The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-05-20

INO
him. Whereupon the little wisp of a
woman arose in her perch, folded her
cleaning bare arms, beat a tattoo with
the foot of her slipper, and urged her
steed to his utmost speed; but the eyes
behind the grinning mask that watched
the, fluffy skirts and rose-hued tights
swaying like a reed with the horses
motion, guessed the panic hal clutched
the heart beneath its spangled bodice.
The band arose in haunting tones. The
audience, eager for the coming mo-
ment, held it's breath and leaned far
Their forward.
"Slick ridin', hey?" a ~"hayseed" citi-
zen gasped into his neighbours ear.
''This here Mile. What ou-Call-'Em
is a winner"
know who that is?" a supervisor
from the foothill district leaned for
ward to say, bristling with his infor-
nation.
Nope" answered the first speaker,
Immediately forgetting his neighbor,
and doubling forward as the second
horse pranCed into the ring.
The next burst Of applause was for
Queenie as she trotted up to the side
Of Pedro, crowded past him to the in
side Of the ring, and, falling into step,
made a Wcll-matched span.
Back, Q~ueenie!" Beppo shouted,
forgetting his place as he noticed She.
too, seemed eayer than usual tonight.
Clowns outside the ropes" COM
manded the ringmaster, cracking his
whip, threatcningly.
"Who?" the hayseed citizen found
time 10 ask a moment later. handing
the foothill mar a handful of peanuts.
Remember old Petersen up here at
Timbuc'?" the supervisor crunched be-
tween mouthfuls.
Yep"
This here rider is his little gel, ran
off with an actor-fellOw. Remember
that
"Lor' bless my soul, if it amt little
Babbie Petersen sure enough" ex-
claimed Madam Hayseed, wipine her
lips with her cotton glove.
Lemonade, sir? Ica-cold soda?"
persisted a red-faCed boy, hoping the
peanuts might have created a thirst;
red and white here, which'u you
have?"
Popcorn and chewing-gum!" shout
ed a second vender, seeing the foothill
contingent seemed a good thing.
c" used ter git the old mans
bosses out into the corral and play
when she was knee-high to a
continued the woman.
And by gum, that's old Pedro she's
a-ridin' now" broke in the supervisor;
well, III be d~urned."
Balloons. balloons! going FAST"
persisted a third eager vender, in line
to be next.
And while the foothill party gaped
wide-eyed after the little girl they had |
from her babyhood breaking colts, |
bitches and riding bareback |
the hills, the 'actor-fellow' forgot |
hat his sole purpose for living was to
the "button-bursting" fun for
which he was billed.
Pedro and Queenie were now canter-
ng neck and neck. The great One
Only had already put her act be-
lind its schedule time by her delay
n entering the ring, and there was no
Excuse for dallying longer. At a given
ign the band struck up the long,
winging measures of Jackie Heave-
10" the horses were refined together,
he glittering little figure balanced,
rouched, sprang into the air, de-
cribed a rose-hued semi-circle and
anded upright upon Queenie's bare
Jack.
The crowd o and shouted itself
,oarse. Thousands of eyes blinked in
r~edulously after the feat they had
ust seen, thousands of voices shrieked
nd called and whistled. The roar of
he Gagged animals came in deafening
raves from the menagerie as the band
layed the gayest airs. And all be-
little Babbie Petersen had per
ormed the greatest equestrienne feat
he sawdust ring had ever seen; while
fcothill party began to think Peter
runaway girl had turned out a
reat lady.
Beppo, faint from his anxiety,
prang to catch the gasping Lady
hampton in his strong, reassuring
rms. Thank God!" arose in his
cart. This is the last he began
} whisper, when the voice of the ring
laster, in answer to the waves Of APP
lanse that rose and surged through
ut the tent and beat in deafening
choes upon the stand, shouted
Againgy"
Seeing nothing of the high-pressure
train the rider vas laboring under,
nd eager to please the enthusiastic
udience, the ringmaster took the CEN
II of the ring, cracked his whip at
edro as he turned to the exit, and or
the feat to be repeated.
"Oh, JIM" the voice of the One and
My faltered as she passed him; but
e was powerless.
Needless of his duty to his audience,
'eppo again watched the mount of
;abette. This is the last time she
hall do it," he swore to himself
lrough drawn white lips. while his
rinning mask, turned toward a group