The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-05-19
4 TRAGEDY IN 1ATTERS.
! NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
,
For the Amusement of the Multitude.
Observation-Disclosures
} By Marguerite Stabler.

applause, were still ringing, in her ears
when Tex~broke the spell with:~ Bet
yecan't do it again!"
y''Humph! that's ,nothin'.',, Petersen's
Bah shifted, trying to hold out her
limp little cotton skirt as Mile. Sylphine
had held her gauzy wings. And after
another mad chase around the Corral
poor frightened Pedro was caught and
made to take his second hurdle.
But the applause st rex and stifffty
was not satisfying. Digging her little
brown heels into Pedro's ribs, and TAX
in& the three-rail fence as easily as
Mile. Sylphine herself would have done,
the two untamed young creatures
Bab and Pedro-galloped at full tilt
up1the trail. "a.
ssAOh, Pedro, can't stand it any
longer!" the girl whispered into his
sympathetic ear, as, looking out across
the bare, brown hills, the deserted
'daggings," the struggling cabins in the
vicinity of Timuc', a choking sensation,
which might have come from. the clouds
of4fine red dust and might not, gripped
her throat i sa ss'ss 4 4.
SaFresh roasted peanuts here! Two
bags for nickel! Balloons balloons,
ten cents apiece!'a'' Lemonade and soda
water, two straws in a glass;" This
time it was the gay reality.
'sAnd now for the first time this dar-
ing feat" arose the deep tones Of the
ringmaster, sis to be performed before
this vast and intelligent audience .
Pausing an instant to give the audience
time to grasp the nature Of the i'm
pending feat, he announced, "The
One and Only Lady Somersault Rider,
the. Unquestioned Champion Eques-
trienne Of the World, Mile. Babette.."'
An instant the cries of the peanut
"venders' were stilled, the hum Of the
voices ceased, the band licked or a
subdued rocco, the roaring of the
Gagged animals alone was not sup
pressed. Thousands of eyes strained
toward the greenroom tent, while the
ringmaster, to cover an awkward de-
lay, expatiated upon the, perils of the
feat.
Meanwhile the Unquestioned Cham
pion Equestrienne chung desperately to
Beppo, and sobbed, ooh, Jim, can't!
can't do it!''
G. introducing complete somer-
sault from one horse to another while
both rapidly circle the ring" reached
the ears of the trembling little One and
Only, as Beppo, through his painted
mask, answered: Flush, they're wait
ing for you. You must go on. There,
quick, you're all right" And pushing
her gently from him, he ran to the
springboard, jumping headlong into the
ring, which brought down the house,
and gave poor Babette a moment in
which to grip her courage.
Pedro, when his rider appeared
pranced eagerly toward her. The
crowds, eager to witness the danger
and risk promised them, leaned for.
ward and applauded her entrance
Beppo, balancing on a pole like red
Daruma, held his breath and watched
her as. with one quick spring, the I'm
questioned Champion reached the
blanket.
'She's all right now" he assured
himself, as group of other clowns
sprang upon him and he went down
from his perch; but he kept his eyes
fixed a,lxiously upon her.
Drunk, old man." asked one of the
merry -andrews, noticing Beppo's un.
steadiness as he walked with his feet
in the air.
'tNope, it's Bah; she's off tonight
he answered. Then, Gee, but wish II
was over" the painted fool sighed tc
himself, making his way erab-wise tt
the edge Of the ring.
AS Beppo righted himself fyins
figure flashed past him, balancing airil,
on one foot and throwing kisses to the
audience. STEADY Pedro" he got close
enough to call, as he caught glimpse
of the white face above the glitterine
spangles. Pedro heard the well-know1
voice, and for a moment felt the force
of it's command, but they had been two
dLys on the road with no exercise, ant
his spirits were running uncommon,
high.