The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-10-14
hat nigat. and he was Kissed from the
III.
The next day the circus bills bore


the imposing announcement:
Unparalleled Novelty. Stupendous
Attraction. The Tragedy of 'Usande;
or, the Martyred Maiden Mile. Nina
and Gugusse."
At Z o'clock the house was crowd
ed. The usual exercises took place
tight rope. trapeze, horizontal bar
but ttey passed almost unnoticed. The
people were waiting for the promised
tragedy. They wanted to see the white
robed maiden deyoured by the bear.
At last Gugusse and Nina entered
the ring, and the pent-up excitemen'
of the crowd found vent in cheers
Nina was witchingly beautiful in her
white toga, over which fell tresses of
rich, dark hair. She looked like the
wnite-souled martyrs of old for whom
the stake had no terrors. She ad-
vanced to the center of the ring, and
Gugusse, looking as hideous as the
fleadsman of the Restoration, bound
her securely to the post Nina clasped
her hands together, and lifted her
large eyes skyward in an attitude of
prayer.
Gugusse disappeared, and re-enter-
ed the ring with tame bear, which
had been his playmate since he left
his Polish home. He held the animal
by the ear, and as the brute struggled
and growled menacingly. the people
applauded to the echo.
They watched Gugusse approach the
maiden, and heard some words utter
ed wnich they took to be an appeal
for her recantation. In reality Gugusse
was murmuring passionate declara-
ton.
Nina, I love you! Have pity on
me. Can you not hear me? Have pity
on me. or l will let Bisly fly at you.
l have made him drink brandy. have
beaten him, and this morning | stole
his m at from him. He is hungry, he
is mad; he will tear you in pieces!
viii you be miner"
Nina shoow her head with a gesture
of impotence.
nina! Nina! I am a mani have a
right to love you. I love you with
my whole SOUL cannot live without
your love. Be mine. Do not make
me desperate. All! you shake your
head. You will not! You despise me.
l know it. You shall pay dearly for
1t now"
AS he finished speaking the dwarf
bent down and unmuzzled the furious
brute. which paved the ground vic
iously at his feet. Nina turned pale.
There was desperation in the dwarf's
face-there was murder in his eyes.
Her cheeks blanched with terror, and
from her lips came the cry:
Help! Help! Help!"
With rapid movement Gugusse
unmuzzled the bear. and the famished
animal dashed past him, sprang upon
the helpless girl, and rent her with
his claws.
The scene was so realistic, so strik
ingly rendered, that the audience ap
plauded until the circus was filled with
deafening roar. They little knew
that tragedy was being enacted, and
thought it was part of the business"
when the beautiful head dropped down
and the blood spurted from the white,
unclothed arms.
What passed just then in the mind
of the wretched crature who stood
watching the horrible sight? Was he
conscious of his infamy? Was he
seized with pity at the sight of so
much youth and beauty being ruth.
lessly torn to pieces? Did he wish to
undo what he had done?
No one can tell; but just as the bear
was planting its cruel claws in the
white shoulders of the half-conscious
girl, the dwarf sprang forward and
seized the brute with his muscular
arms. With a mighty effort he pulled
the bear off his victim and flung him
to the ground.
The passion which famine and ex-
element had aroused in the bear
caused him to turn with furious force
on his master. AS they rolled over
together in the sawdust the bear
caught the dwarf in terrible en-
brace. There was a cracking of bones.
and before the people belonging to the
circus had time to run to his aid, the
Infatuated beast had planted its fangs
into his neck.
And the crowd, little suspecting that
a grim tragedy had taken place before
their eyes, jumped on their seats and
howled out, amidst a storm of ap
plause:
Encore, Gugusse; Encore, Gu
se."-New York News.