he took his
eyes from its face the lion came on. If
he fled it would be upon him in mo-
ment.
Then, close at hand, he saw the
sponge set on a stick, the matches and
parraffine, used by the gasman with
which to light up at night time.
81 dare not novel" he cried. Bring
me the tin of oil and the matches"
The escaped lion saw the movement
1t crouched as if to spring, it's great tail
sweeping the floor from time to time.
Tottering in her fear, Rosie dragged
to him the precious tin. The clown,
never taking his eyes from the great
yellow orbs that glared at him, pulled
out the cork. The liquid oil ran freely.
Bill Berrill struck a match and threw it
down. a stream of flame shot across
the boards. A low growl issued from
the throat of the startled lion as it
backed before the wall of fire.
"Nowl The window!"
In n second he had hoisted Rosie up.
The catch was undone. She scrambled
out. Bill Berrill followed and closed the
easement after him, just as the lion,
dodging round the fire, leaping to the
place where second before they had
been standing.
'Be careful, Will. Somehow I do
dread to-night's performance. There
is something the matter with Corello.
The house is crowded, but he is not him
self tonight. Do be careful, Will
dear"
Bill Berrill promised as he squeezed
the little, cold hand of the girl who, to,
morrow, would be his wife. After the
lion-tamer's performance there was
one more turn, and then he went on.
"That's funny" observed Ted Pass
more as the clown passed him. "Close
by where your trapeze ropes are fixed
two panes of glass are gone from the
roof!"
Directly his portion of the programme
had come to an end Leo Corello hurried
from the building. Round to the back
he went, where, in n narrow street full
Of gaunt, tall houses, he rented a top
story bedroom. To this room he as.
cended.
From the mattress under the bed he
drew forth long, dagger-lilSe knife
contained in a leather sheath, Testing
its keenness, he cut easily through 0
stick of wood he drew from the ready.
laid fire.
Armed with the knife, he threw uT
the window and passed out on the leads
Before him, almost on a level, was the
glass roof of the hippodrome.
Through the open window the frs
notes of a merry tune came from the
band.
A cheer of welcome greeted "Little
Bandy" as, for the second time, he
bounded into the ring. In Il trice he
was hoisted to the trapeze far above.
One or two graceful evolutions, and
then, hanging by his hands from the
bar, he commenced to swing to and fro
for long flight in midair.
Suddenly there was a cry from above,
a shrek from woman and chorus of
alarm from the crowd. One rope had
snapped. Still grasping the wooden
bar Bill Berrill swung far out into
space, where, if he fell, no friendly net
would catch him.