Middletown transcript., 1910-05-21
RY ". CAREY WoNDERLY

1 q given Slgnal Gl0 men swung
back and forth eight times, then
| jumped clear of the bar, shooting
out across the stage toward the
bartheir partner had used but a
moment before. And, as they
shot out, the girl on the mans
shoulder jumped clear Of him,
landed on a trapeze above
the bars he was to land on. 1t
was all done n uch quicker than
it takes to tell it, and to
make a successful trip across the
stage required but two things
a sure nerve and the jump from
the bar made at the right mo-
| ment, so as to catch its mate on
| its backward swing.
| The Four Flying Zenos faced
each other, ready for their signal.
Fred gave it. Then, back and
forth, they swung like the wind
eight times. On their last swing
backward, Will caught a glimpse
of Dora's face.
I Dora ne shrieked; then, ds
the bar few forward, he shot
free from the thing with Mabel
on his shoulders.
God he groaned. My Cod
dearie
In moment he saw it all as
the bar he was to catch swung
out beyond his grasp. He threw
up one hand, and it struck the
trapeze as Mable made a grab to
get it. Out it swung beyond her
reach, and man and girl came
down to the stage with q dull,
sickening thud.
Fred, safe on his bar, saw them
fall. Dora, standing on her trapeze
twenty feet above the stage,
heard them shrek aloud. Then
the curtain was quickly lowered,
and the house physician hurried
to their aid.
= =
They took them to the Mercy
Hospital, Will unconscious, Mabel
sobbing with pain. Fred rode
with them in the ambulance, not
even stopping to change his cos.
tune. Dora dressed herself be.
fore she followed in q hanson.
She met Fred outside of the
door Of Mabel's room, wil6-eyed,
his face hideous with grease paint
and perspiration, but strangely
quiet withsl.
How is she? Dora asked.
Suffering. Her left arms
broken, the doctor says, and she's
bruised and terribly upset.
That all ? asked Dora.
Good God +! amt that enough 2 |
My little Mabel cried the man. |
Arm broken-may be a couple o.
months before she's able to work |
again; and as for Will
How is Will she asked, with |
a sudden weakness, almost afraid |
of what his answer might be.
Conscious now-worse han
Mabel. In fact, 'doc'don't seem
to know yet just how bad he's
hurt. l tell you, Dora, it beats
me how the thing ever happened. |
Here we've been doing the same
act for months without an
accident, and then-a smash.up-
I'm afraid it'll ruin us-the man.
ayers will be afraid of US after
this.
A nurse came in and spoke to
Dora.
The patient in SO wants to
speak to you, she said. Don't ex-
cite him. Therein there!
Dora opened the door and saw
VIII lying on the bed. He was
very pale, but he smiled as she
came over to him.
You almost fixed me! he said
How's Mabel? She fell on me-
that kind o. saved her
A broken arm, said Dora
shortly, and waited.
Again the ghost of a smile
crossed his features.
Ny right leg, my right arm,
and three ribs, the doctor tells
ne, he told her, guess I'm lucky,
though, it wasn't my neck.
I'm glad it wasn't, Dora said.
Honest?
Yes; because then I'd have
been murderer, she told him
quietly.
He nodded.
That's right, Dora, he nodded.
You deliberately swung the bar
'nt behind you when Fred jump
Id saw you do it. And you
Inew, when you did it, I'd fall.
He was silent more than q min.
lte.
I'll be here for months and
months. Before am able to be
bout again, the season will be
'ver. Tits awful, Dora; and
7et-I deserve it.
You do, she said, in her quiet
olorless way. You promised me
sunday afternoon you'd never
make love to Mabel again, and
hen went upstairs and found
ou with her in the next room.
i've minutes later! I could
ave killed you then--with pleas
re! You drove me to this to
ight. I had to put q stop to the
lopement-I heard it all plan
ed I didn't mean to hurt !
label Fred's too fond of her;
ut you I meant to hurt, and |
idn't care if the fall crippled
on for. life. 1t won't, will it
fell, I'm glad it t; but |
ou see, Fred has been so good to
he was so good to |
Iother before she died. I believe
anything happened to MABEL IL I