The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-14
SACRIFICE OF AN ACROBAT.
rETGNED THAT A LIONS APPEAR
ANCE WAS PREARRANGED.
ro prevent a Panic in the Audience.
Beast wounded Him Unto Death
BEFORE Help Arrived.

that lauSutei-lONAhS NiA 49,
cttv of clties-Paris.
Wen might the proprietor, the genial
,,rtelio Milandri, hum tune as he con-
tentedlv counted the "takings," for there
was not a seat to spare. One simmering,
sveItering mass of gay Parisians, patient
" waiting, with quip, crank, and airy
ners;aage. the coming of the great star
the idol of every European capital, the
long expected come at last, the one and
only. the inimitable Paolo.
Paolo. the stalwart young hero of this
story. 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 Apprenticed
as a tiny boy to the proprietor Of travel
ing circus he had willy-nilly, gone
through the mill. Advancing step by step
IN his arduous profession-most times
more kicks than ha'pence; now horseman,
now acrobat, now clown, now ringmaster,
anything and everything day came at
length when, taking advantage OF the
strong man" craze, Bob's muscles,
theWs and sinews suddenly launched him
into fame and as 'Paolo, the English
after star" whom the crowded house
had paid their hard-earned francs to see.
Now Milandri, the astute proprietor of
the Hippodrome des Nations, was too well
experienced in public catering to put on
his best turn first but gently Stimulat-
ed the botted-up excitement by Judic1ous-
w applied doses of wonderful ponies that
found Observation-Disclosures hidden by the
clown, and horses that danced polkaS ana
Waltzed to the music of the band.
But the best was yet to come; and when
PaOlo stepped into the ring the public en-
thusiasm knew no bounds. 1t would only
be taking up space to describe the strong
man" performance, which is now so IA
miliar to eVerybody-how Paolo lifted
weights with the strength of Hercules
md ba Of n
and chains as If they were mere pack
thread; pulled against horses very much
TO the disadvantage OF the quadfLpeqsl'
and finally supported on his cheSt a plat
form bearing horse, cart and driver.
Though Paolo worked that night as
cleverly as usual, and without any appd-
rent effort to the eyes of the onlookers,
yet within himself he felt weighed down
by strange forboding that something IN
really relieved when at last his perform
ance was finished and he was at liberty
TO return once more to his dressing room.
But the patrons of the house were not so
willing to part with the artistic who had
worked himself higher into their favor in
one brief quarter of an hour than many
another had done in a lifetime, and re-
called him again and again to bow his
acknowledgements At last Paolo was
allowed to make what he thought was his
final bow for the night.
Fate would not have it So however; for
scarce had the heavy velvet hangings sep
arating the ring from the back" of the
house fallen to 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, Msieur Paolor' he
got loose from his cage, and is making
for the arena; it is the only outlet where ne
can escape, and lie bon Dieu alone can
save us!" And Wringing his hands with
fear, he almost fell at Paolos feet
Seipio, whose name even sent a thrill of
horror through his veins, was huge hon,
purchased as a cub by Mlandri for exhibit
uon TO the patrons of his menagere. Ow-
ing to same carelessness in the fastening
Of MS cage door, the beast had managed
70 escape, and, attracted by the smell Of
tne horses. was now making his way to
the arena, on the opposite side of which
the stables were situated
What could Paolo do?
leads of perspiration stood upon his
doiehead as he thought of the effects of a
course. How in their wild alarm hun.
dreds OF women and chidren-ay, ana
saUnS men too-would be crushed and
stamped to death.
Little time for thought. however. as a
nodrse roar proclaimed that the brute was
se eeni 70 us so, hoped-for prey The, sound
upon him. -o'' O"iS'
tb Where vds are Francois, Jean, Pierre, and
tGe resdF' he asked.
III flown, m sieu! All escaped"
his ci iG c{3Wsafds. muttered Paolo through
Now listen" he said RI Tho o.to,,7..
rfSni are the only one who has shown any
nv "a dr aiIu won forget you. Get through
az vo ~ -1i9ils room window, run as fast
a. $UuI ieSs can carry you to the barracks
a, tne enc OF the road, tell the officer on
Tut3 what mas happened, and ask for helm
best for tiMSh r Sin 'grimly), will do my
, As the last sound Of the mans hur-
"A birn ~, LET down the passage proclaimed
I'm IL wen on his way for help Pao,o hast
NY snatched up small stilefto %bicb 10 "a
eveniru,ssed IN a Juggling trick during the
etepped5 ob ana eoneealing it in his vest,
dCHPeu once more to the onishment q nj
uTW4sAt or the audience, into the arena '-''N
Fl IN tha peIlhg a few hasty directions in
II batweSaS ga. OF clown who was filling in
Fl ists 81 the turns TO stop the next art
bites rom appearing, and to close The Sta
hoidi Gl,el ances. Paolo made a bow. and
. "TadHiaIsp ms hand for silence ANNOUNCED
Fl you t,,9;9 ana gentlemen, / cannot thank
viii suIIhclenty in words for the kindness
n to-nio%tt ich you have received nv efforts
words s So as deeds, speak louder than
81 first iin sndH bring before you, for the
f ion q tIa in public, my famous trained
wrestlinS dhd l VIII give an exhibition Of
swering nv an c,,y 0fa near him, think, an
ed fe ron IN behind the curtains. and cans-
IN their sea me more tirnid to move uneasiIy
beast We V ne magnificent bound the noble
IA middle ~ uiIough the curtains and in the
Ing IN he 'dug rlng There he lay crouch
realzlnt Vuorous tan, as though scarce
Il etrlrt MS unwonted freedom ana
Il iugs bUs we strangeness of his stIrroufd-
II and bIt9 oioodshot eyes rolling uneasiiv
the aus, LUCK, gasping breath disturbing
Al Thai beneath his dilated nostrils
er, 5ibanuc gathering massed toeeth
the d,hseloils spectators of a duel 10
watch silently almost breatblesslv.
combata nose two siwngely matched
low bre,rdiltS while the ing cleaned Vel
faint tng,asIth the gaslig rs glare. and the
bcyoni 'HHnd Of the traffic In the streets
hum n" VI oke with an almost irritatin.r
b1Hlm"7 silence that prevailed in tie
mlnut, -9t ror more than one brief hair
paolo ~ 9 mat wondrous tableau last
n stron ,,1u praced his limbs to give himself
purusE position IN expectation OF Scinio's
low of Me weapon concealed IN Che hol-
brace ais , hand and as he stood In an fbe
nanbo6adnu strength Of his marnificenf
d II" every symptom of fear vanish
nog ,Ieu within himself that he al
bring t"eiiSolned the moment that would
lltus tHlm victory or death.
lolo Wine FOR thought however had
east Nv IN one fell spring the mighty
oh H. at him, his open Jaws dripping
iry' 81 bloodshot eyes blazing win
tendsG " not this time did he CRASH his
factloe, pfey FOR quick as thought the
oytmsr qye OF the acrobat detected the
nees IN Fnd bending forward head ana
n1st touching the ground, he