Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-07
Peculiarities Of People

/ There is a common impression that
circus and ballet girls are vain, frivol-
Gus, shallow-natured creatures. incap-
able of any deeper emotion than that
of exciting the admiration of the pub
lic But this is not always correct
impression. Often beneath the yards
of carleton, paper flowers and paste
diamonds there beats a true Womanly
heart Proof of this was given me by
a little incident (not on the regular
program) that happened the last time
II attended Ringing Bros. circus.
| Among the pretty girls who per-
formed at dizzy heights in the air, WAS
one brave little actor-she seemed al
most child--whose daring feats called
forth deafening cheers. Beneath all
the makeup of aint-grease, pencil
ing and powder, there was sweet
womanly expression, rather firm and
reckless for one so young, but pure and
true withall. AS she floated thru the
air, thrown from the hands of one
performer to another, gracefully turn
ing and twisting, and barely reaching
the hands stretched out to her, men
and women held their breath, realiz-
ing the terrible death that awaited
her, should an accident occur.
The scene was fascinating. The de-
lighted crowd could not take their eyes
from the little girl swinging back and
forth in mid air, her whole life hanging
by a thread--her ability to grasp the
hands held out to her.
! Half of that great throng were hold
ing their breath the rest We're applaud
ing. But in that vast multitude was
one who took no pleasure in the scene,
Ia wee tot who hid her frightened face
in the robes of the woman beside her,
while her little form trembled
with terror Had you looked
closely, you would have found stIik-
ing resemblance between the face Of the
child and that of the daring little girl
lin blue tights performing dangerous
feats in the air.
Mamma, oh mamma! walled the
little tot under her breath Don't
fall, mamma, don't fall" and her little
fists clenched, while the baby lips
trembled, ana and great tears dropped
from the big blue eyes. The nurse beg
ged and pleaded, but not smile could
she coax to the child's face. The little
heart was cold and suffering from the
fear instilled by true love. And we
wondered why the child was thus fore
ed to witness the mothers danger.
The great throng of spectators were
enjoying themselves. They had paid
their money and the little blue butter
fly must fit from trapeze to trapeze.
Ah poor little baby, the world pays for
the spectacle and must have it even at
the risk to mammals life. 1t matters
not to them that your little heart is
breaking. So close your baby lips and
hide your pain.
The act was over and the tiny blue
butterfly danced gayly down the rope
and dropped on the stage as lightly as
the insect she represented. She paused
for moment, amid the piaudits of the
multitude, and glanced eagerly across
to the reserved seats. Then gracefully
raising her little white hand she threw
a kiss. The young men in the front
row, believing the caress was meant for
Them blushed consciously with vanity.
For the first time the baby lips
smiled, the baby hands were lifted, and
baby kisses thrown. In that little blue
butterfly the mother love was stronger
than vanity ana prlde. An, yes, more
often than we think, true, loyal loving
hearts throb beneath the tinsel and the
carleton.
Not unfrequently charity, in its we'll
meant efforts to alleviate poverty, trips
itself up by methods that lays 1t open
to the charge of intrusion and imperti-
hence. At least philanthropists will
find food for thought in the following
.ase which came to the writer's notice:
In certain large city is woman be-
,onging to the named class, who re-
cards herself as philanthropist, and
whom we will call Mrs. Goldsham. Two