Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-10-01

| adore Bella-Bella, don't care &c
have her dropping on my head.
Seth, who also was not lacking in
wisdom which prompts man towards
self-preservation, got up and leaned
against the wall out of reach of the
net.
Oh, she won't fall, my lord" said
the chairman, with a satisfied smile
bella knows a trick worth two Of
that; trust her for taking care of her
self Here she isl" and striking the
table in front of him with an ivory
hammer, he shouted "Order, gentle
men!" in stentorian tones.
The band grew louder, and then
amid a general silence, a woman
sprang on to the stage.
She was tall, but so exquisitely
made and every limb so perfectly pro
portioned that she did not look more
than of medium height. She was, of
course, dressed in silk tights, which
displayed her handsome figure, and
that small portion of her attire which
was not composed Of silk tights was
Of ruby plush, fiecked here and there
by diamonds, which in this case were
real; but few would have given a sec
ond glance at the diamonds after see
ing her face. 1t was a singular one.
She was dark, and her hair, tightly
coiled at the crown of her shapely
head, was black, and the face was
ctriIzino in itc poivturo Of audooitu ond
simplicity. She came to the footlights
with a smile that was at once defiant
and self-assertive, but at the same
time there was look of almost gentle
depreciation, of child-like gaiety, in her
dark eyes.
1t was as much her beauty as her
marvellous skill on the trapeze that
drew the crowds to the Palace during
her engagement.
AS she came forward into the
glare of the footlights Seth raised his
eyes and looked at her with piercing
back, slid back, into the shadow of the
balcony.
Her appearance was the signal for a
loud outburst of applause, and buzz
of excitement ran through the audi
ence, ''the swells" drew few inches
nearer, as if fascinated; and the band,
which had paused during her recep-
ton, broke into a gay and exhilarat-
| ing air.
She acknowledged the enthusiastic
welcome with a smile and nod,
while couple of stage attendants in
gorgeous liveries seized rope that
hung from the lofty ceiling, and with
every sign of respect brought it within
her reach. She sprang at it as cat
springs at a bird, and with a grace
and ease almost incredible drew her
self up to the trapeze, which hung ut
giddy height above the stalls.
Trapeze performances are very
much alike; but Bella-Bella's was dis
tinguished by it's audacity and the
grace with which it was executed.
She and the trapeze seemed to be part
and parcel of the same machine One
moment she was swinging by one
| hand, her 1.-THE body at right angles;
the next she was suspended by her
feet and nothing else, her face smiling
down at the audience beneath her, as
| if to hang head downwards forty yards
| above the earth were the commonest
of feats. There was a ladder sus-
pended lengthwise just below the cell
| ing, and with an effort which seemed
effortless she reached it and travelled
along it first by one hand and then by
one foot. Then she dropped, like a
feather, to the trapeze again and
knelt on one knee. SUDDENLY, while
the applause was almost deafening,
she uttered a cry of feigned teri or and
! dropped like stone in the net be-
Meath Broken as her fall was by the
net, it would have shaken the life out
of an ordinary man, to say nothing Of
woman, but almost instantly she was
on her feet again, and Selling the
guide-rope, was slowly swung on to
tho stage.
A roar like that Of the wild beasts
of Ephesus rose from the excited
audience, and she stood looking round
| Will Slightly uuSnSu lace anu pal ISu
lips, scarcely bowling, yet receiving
the general applause as If it were her
due-as doubtless it was-then turned
| to go. AS she did so she glanced
down at the group of gentlemen and
gave them an almost imperceptible
nod.
Cali right" said the young peer with
smile; shell come. Did you see
her nod? BY George! she was better
than ever tonight; what do you think,
Harry?'
Eyes" drawled the man addressed.
Some night she'll be best and that
will finish her! Come on; she won't
take long, and there'll be the devil 10
pay If we keep her waiting"
They moved languidly towards the
gorgeous corridor, with its electric
light and mosaic walls, it's costly hang
ings and tropical ferns, and Seth,
whose sharp ears had heard every
word, softly and cautiously followed
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