The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-05-19


you do your act!" Beppo called again
when next the gauzy figure how past
him. Whereupon the little wfsp M q
!swoman arose in her perch, folded he,
glRamingJ bare arms, beat tattoo With
the footSof her slipper; and urged. he1
steed tosfis utmost speed; bdef6e 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 that clutched
the heart beneath its spangled bodice
The band arose in Haunting tones. The
audience, eager for the coming mo-
ment, held its breath and leaned far
Their forward. - s''f '.''' a's''s.' ,Fs,se':si
"Slick ridin', hey?" a "hayseed" citi-
zen gasped into his neighbours ear
This here Mile. What-Yo Call Elm
lis a winner" w -
"Know who that is?" supervisor
from the foothill district leaned for
ward to say, bristling with his infor-
nation. I. h +
"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 well-matched span.
"Back, Queenie!" Beppo shouted
forgetting his place as he noticed she
too, seemed gayer than usual tonight
Clowns outside the ropes!" COM
manded the ringmaster, cracking his
whip, threateningly.
"Who?'" the hayseed citizen found
time to ask moment later, handing
the foothill man a handful of peanuts.
Remember old Petersen up here at
Timbuc'?" the supervisor crunched be-
tween mouthfuls. DE '
"Yep."
''This here rider is his little gel, ran
off with an actor-fellow. Remember
that?" ..f az ~ re.rrE -,,. J..
"Lor' bless my soul, If it amt little
Babbie Petersen sure enough!'' ex-
claimed Madam. .Hayseed. wiping. her
lips with her cotton glove.
Lemonade, sir? Ice-cold soda?''
persisted red-faced boy, hoping the
peanuts might have created "a thirst;
....red and white here, whfch.ll you
haye?" 81.
popcorn II ana chewing gum ii shout j ~,
ed second vender, seeing the foothill
contingent seemed a good thing.
@ used ter git the old mans
bosses out into the corral and play
circus when she was knee-high to a
grasshopper," continued the woman.
j e:''And by gum, that's: old Pedro she's
a-ridin' now" broke in the supervisor;
well, I'll be durned!"
Balloons! balloons! going FAST"
persisted third eager vender, in line
to be next.
And while the foothill party, CAPPED
,wide-eyed after the little girl they had
seen from her babyhood breaking colts,
jumping bitches and riding bareback,
over the hills, the al torsfellow" forgot
that his sole purpose for living was II
supply the "button-bursting" fun for
which he was billed. Sas<: T
Pedro and Queenie were now canter-
ing neck and neck. The great One
and Only had already put her act, be-
hind Its schedule time by her delay
in entering the ring, and there was no
excuse for dallying longer. At given
sign the band struck up the long,
swinging measures Of Jackie Heave-
Ho," the horses were refined together,
the glittering little figure balanced,
crouched, sprang into the air, de-
scribed a rose-hued semi-circle and
landed upright upon Queenie's bare
back.
The crowd arose and shouted itself
hoarse Thousands of eyes blinked in
credulously after the feat they had
just seen, thousands of voices shrieked
and called and whistled. The roar of
the Gagged animals came in deafening
waves from the menagerie as the band
played the gayest airs. And all be-
cause little Babbie Petersen had per-
formed the greatest equestrienne feat
the sawdust ring had ever seen; while
the foothill party began to think Peter
sens runaway girl had turned out a
great lady.
Beppo, faint from his !, anxiety,
sprang to catch the gasping Lady
Champion in his strong, reassuring
arms. "Thank God!" arose in his
heart. This is the last" he began
to whisper, when the voice of the ring
master, in answer to the waves of ap-
plause that rose and surged through
out the tent and beat in deafening
echoes upon the stand, shouted
"Again!"
Seeing nothing Of the high-pressure
strain the rider was laboring under,
and eager to please the enthusiastic
audience, the ringmaster took the CEN
ter Of the ring, cracked his whip at
Pedro as he turned to the exit, and Or
dered the feat to be repeated.
"Oh, JIM" the voice of the One and
Only faltered as she passed him; but
he was powerless.
Needless of his duty to his audience,
Beppo again watched the mount Of
Doh -