The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-07-10
VIXEN"
A Romance of the Ring.

The brazen blare of trumpets and the
heavy thump of the drum with now
and then the shrill whlnny of curyet-
ting horse or the deep roar of lion,
Indicated that the mighty show was in
full swing
In the rear of the great marquee
their dark humps standing out against
the background of the starlit sky, stood
a score or more of caravans, the homes
day and night week IN and week out,
year after year, whether Jolting and
rumbling over heavy roads or backed
up, as at present, upon minsmatIc
meadow, of all that curious, peripatetlc
crowd known throughout the length
and breadth of the land as Rodwclrs
Amalgamntlon.
Two girls. their shapely, spangled
figures enveloped In besmirched and
tfnvef worn cloaKs,, Eat upon rrrr- srrps
| of one of these movable homesteads
| talking In hurried undertones.
"He has already spoken, thenY ask
ed the elder girl. II did not think
shouldn't-I-what am ] saying2 II
was very sudden"
"In the end 1t was, perhaps" said
! the younger, but It seems he had loved
Inc n long time, and-well. Kitty, | can
say II to youthe world has only held
one man since | met him. But you
don't seem pleased, Kitty. You're not
angry with me? Aren't you going 10
congratulate me, sisH'
"Of course; was only thinking But
never mind what l thought" She kiss
ed her sister hurredly.
May you be ever so happy, dear"
she said.
"Why, your face Is all wet. Kit.
You're you're not cryingf"
mo, no." returned her sister hur-
riedly, with forced, hysterical laugh.
"Why should /? Only
"You thought | was going to run
away and leave you, and you would
lose n sister and partner In one, ELI
| thought of that before, and so It's
stipulated that we're not to marry for
year and even then that you and |
are to work our turns just the same as
usual Ii won't make II bit of differ
ence. But there goes Fritz's revolver.
We had better get inside"
Professor Fritz Mellin had concluded
his bout with the lions and was bowling
In acknowledgment of the plaudits
when the girls entered. He had one
turn more before the sisters, Kitty and
Lille Lansom. essayed their marvel
Gus aerial flights and high wire feat"
Mellin's great turn was the famous
rencontre with Vixen, IN Indian tigress
that had had her first taste Of human
blood and was generally expected to be
watching a convenient opportunity for
her second.
"Oh, how | hate that brute" said
Lille as the professor lithely skipped
up the steps of the cage and, with Il
half bow to the audience, passed
through the bars.
Vixen bounded angrily toward him,
but the tamer's eye was upon her, and
1t was not even necessary to threaten
with the loaded thong he carried.
Round and round the cage, snarling
her discomfort at being disturbed, Vix-
en- careered her slaekening steps ever
and anon being quickened by the sharp
crack of the whip. Then over hurdles
and again under barriers which requir-
ed all the animals crouching powers
to negotiate. Finally n flaming hoop
was passed into the cage, the professor,
holding 1t I'm his left hand, 1icked and
cracked the huge cat through and
through and round and round until the
animal seemed half dazed and ex-
hausted.
The mastery was complete. Vlxen's
surliness awaited nothing with Fritz
Mellln. Whatever her record else
where, here In Rodwells circus, under
the prince of Tanners" Vixen had no
other course but to behave herself and
obey.
The people were frantic with admira-
ton and delight. They cheered and
counter cheered In ringing tones as
Fritz. leaving the cage, bowed repeat
eddy from the top Of the steps.
Then came the aerial flight and in
the hairbreadth adventures above their
heads the people forgot the man eating
tigress and her daring master.
Kitty. however, high up, fitting from
trapeze to trapeze. could not Danish
Lilies love affair from her mind. Five
years before Fritz Mellin had put to
her the same question he had now pro,
| posed to her sister.