The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1897-06-10
ONLY AN ACROBAT.

in that laughter loving and light heart
ed city of oities-Paris.
Well might the proprietor, the genial
Artelio Milandri, hum tune as he con-
tentedly counted the "takings," for
there was not a seat to spare. One sim
mering sweltering mass of gay Paris
ians, patiently waiting the idol of ev-
cry European capital the one and the
only, the inimitable Paolo
Paolo, better known to his friends
and associates as Bob Sinclair, was a
young Englishman-a we'll set up, fresh
colored, curly haired Yorkshire lad.
Apprentioed as tiny boy to the pro-
prietor Of a travelling circus, he had,
willy-nilly, gone through the mill, now
horseman, now acrobat, now clown,
now ringmaster anything and every
thing. A day came at length when, TAX
ing advantage of the "strong man"
craze, Bob's muscles, thews and sinews
suddenly launched him into fame, and
as "Paolo, the English Hercules, " he
blossomed into the sought after star"
whom the crowded houses had paid
their hard earned francs to see.
When Paolo stepped into the ring,
the public enthusiasm knew 10 bounds.
1t would be only taking up space to de-
scribe the strong man" performance,
which is. now so familiar to everybody
Though Paolo worked that night as
cleverly as usual and without any APP
| parent effort to the eyes of the onlook-
oro vat within, b;,,eolf bo col. ,r.;,,I,l
down by strange foreboding that some
thing unusual was about to happen, and
he felt really relieved when at last his
performance was finished and he was
at liberty to return once more to his
dressing room.
Scarce had the heavy velvet hangings
separating the ring from the back
of the house fallen behind him when
his "dresser" rushed breathlessly up to
him, his knees almost shifting together
and terror comforting every feature Of
his countenance.
Heaven help us, NJ Paolo" he
gasped. "What shall we do? Scipio
has got loose from his cage and is max
ing for the arena. 1t is the only outlet
were he can escape, and lie bon Dieu
alone can save usl"
Scipio was a huge lion, purchased as
a cub by Milandri for exhibition to the
patrons of his menagerie. Owing to
some carelessness i'll the fastening of his
cage door, the beast had managed to
escape, and, attracted by the smell of
the horses, was now making his way to
the arena, on the opposite side of which
the stables were situated. What could
PaolO do?
Beads of perspiration stood upon his
forehead as he thought Of the effects of
a sudden stampede among that vast con-
course how i'll their wild alarm hun
dreds Of women and Children-aye, and
strong men too-would be crushed and
! trampled to death.
"Where are Francois, Jean, Pierre
and the rest?" he asked
"All flown, III 'sieur; all escapedr'
Now listen, he said to the attend
ant "You are the only one who has
shown any pluck, and / won't forget
you. Get through my dressing room
window, run as fast as your legs can
carry you to the barracks at the end of
the road, tell the officer on duty what
has happened and ask for help. In the
meanwhile '-grimly-'I will do my
best for Mr.. Scipio.
AS the last sound of the mans hurry
ing feet down the passage proclaimed
him well on his way for help, Paolo has
tily snatched up small stiletto which
had been used i'll juggling trick during
the evening and, concealing it in his
vest, stepped once more, to the astonish-
ment and delight of the audience, into
the arena
Whispering a few hasty directions
into the ear Of clown who was filling
in between the turns" to stop the next
artists from appearing and to close the
stable entrances, Paolo made bow
and, holding up his hand for silence
announced:
Ladies' and gentlemen, cannot
thank you sufficiently in words for the
kindness with which you have received
my efforts tonight so as deeds speak
louder than words | shall bring before
you for the first time in public my ia
nous trained lion. He and | will give
an exhibition of wrestling. All, you
hear him, | think, answering my chal-
lenge," as a loud roar burst from be.
hind the curtains and caused few of
the more timid to move uneasily in
sheir seats.
With one magnificent bound the no.
lie beast was through the curtains and
In the middle of the ring. There he lay
crouching in the odorous tan, as though
scarce realizing his unwonted freedom
and struck by the strangeness of his
surroundings his bluodshot eyes rolling
uneasily and his quick, gasping breath
disturbing the dust beneath his dilated
nostrils.
Paolo had braced his limbs to give
himself strong position in expectation
of Scipio's onrush, his weapon conceal
ed in the hollow of his hand, and as he
stood in all the grace and strength of
his magnificent manhood, every symp.
tom Of fear vanished, he felt within
himself that he almost welcomed the