The Somerset reporter., 1901-07-04
VIXEN"
) A Romance of the Ring.
Observation-Disclosures

The brazen blare of trumpets and the
heavy thump of the drum. with now
and then the shrill whlnny of a curvet-
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 a miasmatic
meadow, of all that curious peripatetic
crowd known throughout the length
and breadth of the land as Rodwell's
Amalgamation.
Two girls. their shapely, spangled
figures enveloped In besmlrched and
travel worn cloaks, sat upon the steps
of one of these movable homesteads
talking in hurried undertones.
HE has already spoken, then?" ask
ed the elder girl. II did not thlnk-I
Northumberland am | saying? 1t
was very sudden"
"In the end it was, perhaps" said
the younger, but II seems he had loved
me long time, and-well, Kitty, | can
say 1t to you-the 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 to
congratulate me. ss?"
"Of course; | was only thinking But
never mind what thought" She kiss
ed her sister hurriedly.
May you be ever so happy, dear"
she said.
why. your face is all wet. Kit.
You're-you're not cryingT
mo, no." returned her sister hur-
riedly. with a forced, hysterical laugh.
"Why should /? Only
"You thought l was going to run
away and leave you. and you would
lose a sister and a partner In one, eh2
| thought of that before. and so it's
stipulated that we're not to marry for
year and even then that you and l
are to work our turns Just the same as
usual. 1t won't make 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, an Indian tigress
that had had her first taste Of human
blood and was generally expected to be
watching a convenient opportunity for
her second.
ooh. how l hate that brutew said
Lille as the professor lithely skipped
up the steps of the cage and. with
half bow to the audience, passed
through the bars.
Vixen bounded angrily toward him,
but the tanners 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. viz
en- careered, her slackening 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 a flaming hoop
was passed into the cage, the professor,
holding 1t in his left hand, f1icked 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. Vixen's
surliness availed nothing with Fritz
Mellin. Whatever her record else
where, here In Rodwell's 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.
She had loved him then with her
whole heart, as she loved him still, as
she would never cease from loving him,
yet she declined his offer She remem-
bered even now the look of mingled
disappointment and anger upon his
face when she gently but firmly told
him 80.
1t was for her sisters sake she did
this, for Lille, left TO her charge, a
growing girl, who could not be desert
ed and who must be worked for and
watched over for four or five years
more. She had promised their mother,
and her promises were unbreakable as
steel. To saddle the man Of her choice
' -