Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1948-11-05

OF the snare drums sounding from
the big top just few feet away. He
hurried across the straw-littered
areaway which was the actors en-
trance to the circus The gayly col
ored pennants floated in the breeze
high above the mammoth canvas.
Performers in gay costumes lounged
leisurely about the rear of the tent
awaiting the grand finale. Lumber
ing elephants pushed and heaved to
move the animal cages into the
menagerie tent. The big, tawny cats
snarled viciously in anger at hav-
ing 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
the grass near the end of the hippo
drome track. His position gave him
commanding view of the space di-
rectly over the center ring. Multi
colored spotlights played upon the
spangled figure of a dainty lady
silhouetted 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 floated rhythmically
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 attraction of Americas
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
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 foated 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
Observation-Disclosures m p!"
beat the drums.
Twice "Tah-ah-ah-ah-ah -ah-
rump!"
Three times - "Tah-ah-ah-ah-ah
ah-ah-rump!"
She met the bar swinging out to
her with perfect precision, and in
trice, stood upon the platform on
the opposite side, smiling down on
the vast sea of faces below.
A great "Ah :" of relief es-
capped from the crowd, and then the
applause 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 we're 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 yearned
for the little French actress, but
Annette was entirely unaware of
his affection for her.
Tony was billed as Anthony
Fragiotto, creator and manipulation
of FRAGIOTTO'S MARIONETTES.
He was part of the sideshow, and
had been with the circus about six
months, joining them two months
before they left winter quarters.
Tony was in love with Annette.
But the shy lad from Vicenza
Euganea province in far-off Italy
scarcely dared speak to the stay of
the show, let alone declare his feel
ings for her. Tony had been farm
er's son, working in the fields of
those rolling plains when a boy.
But Giuseppe Fragiotto was no ordi-
nary farmer. He was the village
wood carver, and for years had de-
lighted the peasants in the Vicenza
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, they
travelled to Vicenza, Como, and
even Padua to present the Fragiot-
to puppets at the street carnivals.
Then the war had come! The
Fragiotto family had gone under
ground when the Germans flowed in
to Italy. Eventually Tony had come
to America. And with him he had
brought his precious puppets. He
found work as farm hand in Penn
sylvania where he exhibited his
puppets one evening at Red Cross
benefit show. Not long after that
night, the circus agent had con-
tacted him, and he was on his way
to the circus quarters. There he
became part of the strange con-