Show J 41 wr I 4 Y THE FICTION CORNER CORNERa C She a Floats Through roe the a Air t t f. By JOHN II 11 HOSE nOSE r f ft Tony silently worshipped the petite trapeze queen but she did id not know he existed until his heart and imagination combined to bring about a unique introduction I NY had just emerged through B I the rear flap of ot the sideshow tent ten when he heard the steady stead rumble of ot the snare drums sounding from the big ble top just a few feet away He hurtled hurried across the straw littered areaway which was the actors actor's entrance entrance entrance en en- trance to the circus The gayly colored colored colored col col- col- col ored pennants floated In the breeze breezer r high above the mammoth canvas f Performers in gay costumes lounged r about the rear of ot the tent awaiting the grand finale LumberIng Lumber- Lumber Ing Lag elephants pushed and heaved to toa a move the animal into the menagerie tent The big tawny cats snarled viciously in anger at havIng hayr havI hav- hav r I Ing been returned to confinement again after their performance I But Tony was oblivious to all this activity as he moved intently into j the tent and slipped quietly onto the grass near the end of ot the hippodrome hippodrome hIppodrome hippo hIppo- drome track His position gave him hima a commanding view of ot the space dl'S di- di directly directly S 'S over the center ring Multicolored Multicolored Multi Multi- colored spotlights played upon the spangled figure of ot a dainty lady ladyS S silhouetted against the tent top The gentle music of ot a waltz now wafted through the tho tent from the bandstand Poised upon the tiny platform 80 feet the ground vS stood the petite Annette queen 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 par far ar across the space atop the tho tent her assistant swung a similar bar barback barback back anc and forth Annette was readying herself for forthe the highlight of ot her performance performance- the feature attraction of ot Americas America's greatest circus She was about to perform her triple somersault defying defying defy defy- ing tug death as she swung her lovely slim body through the top of the theo tent teat There were n no o nets beneath I IThe The slightest miscue would spell instant death for the intrepid An An- nette With the spectators Tony stared upward as the drums again roll and Annette Annette Annette An An- r. began their ominous nette floated out on her swinging bar A silent pause I Then the drums increased their pace furiously and andI the leading lady of ot the big top topi i I r hurtled out and up toward the roof root a her body revolving once once once- rump Tah Tah Tah ah ah ah-ah ah ah ah rum h-rum pI 1 beat the drums t Twice Tah Tah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah- ah t t rump Three times Tah Tah ah ah ah ah ah- ah rump ah She met the bar swinging out to her with perfect precision and in a atrice trice stood upon the platform on the opposite side smiling down on the vast sea of laces faces below A great Ah Ala of relief escaped esi es- es i 1 Gaped from the crowd and then the ft applause resounded throughout the tent Tony sat entranced as Annette j acknowledged the plaudits of the multitude Then she quickly slid down the rope to the ground took several graceful bows and scampered scampered scamp- scamp f ered toward the exit Already the performers and horses were pouring pouring pourIng pour- pour Ing into the tent for tor the grand finale but Tony watched only the movement of the raven raven- raven haired haired alred beauty beauty beau- 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 tor the little French rench actress but I I Annette was entirely unaware of his affection for tor her Tony was billed as Anthony creator and manipulator of MARIONETTES L He was part of ot the sideshow and I had been with the circus about six r months joining them two months I i before they left winter whiter quarters Tony was in love with Annette lad from Vicenza a But the shy province in off far Italy i f scarcely dared speak to the star of 1 the shoW let alone declare his feelings feelings feel- feel ings fo 10 her Tony had been a farmers farmer's farmers farmer's farmers farm- farm ers er's son working in the fields of I those rolling plains when a a boy But Guiseppe was no nary farmer He was the village fi u wood carver and for tor years had delighted delighted delighted de- de lighted the tho peasants in the tho Vicenza t region with his puppet shows NatI Naturally Nat- Nat I he taught his son Antonio the art I When Tony was big enough h to asI assist as as- I Gist his father in the manipulation costumed gayly-costumed I of the costumed gayly-costumed d dolls they I traveled to Vicenza Como and x even Padua to present the Fra to puppets at the street carnivals Then the war had come comel The family had gone underground under- under I I IY ground when the Germans flowed into Into into In in- to Italy Eventually Tony had come cometo cometo cometo to America And with him he had brought his precious puppets He found work as a farm tarm hand in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Penn- Penn l sylvania where he exhibited his t puppets ono one evening at nt a Red Cross benefit show Not long after that night the circus agent had conJ conz contacted con- con z J him and he his him was on way to the circus quarters There he heI I Y became part of the strange conglomeration con con- which comprised the side aide show chow I During tho the months month in winter whiter Quarten Vf tern ten Tony had seen Annette I wh her feats teats on the rings ring and t. t 01 ir bars high above the ground Each da day he became more enamored of the beautiful belu ful aerialist But how could a poor youth who ho scarcely spoke English express his