Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-03-13

distlnctness among circus people.
If, by some supreme effort Of the
mind Miss Vance had succeeded In
recovering her old professional conf
dence she would have been restored
to her former position. But no one
seemed to entertain the thought Of
such a possibility. Miss Vance GER
tainly did not. She knew that she
had lost the grip on herself, and to
that misfortune she resigned herself
without a struggle.
Hale Of the side show, offered her
job posing with the other girls; and
she took 1t. There wasn't anything
else for her to do; and suicide wasn't
quite In her line.
Those must have been hard days for
the girl Side show people have their
social limitations, and ours were no
better than the usual run of them.
And none of the Outcast performers
erstwhile companions would associate
with her. So, between the side show
canallle, who hated her, and the main
top arlstOcracy, who despised her, she
life. But she was patient little thing,
with a fortitude Of spirit that would
do credit to the entire party sociallstic.
She suffered without complaining.
used to talk with her when l had
the opportunity. / think she liked me
well enough, and was grateful for the
friendly interest took in her. But l
could do no more than attempt to cheer
her with words. Professionally she
was beyond mortal assistance. In the
evenings, while the wagons were being
loaded, used to stroll with her. She
really had no one else to talk to.
One evening, as we were sauntering
out of the lot. we happened to pass
Madame Westphalia and her seven
year-Old son, Teddy. They were ac-
cOmpanled by Harry. When Teddy
saw us he broke away from his moth
er and danced impudently In front of
Miss Vance.
yah, yahl Ballyhoo girl" he
shouted.
Madame Westphalia gave no sign,
but Harry seized his nephew by the
arm and quickly drew him away.
For an instant / felt the girl cringe
beneath the sting of the taunt. The
naked soul Of her had been fecked by
the words Of the demon child; but oh,
how bravely she bore 1t Almost I'M
medlately she regalned her self-con.
troll, resuming towards me her light,
bantering tone, as we continued our
walk.
A week later we were playing to
enc Of those mountaineering crowds
that, either a kindly providence or q
capable press department, was turn
ing out for us that year. The aerial
apparatus was In place, but the act
was not due for about fifteen minutes.
was just strolling into the big top
when Madame Westphalla came sprint
Ing past me like loony woman. my
boy, my bOyi' she was shrleking; and,
sure enough, there was reason for the
mother alarm.
Teddy in some manner, had climbed
TO the madame's trapeze when no one
was looking. A childish whim had
caused him to unfasten the tape by
which he might have descended. d.
rectly beneath him was a pile Of hur-
dies that had been thrown there at
the end OF an equestrian act. The net
had not been stretched. Now, on his
uncertain perch, he had become fright
ened, and was slipping from the bar
slipping, slipping from the bari
The big audience was standing on
the benches-just standing, staring
rigid with horror.
Then, felt rather than heard a
sharp sigh whip around the human
horseshoe, like the sudden intake of
pneumatic copy tube. l saw that
the concentrated gaze Of the crowd
had been shifted from the boy to a
pair of hanging rings, some so feet to
the right girl In a short, red dress
lad climbed to one Of these rings.
She was swlnging-swinging in lat
eral dlrection-in rapidly widening
arcs-swInging with all the impetus
her 1.-THE body and limbs could throw
into the swinging until her
heels dimpled the canvas top. Sud
denly she shot out over the arena to
wards the boys trapeze. There was
flicker OF red, fearsome crealAng
Of ropes as the trapeze hauled taut,
and the woman caught up securely on
the bar with the boy. The shock
threw him from his precarlous resting
place, but strong, brown hand
clutched the looseness of his blouse
as he fell, and held him until he could
be drawn up to safety.
Then-then-and the recognition Of
her came to me like slap triumphant
upon the back-I saw that Teddy's
rescuer was Miss Vance. All, that was
leap! The most daring performer
would never have ventured II In cold
blood.
She slipped TO the ground with him,
and Madame Westphalla kissed and
cried over them both, and became quite
maudlln with emotion. Harry kissed
her. too, and escorted her from the
arena.
The ballyhoO girl had regained her
nerve and she won back her place on
the flying trapeze.
The following week Harry married
her and twenty years later she lost
her life in railroad accident caused
by the carelessn, "a " an employee
who left Il switch 3pcn in the South
Omaha yards.
What heca,ne of Teddy?
He drIfted into r';'rol,line when he
grew M. ana 1t v'. ne VIII" neglected
to close ihe S'tiici'