The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1922-10-19
The
jeff Twins
By HUBERT RAY

those are, but I'm told they're some
thing pretty small. Anyway, the
jeff twins knew that-and, by the
way, Tom and Bill weren't twins, mol
even brothers, I'm glad to say.
"They weren't relations at all, Ia
fact, but they'd agreed to work to-
gether and they took that title fol
business purposes. They'd been do
ing circus work ever since they could
remember. Grew up In the ring, and
so did Malsle Harlow, though It wasn't
until three months before my story
opens that the jeff twins met Maisie.
"She surely was a peach. And by
peach mean peach, not nectarine or
apricot. Pink and white skin, blue
eyes, soft, fluffy halr-every one was
In love with her. But 1t was the Jelt
twins that she favored. And they
had the biggest part In Bro1tOn's.
They did the trapeze stunt in the
middle ring, which never failed to
bring down the house. Imagine two
trapezes, yards and yards apart, at
opposite sides Of the tent. One Of
the twins hangs by his feet; the other,
after getting up speed. lets the trap.
eze swing him of and shoot him
clear across the ring. Now / was
saying It's matter Of split mlllime.
tiers, and that's what 1t was. They'd
got 1t down so fine that, Just at the
second when the upward movement
Of the flying body stops, and the
downward plunge begins, Tom. hang.
Ing by his feet, with his arms down,
catches Bills hand, and holds him.
There's Tom, hanging from the
trapeze, with Bill swinging under.
meath. A strain? Not at all, sir.
You see, there's the momentum, as
they call 1t, and no, cant figure II
out. A professor did once and he
said 1t was the pretties. thing he'd
ever seen.
$50 Bill catches Toms hand. and
then the upward swing brings him tO
the trapeze. He gets his feet on 1t,
the twins hang side by side second
or two, and then the audience, that
had pictured Bills body hitting |. with
the force Of a cyclone, rises and
shouts.
1T wasn't long before Matste BE-
gan to show whtcA ot the Jelfs she pre-
ferred and that was Bill. As soon
a. Tom knew for sure he walked
about all day in a black rage. He
was crazed over pretty Malsle. cad !
don't blame him.
but when he was heard threaten.
Ing Bill. things began to hook serious.
You see, you can't have bad blood
among circus folk. Never saw one
Of them IN 4 rage, did your In gen.
eraA It's understood that their minds
have got to be free, so that they can
do their Jobs properly. Naturally,
with Tom and BIIll, doAs their stunt.
and bad blood between them. old Bto1.
ton began began 10 worry.
"At Inst he went to Tom-it Vaa
common talk by then-and told him
he'd fire the pair Of thsm unless he
made up with Bill, Tom pulled the
wool over tn old mans eyes. all
right took him to BUS tent and
shock hands with him, But katsle
came to Bill that night.
~ don't want you p, act with Tom,'
she said, crying, ( don't trust him.
He was threaas1sAias me this morning,
and.
WIN WIS an easy-golns fellow, and
laughed at her, I guess Toms N
right he said, Anyway, we're hiking
tomorrow. aiyd we can't sBotl tonight's
show, now that old Bkoxton's salts.
fed
heard about all, this afterward.
Ny part Is bringing In the sawdust
and helping out where I'm wanted !
used to be-but never mind me- !
felt sick that night as I watched from
the runway and saw Tom and Bin,
each on his tIapeze, smiling and blow.
Ing kisssa to the audhnce, and pretty
Aaias, riding her two horses round
the ring. and looking up and-well, I
thought she'd fall. and that's 4 thing
that nobody ever forglves.
Something told me what was CON-
ins. and yet l had a sort Of iaetiact
that II would be all right n tAa end
I waited for the big dive. Il came.
Bill shot like lightning through the Dir
across the ring to where Tom was
hanging ~ BIZ feet, head downward.
"ARd then ! saw-mlnd, sir, nv
eyes trained how Tom deliberately
moved bio hand a couple Of inches
aside. And Bill flew on and-miwsdl
1T was matter Of split seconds, a.
I've said. Next instant BIZ had shot
out bis other arm and grabbed Tom
round the thigh. Fen Just an instant
they hung therA n 4 silence Of death.
You could tel death h the or. Dir.
"Then Tom dropped. And, holding
each other locked, they went whirlin1
round and round, down to the saw.
dust.
And Tom was underneath.
"Deadl The minute he BIZ IN.
ground. Smashed to pieces Rnt
that's what saved Bill, save for :
broken arm and collar.bone. And I
guess Bill didn't care when hs looked
Into MaisieS eyes.
TN never forget her holding him
ID the middle Of the ring. amons the
screaming and confusion, and know.
lns nothing but Bill lying there and
'miIins At her. That's the way FOOD
YAnnN n0A vanAA >a.M