Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-09-17
RANDALL'S
BEST CATCH.
BY Colin S. Collins.
By Colin s. Collin
Copyright 1905, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

men were touching up the brilliant ad
vance cars with vermillion aud golC
leaf In the wagon shop stood rows O.
cbariots resplendeDt in gilt and Grim
son. In the loft last touches were be
ing given to the big tops" the huge
canvas structures which went to make
up the city of tents. From ANNA
house and training barn could be heard
the sounds of activity as trainers put
horses and elephants through theil
PAGES, while the performers freshed NJ
their acts. In three weeks the show
would take to the road, opening in the
south to escape the frosts and to get
an additional month of season"
Galley Randalls appearance in the
ring barn was the signal for a general
stoppage of work on the part Of those
who had been with the show the sea-
son before. Randall had been a gen
eral favorite, and even the equestrian
director. the autocrat of affairs in the
ring, came over to greet the newcomer
1.-The rest of the boys are here and
have your traps all up" he told Galley,
with a glance aloft where the trapeze
rigging Of the Randall-Ransome troupe
glittered in the light tiltering through
the wire glass. The other troupe is
here"
"Who the mischief are theyY de-
manded Randall curiously. Il never
heard Of the Barnard troupe"
Neither did any one else" agreed
the director. 'They do a ripping good
casting act, though, and they'll work
well in the big act Come over and
I'll introduce you"
He led the way across the tanbark
to where stood a little group Of men
and women curiously regarding his APP
preach Randall was famous in the cir
Gus world. and the Bannards, accus-
toned to the drudgery of obscure one
ring wagon circuses and small vaude
vile performances, looked with awe
upon this star of the big show. Some
of RandalIs boys were standing with
the group; but, after a pleasant nod to
his own men and an acknowledgment
of the Introduction to the strangers,
Randall saw only one Of the troupe, a
1.-THE. graceful girl not yet out of her
teens.
Barnard hurried to compliment Ran
dali on his work but Galley scarcely
heard him His attention was centered
upon this queenly girl with the fash
ing black eyes. and when at last he
moved on to the dressing room to see
that his trunk was all right he turned
to his bearer" who did the catches for
his leaps.
What was the old chap saying?" be
asked. Il didn't quite catch"
Clute laughed.
Better get that idea out of your
head" he advised "The girl is the
whole show with that troupe and the
old man doesn't want her marrying
into another act"
you be hanged" said Randall IF
you think you're funny don't mind
telling you that you're not"
You agreed to a rehearsal at 3
O'clock" said Clute. IT'S all right, Ca
ley. I'd be stuck on her myself if |
wasn't married Come out and get
bite to eat"
Randall followed Clute across the lot
to the hotel. where most of the per
formers stopped, and by . they were
in practice dress and up in the dome of
the practice ring, getting the stiffness
out of their joints.
1t was the custom with the show to
mass all the aerial acts into one big
troupe for q finish to the show. While
the arena was being made ready for
the hippodrome races the attention
was centered upon the one big act, and
in this Bannards troupe worked with
Randall's. A huge special apparatus
was provided for this act, and it was
to get used TO this that the two acts
were TO rehearse together.
To his delight Galley found that Ban
nard's daughter did the principal leap
ing for their act ara was TO share the
narrow perch from which he worked
1t was scarcely more than a shelf,
high above the ring, but to the gym.
nasts it was as secure as the ring it.
self, and Galley found time TO chat with
the gfl Wnile they worked out the de- |
tails of the routine of tricks
But once the rehearsal was over and /
Galley, hurrying into his street clothes. |
reached the exit to wait for Grace Ban |
nard he realized that what Clute had |
said was right. Barnard whisked |
Grace and her sister off to the board
ing house where they were stopping
before Galley had chance to say
word
But opposition only made him the
more determined. There was little
time to talk up on the shelf where they
for either Galley or the girl
was flying through the air while the
other rested, and at best conversation
was fragmentary.
Two weeks passed, and Galley be-
,ame more and more certain that his
interest was returned. Evidently Ban
lard was NOT ignorant of the state Of |