The Lamar register., 1903-01-07


working on trapeze that hung high
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 flying
trapeZe between them.
Suddenly hush came over the
audience as 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 wealth of dark-brown hair,
which was tightly drawn into 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 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
mid-air, 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 clung to the flying or swinging
trapeze. On this she gave a marvel.
Gus exhibition of her fearlessness and
wonderful skill. in all of which her
writhing 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
finished. 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 flying
trapeze. l had seen Maubikeck. the
Lion Tanner. clad in ordinary evening
dress, looking like a handsome pow
| erful man of the world, standing near
| the ropes, watching the beautiful aero
bat narrowly. There was a smile of
| encouragement on 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 girls
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 and greeting
she had won from the people-when
| she passed Maubikeck it was to him
that her beautiful head was bowed.
| and one bright, fleeting smile showed
itself on her lips when her eyes looked
into his.
The next act fell fiat. and as neither
Maubikeck nor Barlotti was billed to
appear second time, we soon lost
interest, and before the crowd began
to get restless, we left the Garden and
went home.
Don't forget Graviscourt's stag to-
morrow evening"" said the major. as
was leaving him. You will be there
l suppose"
Hang Graviscourt!" replied "Yes,
l will be there If for no other reason
than to show the fellow am still alive
and in the arena"
Good" said the major. And good
night"
"Graviscourt's genius for entertain
ing is indisputable." said the major,
on the following evening. as he. Dill
kins and sat together among score
| of more kindred spirits, all forming an
appreciative audience at Graviscourts
stag" entertainment.
True" | replied, with a tinge of
| malice. "One almost forgets who his
| host is, with so much to amuse.''
The program was a sort of vaude-
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.
Dilkins, with his usual curiosity and
| push, was rummaging around in some
cabinets he had succeeded in opening,
| and he suddenly electrified us all by
exclaiming:
by Jove! Dick. Major! Look nj
this!"
The major. Graviscourt and
reached him at the same moment.
by Heaven! That facet" he cried,
thrusting a photograph into the ma
| jor's hand.
THAT is a likeness of Alice Gravis-
| court, my brothers wife, taken some
| four years before she died. said our
host, calmly.
"Is it?" almost shouted Dilkins. "If
it isn't the Queen of the Flying Trap
eze, I'm a Dutchman,"
What do you mean?" asked Gravis-