The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-05-16
THE PASSION
OF A MAN
copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Coz
Bv PAUL PARIS.


/ wanted to take it all in, so began
with the freaks and hurriedly got
through with them The animals
were better, and | was deep in a half
philosophical contemplation OF huge
lion blinking lazily, like a contented
cat, when a furry OF words In Tor
eign tongue reused me sharply from
my revery. ] found | was very near
an actors tent and felt rather pleased
at the idea of hearing some OF their
talk from the inside. But soon this
half superior feeling was swept away
by the sofa, fearful sound of woman's
voice-a young voice-touched with
childish indecision.
1T is not So" she said. "Jekko
lies, and you must know 1t. He is
braggart and boasts that all the wo-
men are in love with him. | never
see him. tell YOU it is not So" Her
voice trembled with emotion.
But the man whom | had heard be.
fore answered nothing. He sneered.
Answer me, Karl she pleaded
Tell me that you beliese me"
mo, know better" and he laughed.
But Karl"
That's enough. Keep quiet. l
know what know" he cried harshly,
and there the dialogue ended.
could hear the performance begin.
ming, but | did not move. My interest
was centered in the quarrel | had just
heard. l wished to see the end of the
tragedy. After all, what did it matter
il | INDUCED an idle curiosity?
After few moments hand pushed
aside the canvas flaps and they APP
peared. | watched them keenly and,
as | did so, an unaccountable SILVER
ran through me- The woman, quite
young-almost girl-was slight, slen-
der, admirably proportional, and all in
white. She did not have that tagged
out, world-worn look Of the ordinary
circus woman, and seemed singularly
out of place. Fair and delicate, with
great blue eyes, Redeemed with weep
ing, she seemed hardly to touch the
earth as she stepped lightly over the
sawdust alleys.
Her companion offered a singular
contrast to her He was a typical Bo-
hemian, tall, strong and handsome.
His pale, olive complexion was paler,
and his dark eyes darker with jeal-
ousy and passion His thin lips were
tightly closed
l stepped noiselessly past them to
my seat in the auditorium. But the
performance was even duller than |
anticipated and | fell to wondering
which of the many trapezists listed on
the program were the two in whom
| was interested.
At last they entered the ring. fol-
lowed their every motion with the
glasses. In moment they had swung
themselves to dizzy heights. Their
bodies moved rhythmically, ever
quicker, until they reached the highest
possible point and paused before their
quired an extraordinary precision OF
movement, mathematcally exact
calculation Of distance, and was an
bounced as the climax Of the evening.
The tiny white figure of the girl, so
light and 1.-THE, was perched on the
highest trapeze. The man lower than
she, yet far above the audience, was
hanging head downward, with his face
| turned toward NE With the trapeze
in full swing, she was to hurl herself
| backward in double somersault and
| catch herself by the hands of her
partner. On him | fixed my glasses.
AS | looked. whirl of white came
down straight toward him. But it did
| not stop. 1t fell far below into the net
and lay there limp and lifeless. A
horrible accident, thought the SILVER
| ing crowd, but | had watched the man
and seen the crime.
At the instant when he should have
| clasped the girls hand he withdrew
| his own by a barely perceptible mo-
| ton and let her fall headlong into the
| dread void below.