The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-05-25
The Lure Of
the Tents.

BY 5. b. HAcKLEY.
Copyrighted. 1909. by Associa
Literary Press.

10 give II up even IOI-SFcH AOH uct
Forsythe's voice tremb1ed and a re-
pressed light burned In his black eyes
as he laid his hands, slender, but brown
and strong with the strength that three
years of cowboy riding had given, on
the shoulders Of girl standing on
this April afternoon just outside the
women's dressing tent Of the new
Wild West show.
The girl, who wore a dark green cor
duroy divided skirt, short white coat
with fringed sleeves, dark handker-
chief knotted about her soft throat and
cowboys hat on her red-gold hair,
thrust OF his hands with her gaunt-
leted ones and gave him merry look.
underneath which were defiance and
determination.
Bobby Forsythe," she cried, "its
me for the show Goreyerl"
The young mans dark face turned
crimson.
MY ring, please, Annettei'
The girls glowing cheeks paled
slightly, but she slipped OF her glove
and laid the solitaire in his outstretch-
ed palm Then, with gurgling laugh
that might have passed for sob. she
bowed mockingly before him and, lift
ing the tent Zap, disappeared within.
1t was Buffalo Bills show to which
these two belonged, but 1t was pref
ty good Wild West show, and Annette
Lucille Blossom was the best Cowgirl"
rider Of the twenty that dashed twice
q day fearlessly around the arena.
How she could ride-even better than
the daring young wife Of one Of the
shows owners who rode with him now
and then for the benefit Of the public.
Robert Forsythe, the most daring
rider Of the cowboys, the pride OF the
troop, always had hated to see the
Blossom riding. When he glanced over
the ropes and saw some woman spec
tator looking on calm and dignffied
and then glanced toward Annette
astride Western Wind, the bay pony
with the black spot on his left shout
der, her cheeks brilliant, crying in
mad merrimsnt with the other girl
riders, his heart boiled within him.
Forsythe, of fine old South Carroll
ma family, had become known for his
craftsmanship on every western ranch.
Reckless Of nature and ready for a
frolic, he had not said mo" when be-
sought by the managers Of the new
Wild West show to join It.
On the day that he Joined the troupe
IA spring day In oklahoma-he first
saw Annette disentangling her skirt
from q Cherokee rosebush With the
courtesy to woman that is the south
erner's birthright Forsythe offered to
assist her.
When the thorns were conquered
Annette was no longer heart free, and
Forsythe went back to his quarters
feeling hike one who has looked into
paradise and received a blow in the
face.
That life might be all right for
man. but at his home it was like a
crime for a girl Of his station to ride
thus for exhibition.
Was this girl with the glorious beau
ty. with the eyes Of heaven. as public
a thing as the armless woman In the
sideshow7
Forsythe clinched his hands. In aft
er weeks he clinched his hands many
times. He scorned himself for the
fame of admiration that the guileless
young girl had kindled in his heart
and for the fact that he could not hold
aIoof from her.
1t was In Winnipeg. when midsum-
mer and the show entered Canada to-
gether, that he threw aside pride and
tradition and told Annette that he
loved her. Then for the girl, for whom
since the April day in Oklahoma all
commonplace things had been bathed
In glory, begun life of torment.
Forsythe began the moment his ring
shone on her finger to beseech her to
leave the show as no fit place for
refined woman.
Her kinsmen, the shows owners,
would have released her. but the spell
of the circus held her, and, secure. as
she thought, in Forsythe's love, she
laughed at his entreaties.
Forsythe grew sick with loathing of
the tent life. Every part of the per
Torrance disguised him.
Forsythe overlook her just outside
the dressing tent wild with humiliation
and besought her to marry him that
evening and let him take her home to
South Carolina.
She refused laughingly, but when he
demanded that she stop riding imme
diately, even though she did not marry
him, his arbitrary tones angered her
and 1t ended In a broken engagement
For two months Forsythe gave mo-
sign of wishing to renew his friend
ship with Annette, but treated her with
a formal politeness that rendered her
miserable.
II wish he would leave the show,
she thought daily, but he remained.
held as by magnet
In the quadrille on horseback she
never was his chosen partner again,
and when he had to touch her fingers
in an interchange of movements his
face was stern and inscrutable and
bis hands were like ice.
Annette's friends were not told of
ner broken engagement. but they no
ticed that her blue eyes were often
dark circled and that In the riding she
rode fastest and most wildly Of ALL
At last they arrived in south Texas
Hurrying toward Mexico. the show
stopped at the small towns only There
came a night of terrific rain that soak
ed the ground until 1t was dangerous
for riding. but an exhibition was held
whatever the weather, so 2 o'clock In
the afternoon saw the performance at
its height.
The parade around the ring was over
-broncho busters" Indians, Next
cans, cowgirls and cowboys. Cossacks.
all had passed In review. The stage
holdup and the Indian dance were over
Then came the cowboy feats Of diff
cult riding.
Robert Forsythe rode most reckless
ly Of all-vaulting over his galloping
horse. supporting bis weight solely by
one hand clutching the pommel-aroundl
the arena.
The Cossacks, most daring riders of
the world, hated him for his skill, and
Forsythe in the latter weeks of his
misery had become more reckless In
riding than even Cossack.
Somebody's going to be hurt to-
day." remarked one of the spectators
''Look at that fellow riding the game
little sorrel with the white feet, won't
your
Somebody's going to see his finish"
the performers behind the
beaten retiring curtain. An
nette shivered and whitened as she