The suburban citizen., 1902-07-05

or hearty applause rewarded her.
The hand-clapping seemed to give
her renewed courage. Blushing. she
stopped before the little group of spec
tators and said: "rhere were one or
two little things that used to do at
Deep Rock in my riding skirt have
the skirt here in my bundle Wait a
moment, please"
She disappeared into the properties
booth beside the performers entrance,
and in moment emerged, wearing the
riding skirt.
"Will some one please scatter a few
small coins about the ring?" she asked.
This was done, and meanwhile, with
her own hands, she quickly removed
pad and bride, leaving the horse with.
out strap upon him.
Then, urging him ahead. she sprang
! upon his shoulders, and in some niys-
terious manner clung there like Sioux
warrior, with her body hanging far
to one side; only in her case the feat
was rendered far more difficult by hav-
ing nothing to cling TO.
With the horse running as fast as
he could be made to go, she bent down
and picked up the coins, not only once
but many times, for she tossed them
ahead as fast as she secured them.
This act won for her even louder ap-
plause than the other. 1t was so plain
that she was a born rider. and could
learn any feat with ease, that she was
engaged at a good salary on the spot.
OF course she had to encounter more
or less jealousy on the part of some of
the other riders, but no one could hold
out long against her simple directness.
And for the same reason her progress
in learning the new points Of her toll
some profession were both rapid and
complete.
1t was about this time that chariot
races came into vogue, and every circus
manager felt compelled to introduce
one into his program.
In st. Louis We were fitted out with
four gorgeous chariots, guaranteed to
represent the true Roman model, and
the proprletors also secured three-horse
matched teams to draw them. There
after the ring was enlarged and made
elliptical, to afford greater scope for
the race.
The swiftest team was assigned to
"MademOiselle Lorence," who by pre-
! arrangement, was to be the winner in
every contest. She drove with as great
spirit and delight as If the struggle
had been real.
Her team consisted Of three blacks
loosely harnessed to the swaying char
lot by means of broad breast collars
and traces of silver plated steel. They
made a brave show, but only the out
trained, the others having recently
been bought because they matched
the other horse.
1t was at Hot Springs. Arkansas
that the girls opportunity to be hero
inc came to her We played there
early in December, as we were swing
ing to the South after a summer spent
in the Northern Central States Of the
Union.
think the race had been run in pub
lie perhaps twenty times, and horses
as well as drivers were becoming ac-
customed to it. OF the latter two were
men and two women, but all We're
attired very much alike, in armor-lke
costumes, glittering with spangles.
They drove at a mad run, and the
race was very realistic.
The chariOts. although not so heavy
as they seemed. were numbering two
wheeled, springless vehicles, and lack
ing thills or tongue. they slued alarm.
ingly in turning a corner.
In each race the chariots made six
circuits, the last the swiftest of all.
Before this round now one and now an
other would forge ahead, but on the
final turn Lorence would force her
three steeds TO the front. take the out.
side of the course and win by length
amid great excitement and applause.
That evening the tent was thronged
and under the canopy, which presuma.
bly, was an exact copy of that covering
proconsul's throne, was a party OF
well known people. The family OF
State Senator NJ, silver mining mil
lionaire from Colorado, We're three
tiers above the ring level. No one was
in front of them, Their only son and
child, a strong, active boy of about
five years Of age sat between his par
ents, so engrossed in what he saw that
he forgot all else.
The chariots were swinging about
from the back stretch on the sixth anG
final round the drivers calling to the
plunging horses and urging them on
The audience was In ar uproar and
the boy leaned far forward in his
eagerness
Suddenly he lost his balance and fell
3 forward His father clutched at hi,
! little blouse. but the motion only thrust
e him farther forward. over and over
1 he pitched down the steps, and the1
5 rolled six or eight feet into the ring
/ where he lay half-stunned.
| The father sprang frantically down