Show hac K N CORNER sho floats through the air by JOHN if 11 HOSE tony silently worshipped wor shipped the petite trapeze queen but site she did not know he to existed until his heart and imagination combined to bring about a unique introduction IV PONY NY had lust just emerged through A the no rear lap flop of the sideshow tent when w he n he heard the steady rumble of V f the snare drums sounding from the big top just a few feet away ile he hurried across tho the straw littered areaway which was wag the actors entrance to the circus the gayly colored pennants floated in the breeze high above the mammoth canvas performers in gay costumes lounged Ue lie surely about the rear odthe of the tont tent awaiting the grand finale lumbering elephants pushed and heaved to mo move ve the animal lages into the menagerie tent the big tawny cats snarled led viciously in anger at having been returned to confinement again after their performance but tony was oblivious to all this activity as ho he moved intently into the tent and slipped quietly onto the gross grass near the end and of tho the hippodrome track ills position posIt ign gave him a commanding view of odthe the space spa cedi directly over the center ring multicolored spotlights played upon tho the spangled figure of a dainty lady silhouetted against the tont tent top the gentle of a waltz now wafted wafred through tho the tent from tho the bandstand poised upon the tha tiny platform CO feet above the ground stood the petite annetter quean of z tho many said she was wait the greatest since langtry tho the swing swinging ipg bar floated rhythmically bil back ck and forth form hs as slid she swung it gently and evenly away from her for far across the space atop the tent her assistant swung a similar nillar si bar back handforth and nd forth annetto was readying herself tor for the highlight of her performance the tha feature attraction of Amer letts greatest circus she sha was about to td perform her triple soder somersault omer sault soult defying death aishe a she swung her lovely slim allin body through the tha tope top 0 of the 1 I tent there were no nets neta beneatha ben eathl 1 the slightest lightest miscue would spell instant death for or tho the intrepid an nette M si with the tha spectators tony stared upward as the drums again began their omi notis roll foll arid and A an n r n notte ette floated out on her swinging bar A silent pause I 1 I 1 then the drums increased their pace furiously and the leading lady lot of the big top hurtled hurtle dout out and up toward theyo of her body revolving price once ah ah ahby alt ah alt ah rumpt beat the drums dwle tah aboh ah abah oh ah abah ah ah three times tah abiah ah ah oh ah oh ah ah ah she met the bar swinging out to her with perfect precision and in M a trice stood upon jhb platform on the tha opposite side smiting smiling down on the vast sea of fa faces ces below agrest A t great ah of relief es as from the crowd end and then the a j applause app lausa re sounded throughout the tont tent k tony sat entranced sit BB annette acknowledged the tha plaudits pl audits ot of tho the multitude then the she quickly slid dowa the rope ropa to tho ground took several graceful bows and scampered toward the exit already the s per performers formers and horses were pour i ing into the tent for the grand finale but tony watched only the tha y moi movement ement of the raven haired beau ty annette twice telco each day he came to the main tent to watch the star of th he 0 high swings how his heart yearned r tor for the little french actress but annetts annette was entirely unaware of his affection for her tony was billed as ai anthony i Frag creator and manipulator of marionettes ile ha was part of the sideshow deshow st and had been with the circus about six months joining them two months before they left winter quarters tony was in love lova with annette annetta but the tha shy lad from vicenza r euganeo uranea pro province provina vinc in tar far off italy scarcely dared speak to tho the star of the tha show let alone declare his feel it ings for her hermony tony had been a farm ers son working in the fields of those rolling plains when a boy but Gul gueseppe Frag Frog lotto was waa no ordinary farmer he was the village woodcarver wood carver and tor for years had ds do light lighted edthe the peasants in pie alie vicenza region with his hlo puppet shows naturally he taught taugh this his son antonio therit the art ahen tony was big enough to assist his father in the manipulation of the tha gayly costumed c a dolls they traveled to vicenza Vl cenza como and hi even ev en padua to present the fra alot to puppets at the street carnivals 5 then the war hid had cornel comel the Frag lotto family had gone under aaa ground when the germans flowed in to italy eventually tony had come coma pi i to arn america iba and with him he had j brought his precious puppets ile he s i found work as ass a farm hand in penn v sylvanin cyl vanta where he exhibited his pup puppets pets one evening at a red cross benefit show not long after that f n night 11 i the lie circus agent had bad con feted aasted him and he be was on his way aalt to the ali circus quarters qu artere there he y become became part of the tha strange conly which comprised the I 1 sideshow haq during the months in winter tony had seen een annetta dicing her tents eata on the th aliss and I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 bars ban high above the ground each day he became more mor e enamored of tho the beautiful aerialist but how could a poor youth who scare scarcely e ly spoke english express hit his adm