The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-04

to-as he felt the fierce creature be-
meath him rushing furiously up the
steep Incline, a sort of madness came
upon him. Without rhyme or reason,
ne pulled desperately at the nigh rein,
ana in the same breath their three
bodies We're hurting downward like
thunderbolts. 1t was an awful sight!
looked at them as they descended, and
Tor the fraction of second they SEEM
ed to be suspended in the air. They
We're all upside down. All, without
turning or twisting, fell straight as
piummets-the horse, the same as the
man and woman, had it's feet straight
In the air. Ugh! the strikingl Ugh!
never mind details. The curtain was
rushed down. Miss Cutter was picked
up dazed, stunned, but without a
mark. Mr.. Carroll crept away unaided
amid the confusion, the sorrow and
the tears, for splendid Queen was
doomed. Though Mr.. Miles had risl1ed
his own life in an awful heap to save
her from falling through a trap, he
could not save her life, and the almost
human groan with which she dropped
her lovely head upon her masters
shoulder, and his streaming eyes as he
tenderly wiped the blood from her vel
vety nostrils, made even the scene
shutters rub their eyes upon the backs
of their hands. While Queen was half
carried to the fire engine house next
door cher stable was too far away,
some one went before the curtain and
assured the audience that the accident
was very slight and that the lady and
gentleman would both appear present
ly. The audience applauded in rather
doubtful manner, for several ladies had
tainted, and the carrying out of help
less person in place of amusement al
ways has a depressing effect upon the
lookers-on. Meantime Mr.. Carroll was
getting his wrist bandaged and a cut
on his face patched up, while basket
of sawdust was hurriedly procured that
certain cruel stains might be conceal
ed. The orchestra played briskly, and
the play went on. That's the one
thing we can be sure of in this world
that the play will go on. Late that
night, beautiful Queen died, with her
head resting on her masters knee.
Now "Mazeppa" was billed for the
next night, and there were many con-
situations held in the office and on the
stage. THE Wild Horse of Tartary'
was gone. 1t was impossible to find a
new horse in one day. Change the
bill" said Mr.. Miles. And have an
empty house." answered Mr.. Ellsler.
But What can / do for a horse?"
dSh6u MI. MILES. % OAd DOOg
swered Mr.. Ellsler.
Good Lord" groaned Bob's master
They argued long, but neither wanted
to lose the good house, so the bill was
allowed to stand, and "Mazeppa' was
performed with Old Bob as THE Wild
Horse of Tartary." Think of it-that
ingratiating Old Bob, that follower of
women and playmate of children! Why.
even the great bay blotches on his
white old hide made one think of the
circus, of paper hoops, and of training,
rather than of wildness. With the hope
of making him at least impatient and
restless, he had been deprived of his
supper, and the result was settled
gloom, an air of melancholy. that made
Mr.. Miles swear under his breath every
time he looked at him.
The play moved along nicely, the
house was large, and seemed pleased.
Mazeppa fell into his enemy's hands,
the sentence was pronounced, and the
order followed, Bring forth the fiery,
untamed steed!"
The women of the audience began to
draw close to their escorts. Many of
them remembered the biting. kicking
entrance of the black, and were fright
ened beforehand. The orchestra re-
sponded with incidental, creepy music,
but that was ALL Over in the entrance,
Old Bob, surrounded by the four men
who were supposed to restrain him,
stood quietly. But those who sat in the
left box heard "get-ups!" and 'go-ons!'
and the cluckings of many tongues. The
mighty Khan of Tartary (who could
not see that entrance) thought he had
not heard, and he roared again, Bring
forth the fiery untamed steedl" An
other pause; the house Uttered: then
IL Il rn1r
the rump with a whip, at which he
gave a switch of his tail, and gently
ambled on to the stage. He stopped of
his own accord at the center, and, low
ering his head, stretched out his neck
and shifted at the leader of the orches
ira, precisely as a dog shifts at
stranger. 1t was deliciously ridiculous.
We girls were supposed to scream with
fear of the wild horse" and alas! we
were only too obedient; crowding down
at the right, clinging together in atti-
tudes of EXTREMIST fright, we shrieked
and screeched until Old Bob pricked up
his ears. and looked so astonished at
our conduct, that the audience
simply rocked back and forth with
laughter. And all the time Mazeppa
was saying things that did not seem
at all like prayers. Finally he gave
orders for the men to surround Bob,
which they did, and then sharp lit
tie spike was used-that was to make
him dance about pretty lively. 1t prick
ed him on the shoulders, and the wild
horse" stood and switched his tail 1t
pricked him again: he switched his tail
again. The men had by this time grown
careless, and when the spike was final
" used at his name, he suddenly kick
ed one of them clear off the stage, and
then resumed his unruffied calm. The
public thought 1t was having fun all
this time, but pretty son it knew it.
Nothing under heaven could disturb
the gentle serenity of that dog-like old
horse. When Mazeppa was brought for
ward to be bound upon Old Bob's back,
instead of pulling away, and rearing
and fighting against the burden, his
one and only quick movement was his
violent effort to break away from his
tormentors and welcome his master
joyously.
"Oh!" groaned Miles, "kill him,
somebody, before he kills me-"
While Mazeppa was being bound on
the wild horses" back, our instruc-
tions were to scream; therefore we
screamed as before, and, being on the
verge of insanity, Miles lifted his head
from the horses back, and said, "Oh,
shut UP, dol" The audience heard, and
well, it laughed some more, and then
II discovered, when the men sprang
away and left the horse free to dash
madly UP the mountain, that
Mazeppa had kept one foot un-
hound to kick Old Bob with; and
truly IL did seem that the audience