The times., 1898-05-08

ror. was having her bodice laced by the
handsome gymnast Icarus.
In the circus the orchestra was fin
ishing a waltz by Metra- The curious
We're gradually quitting the stable and
returning 10 their places. The sharp
cuts Of the ring masters whip were
cracking in the arena. the show had be-
gun. Icarus placed a last rose in the
hair Of the equestrienne and ran 10
chalk her shoes. He stumbled against
his dwaTfish comrade.
The clown seemed very busy I'm ex-
amining the gas meter and pushed him
away with an oath. Then, without
more ado, the acrobat sent him reeling,
and leaping on a ladder. cried with
laugh. out Of the way, you pitiful
pigmy,'
Aesop uttered a roar Of rage and an
ger, then suddenly calming himself. re-
turned TO the meter. and after having
followed with an eye of hatred the as
cent Of Icarus, began fumbling with
the mechanism Of the stop cocks.
A great clapping Of hands. A frantic
ovation. Two hundred women dropped
their fans, leveled theis opera glases.
and, a trifie pale, smiled with a de-
iciOus dread. Icarus was up there
high up at the top Of the circus-hang-
ing to the last trapeze, and turning
over and over in it, slowly and without
an effort
At times he paused, and his face was
seer radient IN the foolish pride Of tri-
umph. Below. in the ring. the clowns
were stretching a circular net, and in
all the circus reigned deep silence brok-
en- only by feminine whispe: How
graceful, What a handsome fellow"
The gymuast then, finding his public
sufficiently warmed up, raised himself
at one pull, stiffening himself on his
wrists
The trapeze, violently thrown back
described a great arc, and. letting go
the bar, the man shot forward like an
arrow into space.
There was a feeling Of apprehension
In the crowd and an OH Of albright
uttered by a thousand breasts The
acrobat reached the second trapeze
and calmly let himself swing in its de-
creaEing oscillations.
Slowly he thus darted eleven times
calm and smiling as he made the tour
of the circus. and rejoicing at feeling
beneath him in the immense painting
Of the throng.
At the eleventh trapeze ne paused to
prOlong this emotion-his glory-and
his eyes sought out Rita The eques-
trienne saw aim, and with the handle
OF her whip threw him a kiss.
The elated Icarus, hanging by one
hand, saluted her; then he brought his
trapeze 20 rest. He was about to com
plete his task
Enough" said some voices
No. Bravo, Encore!" cried the la
dies, eager 20 feel once more the per
verse JOY Of an enticing pain.
For the twelfth time the handsome
gymnast stiffening his arms, essayed
his terrible flight.
But an appalling cry OF terror, a fran
tic shout arose
In an instant, suddenly-like a candle
put out by the fiap Of a bats wing-the
thousand cleaning lights Of the circus
We're eXtnguished all together. at the
precise and fatal moment when the man
was darling info space.
At the same instant there arose from
the ring a laugh, terrible, vibrating
with hate
Then in the black and hideous OBJ
security, in the pitchy darkness that fill
ed the circus lately so blazing, poignant
shrieks rolled from row 10 row. Wo-
men tainted, and the spectators. with
their hearts crushed in hopeless terror
shudderingly sat as il petrified in their
places, and peered into the night that
filled the dome. The net was empty. TIL
acrobat must be looked for in the
gloom In the search, lanterns were
brought and carried toward the top Of
circus Five minutes-five cenlur-
les elapsed. Some one called, Bengal
lights"
Then, while her and there people werr
trying TO relisht the burners, a blaze Of
violet and red. of green and azure.
hashed out and with q powerful illuni-
nation lit up AT one flash every corner
of the circus with its fantastic and
trembling CLEANS.
And suddenly, as in the flames Of a
transformation scene, was seen rigid
ciamped 10 the trapeze. Prince Icarus
hanging moti0nles.
An unheard Of horror paralyzed him
in supernatural frenzy. His hair
stood erect His distorted mouth grin.