admiration ra for the star of tho the show in the early part of the season tony began to formulate a plan whereby ho he might show annette how ho he felt for her during the hours when he was not exhibiting his puppets tony carved furiously creating new properties scenery and characters tho the triumph of this frenzied activity was a beautiful doll the very image of annette soon the trappings were completed it was 41 i mv A 4 A 41 af t elaw g mi 1 A 4 I 7 1 1 ia 1 joyu I 1 iam ISO f W the leading lidy lady of the big top hurtled out and up toward ithe the roof 1 itonya anys plan to assemble the min miniature a circus on an qS a sunday when the show would be laying over ile he had planned i ned how ho woud invite annette annetta to see gee hla his new acal what if K 1 ashe wont come he thought cut but surely burely she bhe would not refuse this simple request the thoughts raced through his mind as ai he watched the object of his affection bleave alto tent slowly ho he arose from the gaass gras ile he would wait she had changed tier her ciatu me then ha would go to tho the rnear tent ile ho knew tha exact moment when bhe would enter for hero her evening meal after an interval that seemed literally hours to tony annetto annetta come cama into the dining tent shyly he approached her Ex coos plese please signorina art JL nette netta tl oh trilled annette and honore you today tony was waa pleasantly surprised that the queen knew who he ha yas was if the tha lady has the little minute ho he stammered I Antonio have hav created i the new pop pets they are tho iho pa of circus iha ho mouthed the words worda carefully in his hl broken english an glish 1 I would like please the advice of tho the signorina about how very charming laughed annette with a toss tosa of it her er dark hair and a merry twinkle of alit sparkling blue eyes 1 I would tx be delighted Frog lotto perhaps you could show them to me tomorrow when we have no performance for mance that Is what I 1 was the enking said tony 1 I will have them a as in the side aldo show ner mer dinner tomorrow fine replied annette Annc tto 1 11 I have often watched your show I 1 would be delighted fleur irra fra flotto perhaps you would be ba so co kind as to show me how to make maka them work this was even mora than tony had dreamed elgh be ba possible Inde indeed edl Inde indeed edi he shouted enthusiastically 1 I shall expect you then tomorrow the next afternoon tony was wa ready with the puppets long before tho the dinner hour ile he talked to them affectionately as he put them through their paces to beppo the clown he chuckled and now beetle fonny fenny man yo you 1 make the boys and gurls to laugh no the beautifully carved wooden horses pranced and danced as gracefully as their real counterparts in the big tent aar across oss tho the way dut but the truly artistic matter master piece was the replica of annette tenderly he placed the tiny puppet into place on the serial aerial swing in his hi miniature arena my beautiful one he almost I 1 whispered we shall see it if you can do the triple rees king your lovely bifelt As the graceful puppet tumbled through space at tho the behest of tonys nimble fingers lie ha became entranced in his wor work k ile he did not sen see annetto annette slip into the tent ile he was startled when she exclaimed but it Is perfecta she scampered behind tho the scones scenes to examine the trappings of tho the new show sho she oh ah ed and ah ed at the beautifully wrought details of 0 tho the tiny circus and when tony ton handed tier her the tiny duplicate of herself sho she was utterly speechless finally she said oh tony itt its beautiful too beautiful I 1 dont really look like that do da I 1 she queried looking up into his eyes the blood rushed to tonys face and ho he stammered weakly oh ton tony show me how to moke make her work pleaded annette annetie dancing up tip and down excitedly like a child with a new toy can you really make her do a triple somersault like myself yes laughed tony but it is not easy you must practice now see ceo he said placing the toggle sticks in her hands as ai she clam bored onto the platform beside besida him when you move thees one so ao the arms and legs do your heading beading when you move mova thees boneso one so he indicated theother the tho other stick the head and body move at your command annette moved the tha sticks awkwardly and the little doll gyrated wildly in her hands in her effort to disentangle the puppet shebe she i became involved in the strings tony reached around her shoulders to straighten up the entanglement when she sha raised her face brushing his chin with her soft hair her lovely feminine fragrance fia grance hold held tony entranced and acting impulsively pul he kissed tier her upturned ups lips plies forgeot me I 1 I 1 ho he stammered stain Bu but annatto tAnnette was wa not angry rather she etie seemed pleased ever so tenderly tha she cuddled against tony and speaking softly sho she said but tony little annette to Is still all tangled tangle dup up she will surely never r make the somersault it you do not ot help me tonys heart was making the somersaults now mow as once a gain again I 1 he put hl hi arms about hor then the words cami cama pouring forth the words worda he had whispered to the puppet annette Anne tle oh my beautiful annette he sighed these long months 11 I 1 have loved you I 1 never dreamed but his words were lost for an nestos lovely face w was a 3 lifted to his and her warmth and beauty engulfed him as he kissed her long and tor tenderly ederly and Annett ethe faulted again and again at the end of hir her tangled strings |