Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-08-05
A CLOWNS HATE.

&ANA 80 1870 N1Z - AAANNN WI
courre Of people ON the Place do Ia
Liberte. The Rosati circus was giving
it's last performance, and the public Of
Toulon was hocking to this farewell
representation. At the doors beneath
the Pickering CLEAN of tho rows Of gas
lights there was q ceaseloss crush and
movemont-an endless line was slowly
winding its way in, halting at every
step and hammering the sounding
planks with a confused chatter. All
around on the notice boards stuck in the
ground tho colors Of the flaming posters
were displayed and, bathed in the garish
light, dazzled the eye. In tho crowd Of
spectators and idlers every one was
reading aloud the plRoard which stood
conspicuous in front;
Positively the last time this even.
ing. Last performances of Prince I%carus,
the flying man, Of Mile. Rita and Of
Esop, the grasshopper clown"
Within the circus the seats were al
ready overflow ing, and the Same names
repeated from mouth to mouth blended
into a general murmur deadened by the
canvas roof over the ring. Some Of tho
circus men were raking the sawdust on
the track, aud above the door to the
stables the musicians were languidly
tuning their instruments or at times
addressing friends who passed beneath
the gallery. "That you? MariOs how
goes it?'',eto. In tho upper rows the
audience was alive with impatienoe for
the expected spectacle and irritated by
the passing Of the young fashionable
first nighters''-envied %frequenters be-
hind the ecepeE-who pressed in q
crowd to the narrow entrance leading
90 tho graenroom.
Officers in civilian dress and students,
ship brokers and idle daadies, al wish
cd for the last time TO get uear the fair
Mile. Rita, the celebrated equestrierue,
who for n month had been the subject
of conversation III every messrcom and
every club. They stepped along. tho ol-
bowed and he elbowcrs. between tho
walls that were covered with sets Of
vanished harness and begged pardon
every time they jostled o groom. They
stopped TT tho stalls Of Rlno Devil aud
Djinn, the two trick Arabians, and IN
der protext CT giving como euGar to tho
bOrsas nuttcrcd about the exteDporized
dressing room where Ritn, tranquil end
smiling, was donning her attire. Then
came in succession the commonplace
compliments, TO which the star Of tho
circus, unheeding. scarcely deigned to
give an answer, without seeming to
note the ardent gaze Of her admirers.
Sho was n handsome girl, a careless
gypsy, with the Gun in her eyes and her
blood, accustomed to the atmosphere Of
admiration, aud she finished her toilet
without hurrying. At times, however,
impatiently, and with a pretty, rebel
lions movement, she gave her shoulders
a shake and made the pearls Of her
necklace rattle. 1t was when the littlo
clown Ksop, her husband, who, all BE-
Toured and painted, was walking before
the room, his huge topknots swaying at
every step, drew near, and with his
sharp falsetto voice launched some
taunt at tho artists oourtiers. They
laughed, they even applauded, but moro
often they lowered their eyes before the
cutting, cold gaze Of the dwarf, whose
wan and grotesque face, in spite Of the
smile Of his blood red and too large
lips, seemed at some moments to bs
fraught with evil.
This evening the manikin was in
worse humor than usual. His jeers were
more biting and more bitter and beneath
the coat of -four covering his scanned
features no appeared not pale, bat lfvid,
His eyes had q sharp and menacing hasl
in them and never left Rita, who, gayly
posed before her mirror, was having hel
bodice laced by the handsome gymnas
Icarus.
r, A.. .t..,. A. .w.In.t. suaa Grnfak
ing q waltz by Metra. The curious wer'
gradually quitting the stable and re
turning to their places, The sharp out
Of the Iinginaster's whip were cracking
in the arena. The show had begun
Icarus placed a last rose in the hair o
the equestrienne and RAJ to chalk he
Ehoes. He stumbled against hisdwarhsl
oomrade.
The clown seemed very busy in exam
lining tho gas meter and pushed hin
away with an oath. Then without NOR
ado the acrobat sent him reeling and
leaping on a ladder, cried, with a laugh
"Out Of the way, you pitiful pygmyF'
H1sop uttered a roar Of rage and an
ger; then, suddenly calming himself, re
turned to the meter and, after hAvin
followed with an eye OF hatred the az
cent Of Icarus, began fumbling with b
mechanism Of the stopcocks.
A great clapping of hands, q franti
ovation. Two hundred pretty wome
dropped their fans and leveisd thei
opera glasses and, a tribe pale, smile
with a delicious dread. Icarus was u
there-high up ct the top Of the circu
hanging to the last trapeze and turf
ing over aud over In II, slowly and witt
ont an effort.
At times he paused, and his face wa
seen radiant in the foolish pride Of tn
umph. Below IN the ring the clown
were stretching a circular net and
all the circus rcigned deep silenc'
broken only by q feminine whisper
"How GRACEFUL What a handsome f.
bowl"
Fbe Wmnast then, finding his publ