Arizona sun., 1948-10-22

ONY had just emerged tIlIouSh
l. the rear flap Of the sideshow tent
when he heard the steady rumble
# the snare drums sounding from
he big top just few feet away. He
hurried across the straw-ittered
lreaway which was the actors en-
rance to the circus. The gayly col
)red pennants fioated in the breeze
high above the mammoth canvas.
Performers in gay costumes lounged
iesurely about the rear of the tent
awaiting the grand finale. Lumber
ng elephants pushed and heaved to
move the animal cages into the
nenagerie tent The big, taWny cats
ynarled viciously in anger at hav-
ng been returned to confinement
again after their performance.
But Tony was oblivious to all this
activity as he moved intently into
The tent, and slipped quietly onto
yhe grass near the end of the hippo
drome track. His position gave him
commanding view of the space d.
rectly over the center ring. Multi
colored spotlights played upon the
spangled figure of a dainty LADY
siIhouetted against the tent top.
The gentle music of a waltz now
waited through the tent from the
bandstand. Poised upon the tiny
platform, 80 feet above the ground,
stood the petite Annette-queen OF
the aerialists. Many said she was
the greatest since Langtry. The
swinging bar f1oated rhythmlcally
back and forth as she swung it
gently and evenly away from her.
Far across the space atop the tent,
her assistant swung similar bar
back and forth.
Annette was readying herself for
the highlight of her performance
the feature attra ction of America
greatest circus. She was about to
perform her triple somersault, DEFY
ing death. as she swung her lovely,
slim body through the top OF the
tent. There were no nets beneath!
The slightest miscue would spell
instant death for the intrepid An
nette.
With the 1900 spectators, Tony
stared upward as the drums again
began their ominous roll, and An
nette f1oated out on her swinging
bar. A silent pause! Then the drums
increased their pace furiously, and
the leading lady of the big top
hurtled out and up toward the roof,
her body revolving once
"Tah-ah-ah h-a ah-ah-ah-ah-rump!'
beat the drums.
Twice - -ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
rump!" w.
Three times - ''Tah-ah-ah-ah-an'
ah-ah-rump!"
She met the bar swinging out TO
her with perfect precision, and in a
trice, stood upon the platform on
the opposite side, smiling down on
the vast sea of faces below.
A great "Ah E. :" OF relief es'
caped from the crowd, and then the
.opiau>a, resounded Throughout the
tent
Tony sat entranced as Annette
acknowledged the plaudits OF the
multitude. Then she quickly SLID
down the rope to the ground, took
several graceful bows, and scamp
cred toward the exit. Already the
performers and horses were pour
ing into the tent for the grand
finale; but Tony watched only the
movement of the raven-haired beau.
ty, Annette.
Twice each day he came to the
main tent to watch the star OF the
high swings. How his heart yearneo
for the little French actress, but
Annette was entirely unaware o.
his affection for her.
Tony was billed as Anthony
Fragiotto, creator and manipulatol
of FRAGIOTTO'S MARIONETTES
He was part of the sideshow, ane
had been with the circus about SD
months, joining them two months
before they left winter quarters
Tony was in love with Annette
But the shy lad from Vicenzs
Euganea province in far-off Italy
scarcely dared speak to the star O
the show, let alone declare his feel
ings for her. Tony had been a farm
er's son, working in the fields O
those rolling plains when a boy
But Giuseppe Fragiotto was no ord1
nary farmer. He was the village
wood carver, and for years had de
lighted the peasants in the Vicenz;
region with his puppet shows. Nat
urally, he taught his son, Antonio
the art.
When Tony was big enough to as
sist his father in the manipulation
of the gayly-costumed dolls, the!
travelled to Vicenza, Como, ant
even Padua to present the Fragiot
to puppets at the street carnivals
Then the war had come! Th'
Fragiotto family had gone under
ground when the Germans flowed in
to Italy. Eventually Tony had conn
to America. And with him he hat
hro,1oht his nreciouS puppets. H,