The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-07


Antonio and Teresta and their troupe OF
| mummers. MaddaIena brought prosperity
| Of a kind to Antonio. She was no ordir airy
| dancing girl, no common acrobat. The
| strength and suppleness which had made
Antonio call her Flower of the Air" re-
| tanned her the name, and, everywhere the
| caravans halted. drew crowds to see her
| dance on the tight rope and disport her
self at giddy heights as secure and grace
| full as any bird.
| But. as the SHOWS and storms drove the
circus into winter quarters. so the SHOWS
OF age in time fell on Antonio. They had
! all earned for the day and saved nothing;
and the time came when the troupe melted
and broke up. and Antonio and Teresita
were left all but alone with their children
1t was then that the English impresario
saw the performance of the Flower OF the
Air. and offered her an engagement at a
| salary that nigh took their breath away.
Maddalena danced for joy.
| Now ii is my turn" she said; land you
| will go back to Sicily. little father and
mother, and own a little vineyard. and
| keep roof for Beppo and me to return to
one day."
"Beppo will go with thee, child?" said
| Antonio TT is we'll. Are you not brother
and sister? And Teresita and l will be
happier knowing he is near thee in the
WOTlu.
All those years, Beppo, sickly and
dreamy, had been little use in the Ro-
mano troupe. Not that he was ever al
lowed to feel that his Sicilian piping was
| thin as the cicadla's song to those who
liked the blare of brazen instruments.
He brought love for him when he
came" said Teresita, to whom the chill
dren stood in place OF the baby she had
lost; and both she and Antonio were proud
of the tall handsome, delicate lad, who
had the look of signor, and not of son
of peasants.
"why, father and mother, mine" said
Maddalena, in response to Antonio's
| speech, I'VE have a much better plan than
| that; much better plan
She blushed and dimpled all over like
a brown pool in sunlight.
I'VE are to marry. Beppo and /. See
you, we have always loved each other. Be-
fore you came to love u.s. we had only
| each other and the Madonna and the an
gels. And it is better that | should be
slgnora than signorina in the world we
go to-
So 1t was settled. and the little lovers OF
old became husband and wife and went
away with the English impresario while
Antonio and Teresita went sadly hack to
Sicily and became proprietors, selling the
the pillow.
They looked long for the children to
come to them. but they did not come, al
though the fond and faithful letters and
the money came regularly.
"a little longer" wrote Maddalena, land
We will come and will stay, and l shall for
get that l was the Flower of the Air. AMI
shall be glad 10 remember that I am only
a little withered flower on Sicilian hill
side"
The performance at the Variety drew
many of the class which likes to see Us
fellow-creatures THROW dice with death.
The most daring and the most graceful
OF the performances was ahat OF the Signora
Romano. the "Flower OF the Air" with her
dance at a giddy height and her wonderful
fight through space.
Two men watched her from private box
as she curtsied to the audience. She was
unspeakably brilliant in her doublet OF gold
tissue and hose OF yellow satin.
What charming cfeature!' said one.
Yes said the other. and then lifted
his hat. Ave. for Martyruu.,' he added.
gravely.
why. Hilton" said the other, what
words in such placei''
81 say IL every time l see her" said the
other. Look. man, and you will say 1t,
too. Don't you see the martyr in her
eyes?"
you are sentimental. Hilton"
'No. it is only that you are dull. Dalyell.
One day-she VIII be less strong than usu-
al. or she will be distracted-the least lit
tie wrench during her somersault, and she
will break her back. / have come here day
after day TO see Il. She knows that il will
happen in all probability. She is prepared
for death every time she steps on the stage.
1t is race between her and death"
Il hope you are not right. Hilton. II
you are. the legislature should put down
such performances"
1T will eventually. when some great
awakening OF conscience comes to our
country people. Just look at their faces.
Those women there have the very express
sion of the Roman danes when they turned
up the thumb. What do you suppose
brings them except the chance OF seeing
yonder little human flower smashed to
pieces?"
And you. Hilton"
Il come for the same purpose, but for
another reason. Do you see the handsome
fellow in the wings who gloats over the
signora's beauty
"A lover?'
Yes, and a husband 1t is for his sake |
the child runs race with death every day |
1t is for his sake am here"
Tell me more"
THE man is dying on his feet. Any
great shock would kill him. but. on the |
other hand. life OF well being might pro- |
long his indefinitely. This is the signora's |
first lucrative engagement. Every time she |
performs brings her one step nearer TO |
safety for them both. She has promised |
me that she will take him back to Sicily 1
after her time here terminates. There are |
a couple of old people there who depend on /
her also
How much you know about her, Hill |
ton"
she called me in to see him He has
been splitting blood
Does he know her danger?"
He sees the performance is dangerous.
but he is used to it. and he has unbounded
confidence In her strength and dexterity. |
They keep themselves from thinking too
much by planning the life in Sicily when
her peril is overall the years are provided
for. They do not ask much, poor children.
They have all the Italians frugality. l |
pray the thing may end we'll. But now
ah! there she goes, like golden butterfly"
Suddenly the two men watched her as
she swung from bar to bar. till she was
the centre Of the patch OF golden lime
light in the roof. For while she dis
ported herself there In movements OF the
most aerial delicacy.
Il like this part" said the doctor; at
Is safe enough. and she is. as you say,
charming creature"
II feel hound to be here" said Dali
yell. NO, / shall not see her leap. 1t is
playing with flesh and blood And good.
God. there are children here as wei as
womenl' ~
Watch the husbands face, then re-
piled the doctor. He Is rapturously in
love with her. and yet their happiness Is
SO quiet. They were children together"