The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1934-05-23

the circus knew Of the incidont.
Con David haze forced his bride %
enter the lion cage and she had
tainted when Carlo attacked her:
The accounts Of what actually had
Happened werc garbied In dosen
different versions.
Most Of the women were indig.
naft. Madeline Wte an aerial
artist and what business had Con
trying to put her into an animal
aot7 Every one couldn't control
Their opposition famed Made
llno's pride. u don't suppose any
one was ever exactly Joyous when
he firsE went into lion cage" she
exclaimed. "Hut l WASN'T 20 aw.
fully afraid either. hadn't slept
all night, fol one thing. and ]
wasn't feeling ace high. That's
why ! faintcd, ] knew there
wasn't any real danger with Con
beside me. Tt thtrs had been he
wouldn't have let mo do Il"
As usual Con reYcnted tnterier:
ence from outsiders ,end sald
brusqueiy when she told him Of
i her Win ADVICE TEL them 70
mind their own busir css. Every
one OF them does an act that 81
Just as dangerous. I haven't asked
YOU 10 tickle Lucy under the chin
yet" .,; -,
she suffered during the two weeks
that followed. No one ever knew
OF the Nightmares that made her
sleeping hours q yeritAble hell. A
thousand times between midnight
and daybreak she endured death
In tho jaws Of Sander or Leo or
Carlo.
Again and again she relIyed the
m ON entg that seemed like centuries
when she entered the gildcd case
and learned 10 stand, without
hinchlng, before the gathering
Jaws and iaghihg tails OF the jun
gic cats. The night after she Arst
faced Lucy, the Bengal tiger, she
jerkcd with liccoughs until day
light and vowed that never again.
though II lost her the man she
loved, would gho enter the cage
with the tiger. But she did u.
Again and again she walked
through the iron-bnrred door and
not even Con realized what II cost
her.
In vain were Cons roasaurancps
that the cats feared his pistol
ana chair and whip Tar more than
sho fonred them. she pretended
TO ggrcc with him. but she knew
that, given tho opportunity, they
would rcnd her limb from limp:
Con cherished his reputation lot
fcnIiesgn oss and his ability 20 con.
troll tho bonsts. H0 was obseseod
with ambition and far from salts.
fed with his position ~ star por.
former with O small touring circus,
When he saw that Madeline seem.
ed 10 enter into the training and
appeared TO kc anxious 10 add 70
his fnmo he had visions Of achiev.
Ing moro with her assistance than
no could ever have done alone.
This increased his regard for nor
far more than beauty or love could
have done.
After Zach rehearsal his caresses
helped repdy tho girl for the SICK
panic she suffered.
Fortunately there was no occn.
sion 10 mention Donnu'B nnmo. Lot.
tors camo seldom and, though
once Con handed ono OF them 10
Madeline, no ala not inquire about
tho other Girl or ask what she was
doing. 10 took II for granted that
Donna was married and happy.
Often Madeline wondered what
Con would DO when no learned tho
truth. Several times sho was
tempted 10 write Donna ana beg
her to write u letter saying shc
was engaged TO Bill or had Just
brokcn mn engagement TO him, but
she htsitpted,
The rchearsais went on, and tho
day for hor pgblic appearance IN
tho cage drow near. Then one At
tornoon Con announced that dur.
Ing tho evening performance Mpd.
elmo Gabriel would enter the cage
Of jungle cats
Never before, ladies' ana gentle.
mon, has q woman fneed q cage OF
lions and tigers, sworn cncmlcs.
Never before has "a woman dared
such "a death dofyIng stunt"
"0od help youi" muttorcd Masio
VaiO OF tho Flying Wales IN sh0
stood beside Madeline. ira rather
fhil from tho bnrJ than step Into
tho cago with that Bengal"
(TO IN C0ntinucd)