The Somerset reporter., 1904-10-27


my welght-m-my weight! 1t is stol-
en-. Some providers, curse them! 1.-THE
last moment toor'
"Stoen, stoleni" repeated the man.
ager in his highest key "By heavens. |
man, and we have 5000 unbelievers in
that tent all waiting to see your act. !
We've posted LOCO bills; we've adyer'
tised it for month. We Ne-weve-
Hercules, what is to be done"
"Well, sir" growled the champion
darkly, at amt my fault. No, sir! But
there's one way out of it; one way, l
think"
What way?" snapped the manager.
''It's-it's the papier mache weight,
sir; light as feather. II used to
practice with it," stammered Hercu-
les. But they-they wouldn't know
1t from the real thing, sir; not ON your
life. Git two of the grooms, Dan'l and
Pete, sir; | know em well enough
They'll perspire an purtend a bit when
they bring it on. Savez the ldee. hey?
l reckon you do, sir-ha hal!
"Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha" laughed the
manager heartily. splendid, Hercu-
les, splendid I'll write to Barkalow.
You get bonus for this-ha ha. And
we can stave off challenges for one
night, Ell? Tomorrow We'll invite In
spection. Very good, sir, v-very good,
indeed"
And SO 1t was arranged
Came 8 o'clock dinging and dying
Il - .ar,I IL
items, like snow In tropical sun, had
melted from Barkalows big wonder
list Comanche Bill, pink nosed and
piebald, with Mirabeau, was pranclng
around the mammoth ring. Whoop,
whoop, whoop, whooplah! Crack!
Through ribbon ring after ribbon ring
the ma'amselle jumped, landing al
ways fair and dancing on her plush
platform saddle Suddenly whoop
whoop, swish a tissue drum went
into shreds, and Pierrot stepped down
from his pedestal and look ed proudly
at the lady. "Hurrah, hurrah" The
audience cheered and clapped their
hands. "Well done, well dOne!'
But now 1t was number eight on the
on the performers entrance
Hercules, Hercules" The excited
whisper gathered force ind chased
along and up and down the tiers.
Jauntily the manager advanced and
made brief announcement. Two blue
coated, quick action grooms spread out
a brilliant carpet star, and two others,
nd CT n a n
shoulders doubled over, brought on the
plaything of the giant.
"Har In II moment he was there
before them, smiling and bowling, a
spangled vision in scarlet and gold, n
miracle of physical strength and big
ness. He stretched out his long right
arm, his left, too, and the muscles OF
them rose up like plated whipcords
Then he breathed, and every man
breathed with him. He broke n poker
across his thigh. and the cheers rang
wild and deafenlng. He looked at the
weight at the trapeze above, ut ma am
selle with critical eye, and again
the audience cheered. If before they
had doubted the claims In number
eight, it was evident now that they be
lieved.
Mirabeau? White as chalk beneath
her mask, she held her breath and
glared from her steed at Pierrot. And
Pierrot? Eyes bulglng outward, he
transfXed the little trapdoor in the
betting below the orchestra stand.
Suddenly the giant stepped before
the weight and faced the high priced
seats. Above his head he raised his
hands. "Once twice, thrice" On the
third call he would swing and grasp
and juggle with the dead weight us
with a toy.
Click! Click!
Pierrot, and only Pierrot, heard IT.
The viollns and the flutes were muir
dering sound and the clowns heart
thumped his chest like a drumstick
beating the time.
Click. Click
Up went the trapdoor and a boy, Il
very little boy, hatess, but with a sum
crisped thatch of curly hair struggled
through the ring For n moment he
hesitated, blinking his big blue eyes
In the glare of light; then quick as q |
fash he was over on the big carpet star.
"Pierrot, Plerrot," breathed ma'am
selle, squeezing the cold fingers resting
on her saddle.
"Once, twice-once, twice-whoop |
lahw shouted Hercules, bending swift !
ly and throwing his mighty arms be
tween his legs.
But the boy was first. In his tiny
hand he grasped the weight and, hoist !
ing it to his slender shoulder, sped
with it like startled hare across the
ring and out through the quivering |
curtain.
"Ah, ha! la, la, hat 1t was one
brief trickle of laughter accentuatine
the intense silence that followed, for in |
the thrill Of flute 1t all happened, ard |
no one had attempted to stop him
Rat-tat-tat.
"Now, all togetherw commanded the |
leader of the orchestra, coming gal
lantly TO the rescue, and a bunch OF
mandoins and yiolins ripped the air
But music had no charms for the out