admiration admiration admira admira- tion for tor the star of ot the show In the early part of ot the season Tony began to formulate a plan whereby he might show Annette how he felt for her During the hours when he was not exhibiting his puppets Tony carved furiously creating new properties scenery and characters The triumph of ot this frenzied activity activity activity ac ac- ac- ac was a beautiful doll the doll the very image of Annette Soon tho trappings trappings trappings trap trap- pings were completed It was S1 f r The leading lady of tho big t top p hurtled out and up toward the roof Tonys Tony's plan to assemble the miniature minia minia- ture titre circus on a Sunday when the show would be laying over He had planned how he would invite Annette Annette Annette An An- nette to see his new act What if it she wont won't come he thought But surely she would not refuse this simple request The thoughts raced through his mind as he watched the object of his affection leave the tent Slowly he arose from the grass He ETe would wait until she had changed her tier costume Then he would go to the mess tent He knew mew the exact moment when she would enter for tor fortier her tier evening meal After an Interval that seemed literally hours to Tony Annette came into the dining tent Shyly he approached her is please Signorina Annette Annette An- An L' L nette Oh trilled Annette and how are you today Tony was pleasantly surprised that the circus queen knew who he wasu was If u the lady has the little minute minute minute min min- ute he stammered I I Antonio Antonio have created the new They are the of circus he mouthed the words carefully in his broken English I would like please the advice of the Signorina about them I How very charming laughed Annette with a toss of ot her dark hair and a n merry twinkle of ot the sparkling blue eyes I would be delighted Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps you could show them to me tomorrow when we have no performance performance per per- That is what I was said Tony I will have them as- as in the side show tent after dinner tomorrow Fine replied Annette I have often watched your charming show I would be delighted Fra Fra- giotto Perhaps you would be so kind as to show me how to make mako them work This was even morn mor than Tony had dreamed might be bo possible Indeed I Indeed he shouted enthusiastically I shall shaU expect you then tomorrow The next afternoon Tony was ready with the puppets long before the dinner hour He talked to them affectionately as he put them through their paces prices To Beppo tho the clown he chuckled And now fonny Sonny man you oU make the boys and gurls guns to laugh no The beautifully carved wooden wood wood- en cn horses pranced and danced as gracefully as their real counterparts counterparts counter counter- parts in the big tent across the way But the truly artistic masterpiece master piece was the replica of ot Annette Tenderly he placed the tiny puppet puppet pup pup- pet into place on the aerial swing in his miniature arena My beautiful one he almost whispered we shall shan see sec if it you can cando cando cando do the triple your lovely life I As the graceful puppet tumbled through space at atthe atthe the behest of Tonys Tony's nimble fingers he became entranced in his work He did not see Annette slip into the tent He was startled when sh she exclaimed But it is perfect She Sha scampered behind the scenes to examine examine ex amine the trappings of ot the new show She oh oh-ed oh ed and ah ah cd ed at the beautifully wrought details of ot the tiny circus and when Tony handed her the tiny duplicate e of ot herself she sho was utterly speechless Finally she said Oh Tony its it's beautiful too beautiful I dont don't really look like lika that do I 17 she queried looking up into his eyes The blood rushed to Tonys Tony's face and he stammered weakly Oh Tony show me how to make her work pleaded Annette dancing dance ing lag up and down excitedly like a 8 achild achild child with a new toy Can you really make her do a triple somersault somer sorrier sault like myself Yes laughed Tony but itIs itis it itis is not easy You must practice Now see he said placing the toggle sticks In her hands as she clambered clam bored onto the platform beside him When you move thees one so the arms and legs do your beeding When you move thees one so h he indicated the other stick the head and body move at your command Annetto Annette moved the sticks awkwardly awkwardly awk and the little doll gyrated gyrate wildly in her hands In her effort to disentangle the puppet she became became be bee came involved In the strings Toni Tonj reached around her shoulders t tc straighten up the entanglement when she raised her face tace brush brushing ing lag his chin with her soft hair Her lovely feminine fragrance held hel Tony entranced and acting Impulsively im he kissed her upturned lips me me I 1 he stammered But Annette was not angry Rather she seemed pleased Ever so tenderly she cud died against Tony and speaking softly she said But Tony little Annette is atil all tangled up She will surely nev never never er make the somersault if you d denot de denot not help me Tonys Tony's heart was making th the somersaults now as once again he hi put his arms about her Then the thi words came pouring forth the words he had whispered to the puppet pup puppet pup puppet pet Annette Oh my beautiful Annette hi he sighed these long months I have hav loved you I never dreamed but his words were lost for An Annette's Annette's Annette's nette's lovely face was lifted tt t this his his and her warmth and engulfed him as he kissed her lon long and tenderly And Annette the Annette the doll doll somer somer somersaulted vaulted again and again at the en enof end of her tangled strings |