Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1897-05-21
Ter way came near costing her her

her way came near costing her her
life. ..s
BY the time for Zarena's appearance
I had become 30 nervous and over
wrought through anxiety and excite
ment that I could have wished the
French mink and all the rest Of tho
aerial female Us lin the deep bosom
Of the ocean buried"
How many times in the course Of his
career does manager solemnly vow
that he will never admit another dan
ger-defying aerial act TO his theater,
and then go and put the most danger
Gus one he can find in his programme
at the first opportunity? .
Everything was at skies and sevens,
anyway, in front Of the house that
night, because the Frenchwoman had
drawn to an overflow, and there were
too many people in the house for COM
fort. The doorkeepers seemed to have
lost their heads, and were snappish
and uncivil, and the ushers were any
thing but polite and obliging. On the
whole, l guess I was ratified myself.
Here she comes! Amt she daisy?'
called an irrepressiblc small boy in the
top gallery.
The Frenchwoman came out and 1
went out.
From my office den could hear the
cheering reception to the lady from
France; then came crash from the
orchestra, and the great midair perils
begun. didn't want to see them. but
couldn't keep away, and l felt rather
surprised at myself when l became a
part OF the audience and was cran'ng
my neck to catch glimpse OF the
tiny figures as they appeared evoluting
at giddy height aloft.
1t made me feel quite dizzy to look
at them, and l turned away to note
the averted gaze OF others. started
to return to the Office, mentally vow
ing:
This is the last
At the Office door turned back again
TO view the dangerous performances. A
great hush was upon the audience.
believe that l could hear everybody's
heart beat. Mine vas humping at a
fearful rate.
Out of the stiffness heard Kissing
command from the lips Of the man!
The Frenchwoman answered in an
excitable undertone. There was
quick passage Of words, the tennor OF
which no one could catch. Were they
quarreling up there over the heads OF
the audience?
Words, more words, and fierce words!
was in a frenzy II they were not.
Suddenly the woman made a dash
down the elaborate rigging suspended
from the act; to me it appeared as if
she was attempting to escape the man,
her pursuer, who was close upon her.
The audience took the movement for
part Of the performance, and applaud
ed. but intuition told me that some
thing was occurring mot down on the
bills"
Evidently fear lent celebrity to the
woman's movements. l took 1t that
she was fleeing from him.
The pursuer shrieked horrible oath,
and was upon the little Frenchwoman
inst as she reached the bar Of sus-
pended trapeze.
Help! Help! My God, the man is
mad"'
At her agonizing cry many Of the
audience sprang to their feet, just as
many others swooned.
Who was to help, and from whence
was the aid to come?
The |unatic was already attempting
10 unloose the woman's hold on the
trapeze.
Part of what next occurred did not
see. l heard the voice OF a man in an
upper circle cry in French:
Hold! l comet!
The next instant the figure of a mar
clinging to a rope required for the fin
jsh OF the flight for life" shot across
the space with unerring aim. and a
noverful arm wrested the woman from
her perilous position. And then the
fools of auditors, thinking that what
they had seen was "a part of the show"
made the theater ring with cheers.
As that act, thank the Lord, was the
last number on the bill, such of the
audience as were not overcome found
their way out, and the others were
sent home when they were sufficiently
recovered.
The shock to the Frenchwoman was
Il terrible one, but she came out of it
thankful for her narrow escape and
grateful to her former discarded part
ner, who had devotedly followed her
from Paris and been the means of saw
ing her life.
In all the hubbub the lunatic had
walked off in his tights, and such at
tire in the street being unusual. he
had promptly fallen into the hands of
the police, and in due time was placed
in such keeping as to insure safety
both to himself and others. Upon aft
err Investigation it was learned that the
unfortunate aerialist had suffered a Sc
we're fall during the previous season,
resulting in an injury 10 his head,
which untitled him from following his
calling.
For the remainder Of the engagement
the Trenchwoman's now accepted adj
mirer appeared in their astounding
aerial act. After that they returned to
Paris, to indulge In the perpetual bliss
which forever finds place in two loving
hearts.