The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-08-14
applause that had rewarded Maubl-


During the time they We're out, some
of the employees of the circus began
working on trapeze that hung higl.
up above our heads Ropes were
pulled, bars were raised in position,
and when the sustaining and guy
ropes were made fast, there were two
fixed horizontal bars, with a flying
trapeze between them.
Suddenly a hush came over the
audience as a girl appeared and
walked to a spot directly under the
trapeze.
Nita Barlotti was, without doubt.
the most beautiful girl who had ever
appeared before a New York public
Her features were matchless- She
had a wealth of dark-brown hair
which was tightly drawn into a knot
SO that 1t would not interfere with her
in her performances on the bar. Her
face was perfect in its contour, and
every feature was poem And yet
it seemed to me that she looked sad
-woefully sad-not like one who en-
joyed the triumph of a successful ap-
pearance, but like one who was
ashamed, or who loathed the part she
played, or to whom some great sor-
row or bitterness had come that had
driven all the brightness from her
life.
The trapeze queen drew herself onto
one of the bars and hung lightly in
m1d-a1r, head dOwnwards, with no sup
port but her toes. Then she swung to
and fro, and letting go from the bar
she seemed to soar through the air
and chung to the flying swinging
trapeze- On this she gave a marvel
Gus exhibition of her fearlessness and
wonderful skill, in all of which her
writing white muscles shone and
every beauty of her form seemed to
display to advantage.
The audience watched her in breath
less silence, and when at last she had
nn1Sned, there arose an uproar the
like OF which was never heard before
in Madison Square Garden.
There were two men in that
audience who were evidently much in
terested in the queen of the fying
trapeze. I had seen Maubikeck the
Lion Tanner, clad in ordinary evening
dress, looking like a handsome pow
erfuI man of the world, standing near
the ropes, watching the beautiful aero
| bat narrowly. There was smile of
| encouragement his face and he
! was among the first in the applause
Then, as Nita reached the ground a
| tall, black-bearded, mean-looking Ital-
ian forced himself through the group
| OF attendants, and taking the girl s
| hand in his, led her away from our
| sight.
And I noticed that, although her
cOuntenance was dead to uS-dead to
| the tremendous applause AID greeting
| she passed Maubikeck it was to hin,
that her beautiful head was bowed
and one bright, heeting smile showed
ltself on her lips when her eyes looked
| into his.
The next act fell fiat. and as neither
| Maub1keck nor BarIotti was billed to
| appear a second time we soon lost
interest, and before the crowd began
| co get restless, we left the Garden and
went home.
|
morrow evening"" said the major as
| was leaving him. You will be there.
| I suppose"
Hang Graviscourt!'' replied. Eyes.
Will be there, if for no other reason
| than to show the fellow I am still alive
| and in the arena"
night
| Graviscourt's genius for entertain
| ing is indisputab1e,'' said the major.
on the following evening, as he, Dill
k1ns and sat together, among a score
| of more kindred spirits, all forming an
appreciative audience at Graviscourt's
| stag entertainment.
| True, 1 replied, with a tinge of
malice "One almost forgets who his
most is, with so much to amuse'
Ihe program was a sort of yaude-
| Vile There were songs, skirt dances
comic sketches by more or less ia
nous artists in their line, and the time
was so well filed and passed SO pleas
| antly that the hours glided by almost
| imperceptibly.
Di1kins, with his usual curiosity and
| push, was rummaging around in some
| cabinets he had succeeded in opening
and he suddenly electrified us all by
| exc1aiming:
by Jove! Dick. Major! Look at
this!''
| The major, Graviscourt and /
| reached him at the same moment.
| by Heaveni That facet" he cried
| thrusting photograph into the ma
jor's hand
| THAT is a likeness of Alice Grayis-
court, my brothers wife, taken some
| four years before she died. said our
/ host, calmly
rs it?" almost shouted Dilkins. eff
| it isn't the Queen of the Flying Trap
| exc, I'm a Dutchman!''
What do you mean?" asked Gravis-
| court.
And the major told him about Nita
| and MaHgni's circus.
| Probably more fancied re-