Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-12-28
The RING0'yllASTER
Copyright, ny Daily Story Pub, CO..

The ringIlast er was handsom
man, after a cruel, tigerish fashion
and Mile Zongora, the animal traia
er, was good looking, too True, thel
were hard lines about her face, show
ing that the mademoisellc had lived
and suffered; but what of that? Sh
had heart; she had feelings, just the
same as do those whom fortune la
never buffeted, and when the ring
master coolly told her that he no long
er cared for her, and that he was g
ing to marry Mile. Therese. the bare
back rider, who can blame Mile Zon
CORA for feeling hurt and angry?
They stood there beside Mile Zon
gora's cage of lions and tigers, he
with a cold. sneering smile on his
lips, she with pain and rage IN her
eyes-eyes which were capable, on oc-
casion, of flashing with as much
ferceness as these of the most cour-
ageous of her tigers.
so! You are going to throw me
over and marry that white-faced chit
of a girl, are you?" fercely
so I have told you, carelessly.
The animal queen was not the WON
an to rave. She simply regarded the
ringmaster for a few moments with
flashing eyes. Then she pointed TO
Diavolo, the man eating tiger, in the
cage before them, and said in an in
tense, cutting voice:
Look there! You see Diavolo? He
is a tiger, brute. He would tear
anyone to bits. and that would end it;
but you are worse. You tear your
victims heart, wiring the life blood
from it, and leave its owner to live
and suffer! The tiger is the better
animal of the two! You
With a harsh laugh the ringmaster
turned and strobe away, leaving the
woman to glare after him, pain, rage,
despair cleaning from her eyes.
Mile. Zongora, desiring to always be
near her animals, lived in little
house on wheels, a house-wagon, con
sisting of two miniature rooms. There
were two doors opening into the sit
ting-room. one at either side.
After the performance that evening
| the ringmaster entered this room fol
what was tacitly understood to be
the last time Mile Zongora had in
vited him to enjoy little luncheon
with wine. She bore him no i'll will
she told him, and wished their part
| ing to be as that between friends.
She greeted him with a smile. NJ
one would have guessed that she wa
not happy.
The ringmaster was somewhat i'll a
ease, at first, but after they had eater
something, and drank some wine, h
began to be himself again. and laughe
and talked as was his wont, H
little suspected that Mile. Zongora wa
as good an actor as she was an anima
trainer. He little suspected that sh
was playing a part for a purpose. II
little dreamed that, standing close be
side the little house-wagon, on tn
farther side from the one at whic
he had entered, was the wagon COZ
tanning the cage in which was DiavolC
the man-eating tiger. He did not 10
one moment suspect that the door {
this cage was exactly even with tn
door of the hOuse-wagon. Nor did b
imagine that a certain circus rous
about was standing with hand on tn
sliding-door of the tigers cage, read
to draw it quickly back when b
should hear a whistle from Mile. zol
goras lips. But all this was tru
nevertheless.
And when the ringmaster his hea
muddled by the wine he had drum
rose to leave, he did not notice tn;
he was shown to the door on the O.
posite side of the room from the on
on which he had entered but this We
true.
With her hand on the door, NIL
Zongora smilingly babe the ringmastt
good night and good-by Then 81
ierked the door open, at the same m
mont giving utterance to a shri
| whistle. There was a grating SCUM
and then, as the ringInaster, surprise
and a bit startled, hesita ed, Nil
Zongora gave him a fierce, stror
shove, and he went headIong throus
the doorway Of the house-wagon-a
through the open door Of Diavolo
cage, also! There was grating SCUM
as the cage door was pushed shr
Mile. Zongora's door closed with
slam; and then
Mile zongofa stuffed cotton in h
q ears and calmly addressed and g
in bed.
A Busy Voter.
John Weaver, the reform mayor