Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-07-08
THU CIRCUS RESCUE

wnen 1t comes to the trundle beds
The upshot OF 1t all was I hustled
BACK to I'll Paso, where We had some
green-rocm effects of a new opera
stored, aud as fleet-footed as possible
hiked back to Chihuahua. accompa-
MED by two big trunks. Meanwhile
lib had sent our bill poster to QueIta
TO hang up few valentines. advertis-
Ing the coming Of the show, and incl
dentally to slip into Murphys hand q
note OF minute instructions.
This done, lib tried to get me to
go north and sit on the farther bank
OF the Rio and await the last curtain.
Of course l wasn't for that. and he
blessed me and said we would proba.
bly, wind up as salt miners. Then he
directed me to throw some hardware
and cartridges into the cages. and on
Saturday morning, with two closed
animal wagons. We started for Quelta.
we had one man who could drive
chain-lightning, let alone the most
cratic Mexican mule, and. best of ALL
We could trust him.
1T took us day to cover the short
stretch over their rotten roads, but
at last we arrived at Quelta amid
Toltec buzz of excitement. and pitched
the side-show tent, as IL preparing for
the Sunday performance.
My plans are built like a watch.
and IL Ii don't happen in FIVE minutes
I've missed fire. groaned lib. as we
unlocked the covers to the carts.
Then 1t happened. First we heard
a yell; then half dozen champagne
bottles opened in quick succession, and
the little chapel bell began ding-dong-
ing excitedly.
Next, with fierce painting, four men
burst through the chaparral that came
up TO the rear OF our tent and plunged
inside the white walls. / had lust
time to notice they were haggard and
unkempt and then In a second the
wooden covers were down to allow
them to enter the cages, and then
snapped back i'm place again.
I'm afraid. Billy declared Tib
calmly, as he began sorting out some
posters, that the rest of the show
won't arrive ia time for to-morrow's
performance
Just as he said this a bevy OF vii
layers, headed by our trusty driver.
Collins, burst through the canvas.
yelling and brandishing carbines and
other impedimenta.
-Four men escaped from the sol
diers, Mr.. Smith, and told the guards
| thought they came this way. painted
Collins, with an expressive wink.
Whaty roared lib, in Spanish.
Law-breakers escaped Free passes
to the brave men who capture EN-. I
believe they did pass this way behind
the tent in the brush. heard
crashing and thought IL was mule.
My lion growled fercely. Hark. He
is growing nowi"
The gang paused in running away
TO hear the growl and Tiberius. stand.
ing near Murphy's cage, Kissed.
'Growl, you villain. growlr
And -thereat a most blood.chilling
roar came from Murphys dens and the
others, to make sure, began to throw
in series of yells that would cause
Bowery gallery-god to go home and
through sheer envy take lessons. The
swept EN- OF their feet, sir. To can
the climax Collins cried: Don't let 'em
get excited. Mr. Smith. Remember
the three men mauled to death in HI
Pasol'
After they'd gone, Tib turned to
me and grinned. I think well win the
trick. And isn't that Collins a
jewell
Now each cage was divided by q
grating of bars, and in each cosy
nook was one of the comic opera suits
I'd brought from FL PA.o. In de-
signing these animal maks@ips lib had
made use of air chambers. so that
when man got tucked into one and
the bicycle pump had been agitated
for padding you had real, Iife-Iike
beast. with muscles standing out like
bafnacles on a forgotten dredge. OF