Gilpin observer., 1901-06-20

| big guards stood always at the gate
OF the lion cage, whose interference
had never yet been necessary, it
seemed to the honest fellow that his
whole happiness hung by single
| thread, and in his loving heart truly
he died daily.
And now the baby had fallen ill and
though his nurse assured them it was
nothing serious and that spasms were
quite common with teething children,
Marie felt as she watched the little
| form lying quite still across her knees,
or again twitching convulsively while
her heart almost stopped beating, that
| she simply couldn't leave him.
But, alas! When she presented her.
self before Mr.. McGrath, sole man
ager and proprietor of the show, one
glance into his fishy little eyes con-
vinced her in advance that any appeal
to his sympathy would be useless
Leave ye off from the matinay, Is it.?
| Now, I'm awful sorry, Mrs. Cronin,
| but 1t amt to be thought of. Biz is
biz that's my motto. You and them
lions is my most drawin' card. and If
twas to git about you wasn't goin' to
pciioihA, We 10 "cii tioSt bhC
circus, for we shouldn't take in a
| FLYER" here he spat copiously and
| conclusively. I'm real sorry the kid
| is SICK" he added, seeing her whiten
and tremble before him, but | guess
he'll pull through, and you amt in the
ring over half hour any way"
How could she explain to this man
that her courage was all gone, that
every nerve in her body seemed to
quiver and snap.-he wouldn't under
stand, and with a sickly faintness
stealing over her, she dragged herself
round to the dressing tent and strug-
gled to get into her gaudy tights.
Mother Meachin, who took charge of
the wardrobes. eyed her pityingly
She'd had children herself long ago,
and as she saw how Marie shook and
trembled, and hearing the band. knew
mat in few minutes more she would
be called. she pressed a fiat. black bot
tie upon her. saying. with real kind
ness:
Take swallow, dearie; it'll heart
en- ye up a bit; you are all shakin like
leaf"
But Marie, after only a sip. thrust
1t from her, saying, family: mo.
sank you, Mozzer Meachln; 1t make
me but more seek" and then as the
well-known music struck up and she
knew that her hour had come. the old
woman heard her whisper to herself:
"Oh! bon Dieu des Miserables, pro-
tege-mol de ces betes feroces pour Pa
mour de ton Fills unique" thus she
prayed.
AS she bounded into the lion cage.
with feet that felt heavy as lead. she
noticed that. for the first time, both
guards were absent. and once more
the deadly nausea seemed to steal over
her. But Jim was there, and he
smiled encouragingly. She struggled
to overcome this hitherto unknown
fear, and prepared to put the lions
through their PAGES.
Cerberus was tractablo enough, but
Diabolo, always uncertain in his tenn
per, was unusually impatient this aft
ernoon. But the performance went on
to all intents and purposes Just as
usual. and with heartfelt thankfulness
Marie braced herself for the last feat
"a wild dance over and among the
lions. ending in final tableau us she
unfurled the Stars and Stripes to the
tune OF Hail Columbia"
She gave cut with her whip to
force the lions into recumbent posi-
tions. when Just as she made her first
pose between them. a huge mastiff,
which. unnoticed by its owner. had
been creeping nearer and nearer to tho
cage. now sprang at the bars. bark
ing flercely. II you have ever seen
this happen as | have. you already
foresee the result: II not. can hardly
picture to you the wild fear, panic
| and tho fury OF the lions.