Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-13

VI COlOTaQO, ana now ne was CnSTe.
In this new interest, even thoughts of
Viro and his "death-defying ride"
down the incline seemed to have be-
come obliterated in him.
]. Up, up, up, the Circus climbed each
night as it crossed the Great Divide.
The tents had to be double staked
now, and more often than not the
Circus "lot" lay on an incline in the
different mountain towns where per-
lformances were being given at an adj
vanced admission mat was resulting
in swelling of the treasury beyond
even the homogeneous dearest hopes
1t was in the town of Quaking AS
pen that it happened.
"Overconfidence," the equestrian d.
rector said; bad luck" declared the
others.
To the usual fanfare Of trumpets
Viro poised an instant on the tiny plat
form at the top of the incline. Every
eye in the tent was upon him. aloft,
clinging like fly to the trestle. He
placed his wheel
4 "A-e you ready?" the equestrian di-
rector shouted up to MIN.
Cali ready" came the answer float
ing down.
A pistol cracked From the top of
the tent there shot at an angle before
the eyes of the spectators a man
astride a bicycle; then man and
wheel leaped into the air; there was
La crash as the tires struck the plat
form at the end Of the gap. 1t was
over in flash; the wheel lay on its
side beside the platform; the man
prone on the hippidrome track where
he had been flung thirty feet forward.
They bore him into the dressing-tent
and stretched him out upon two
trunks placed end to end. The Cir
Gus physician made a hasty digital
examination.
mot a. bone broken" he declared,
tersely, "shock, that's all; he's out OF
the running for a fortnight. But IN
less he has saved his nerve he'll never
rido it again.
And so it was that Vira was left in
that little mining town in the care OF
young physician and kindly-faced
clearinghouse matron, while the
show marched on For that Is the
!. way of the circus.
That night the four director- of the
organization sat for a. long time In the
stateroom of sleeper, forward. Inc
incline was the greatest act in the en-
tire performance. Above all others 1t
had been advertised. Above all 9th
ers it was the act that the thousands
paid their money to witness.
I'm afraid it will mean trouble
, said one of the men.
The others had no answer. AS it
was, telegram was gent back to Chi.
, cago that same night. Perhaps II
, would bring forth man daring
enough to "ride the act" Meantime
r they must hope.cg Lanciotti, the little
Italian who rode down a ladder on 9
, bicycle was offered thousand dollars
week to take Viro's place. He cast
an eye up the incline trestle the next
morning and shrugged his shoulders.
"Nota for meelion," he said, shak
ing his head.
Nothing remained to be done but to
announce from the ring why the act
could not be given. In addition II
was deemed expedient to circulate an
) explanation generally among the
! throngs in the streets during the
> morning parade To the amazement
, of the officials these announcements
were received with jeers. And YET
when the doors Of the great tent were
opened at half past one that after
moon the people who crowded in mum
bered thousands. On the faces OF
, MANY of the men were ugly scowls
that every one at the door observed
at looks like trouble one OF the
, directors whispered to another.
v There was no reply.
However, the performance was civ
5 en- without hindrance on the part Of
the crowd, and the show" breathec
: easier. That was because it did moi
f know the temper of the throng, tenn
3 per which was disclosed in the even
t ing when precisely the same mer
D who had heard unmoved the an
nouncer's speech, that afternoon, gath
: cred again in the tent.
! Act after act passed without win
t ming the least applause from the
l crowded tiers of blue seats. The gas
4 oline chandeliers cast their sicklJ
: light upon hundreds Of determined
. faces.
: Even SANDY" noted the stiffness II
/ the big top. He CHANGED to be in thu
t dressing tent and as the performer
e came there after their work in thu
e rings their manner told him that some
-
t tered dragging his two wheels, one
y unicycle, the other a machine OF thu
regulation pattern on which he 'rod'
the loop" His face was pale ant
8 drawn. and finging the wheels to thu
! earth he sank beside them The mo
5 ment had come for Harry Clarence t
: make the announcement to the audi
l. ence. Even in the dressing tent thu
! performers heard his words as h
4 flung them out with all the power o
: his amazing voice.
. Ladies and gentlemen" they heart
: lowing to the fact that the great Vir'
sustained an accident yesterday whil'
: inscribing the aerial arc in his death
. defying act Of riding the incline. hi
! performance can not be given tonight.
q A sullen roar issued from the tent, fol
. lowed by Kisses and jeers. Sandy
rushed into the hippodrome track TIL
4 audience for the greater part was OF
: its feet Cries of Fraud" "Swipdle!
4 Liars" cut the air. A throng of mel
l IL 4r,s ,,%~ u coI,