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Show BBBBSBPSBSBBBBBBaBBSBSBBBBBaBBsaBjBj i Deadwood I Br Charles II. Day (Ooprright,lWJ,b7Dll8torjrrilh.Uo. . T)nYAN,T thought It quite funny Yj when he put at tho top ot fiu letterheads a stipulation In regard to tho size of performers' dressing room ami hotel trunks and tho condl- tint,' "Trunks nt hotels tWlCO a week. No dogs or guns carried. No dcadwood permitted." In spite of ' Uryant's rule nnd resolution ho did J havo to carry somo dcadwood, and It .carno about through tho necessity of ( disusing an equestrienne. Uryant had no standing In the circus business nnd was despised 1y artists and managers alike. Stolid and rnor- cetiary, he had a cuticle llko n rhlnoc- ito and when the comments of others ', reached his ears ho laughed at tho un complimentary criticisms, when-a man I of finer feelings would havo blushed r .. lor very shame. One sprlug Uryant found himself at a very lato day minus that all Important Impor-tant fcaturo, a lady rider, ns already staled. Several had applied, ' been turned dowiiNind put off, or. better said, bluffed In tho standard Dryapt way. Now that tho man was In a pinch ho did not advertise or confide his Imperative necessity to his agents, but doggedly declared obtusely: "The show will go out, rider or no p rider." One afternoon he had a caller. It m. ' , - -was Flora Hrvlne, a rider of repute and I physical charms, nnd to the managor's I '' astonishment her mission was to so- 1 ' cure an engagement I v "1 thought ou was engaged?" said Uryant, as soon as the visitor mado I . known her errand. I . i& "I canceled," was tho reply. i I. $V - "Hecausor lilSli I Jkf a' "UecauBo I am married." t ;? V 1 ' -Oh, hoi" exclaimed Bryant, rnis- ' r - truatlne the reason of the cancella- t -4f ' tlon. "la your husband In tho busl- I ',''" .-' nessT" " .1 - The. oquestrlonno bit her lip beforo- I ' : she answered, hesitated whllo Bryant looked upon her with something between be-tween a glare and a grin: I "My husband is not in the bust- ' - nois." I ' "I thought as much," blurted Bryant, coarsely, and then he quickly rocov-I rocov-I cred himself and remarked ap..oget- tcally: "Excuse me." . J - An awkward pause followed, the vis-' 1 ltor quietly broaldng tho Ice anew: i ( "1 learned' that you wero without a 'I rldqr and thought I would call" 'j ' The manager cut her oil with tho ! -' blunt statement: , j ; "1 don't carry any deadwood with my trick. 1 don't." ;' "Uoadwoodt" repeated tho eques- trltnne. '"Y-e-s," drawled the manager. "Ucadwood, deadwood J" With that I he pushed a letterhead Into his caller's 1 nands, with his finger indicating the 9 . conditions. I' " "Then I might as well be going," observed tho equestrienne. By ' the I tlino that she had gained her feet he I had Interposed a request for her to I temaln: "Walt a lcolle." I Bryant was not fool enough to throw , away a last chance, and he hastened to Biy, with an 'effort to conciliate: J "P'raps we might make a dicker an' . Include the the er your husband; that Is, If you make the figurb right (Voxy Bryant never lost sight of tho , dollar.) 'Twouid to aard to spoil your honeymoon, wouldn't It? Ha, hal" (tha visitor smiled not). Bryant leered and chuckled. "I'm a widower, you know, but I never dreamt that ynu had an Idea of matrimony." The visitor looked grave and offended, offend-ed, whereat the manager ceased his' distasteful banter and proceeded to , iiiiHlness, a doal was mado, and It Is scarcoly necessary to state that Bryant took considerable advantage pf the situation. As tho equostrlenne was de- j parting with hor contract the manager remarked: ' "I hope that while your husband Is with tho show he wilt pick up son1o- thing of tho trade and not be excess' tMgg'igo all the season." J When Milton Folsom came on wlthj his wlfo'for rehearsals be got the cold ( shoulder both from the manager and thu performers. Even tho nnlmi keepers, grooms, canvasmen ami razorbai'Us pointed him out as Flora Krvlno' deadwood. Tho performers wero especially sevoro In their comments. com-ments. Said the first singing clown, tho oracle of tho dressing-room: "Why, the' chappie don't know enough to even keep up her horses." "Or groom thorn." added a grotesque who always confirmed tho orwlo'a opinions. , III.JIIM i W mmm mm mi mmmmmmrmmmmm Milton Folsom had Joined the show with a determination to fit himself In somewhere. Possessing no money In his own right and Without a calling, he found hisiMlf in the position of n non-produce'r. Cupid, tho rascal, had tiapped tho young man and lured tho lover into an unenviable situation. When the husband blamed himself, tho wife asserted: "Don't reproach yourself, dearest! never mind what others or look All will corae out right In the end." After Bryant had engaged hla lady' rider ho still had ono matter In hand that troubled him as much ns a man of his temperament could bo worried, purine the winter lie had putc'uased ft don of hyenas with tho Intention of having them firoken for a fcaturo ot tho street parade. When Bryant bought tho brutes he was confident that his boss animal roan, tho Hon king, would train the anjmals nnd appear ap-pear In public In the sensational group. For once the manager counted without his host "Not on your life!" exclaimed the Hon king, on hearing tho proposition. ."What, mo break them grave robbers? rob-bers? Not on my tlntypot" I Neither persuasion nor bullying would alter tho determination of tho employe, nor could the wily roatrr cajolo any of the, minor keepors Into becoming the "Bravo Master of tho Grave Bobbing Iryenas." Bryant even tempted canvasmen, grooms and razor-backs razor-backs In vain. Just as ho was on the point of advertising for a trainer a bright thcught entered his dullish brain. After tho birth of the Inspiration Inspira-tion ho cultivated MUton Folsom with In purpose. Thp manager did not broach tho uppermost subject abrupt ly. Shrewdly ho bided hU tlmo, ami when he believed that he had sufil- i clcntly Ingratiated himself, he explained ex-plained Incidentally hla dilemma in tho lack of a trainer and an exhibition In I the procession of the den of hyenas. j "What 1 want," said Bryant, "Is a ' man of nerve." Ho looked significantly significant-ly at the young man as he emphasized "a man of nerve." I Milton Folsom repeated the words ,nnd added, calmly: "I have some nervo." I Tho manager fairly sprang forward ns he wheedled: I "If you could only do It, I would make It an object." I "But she must not know It whllo I ; am breaking them in," said the young husbiind. i Tlie bargain was made in whispers, If the walls indeed had cars. I When the boss animal man learned ''of tho project he was bold enough to expostulate with the manager, declaring In his honest Indignation: "Mr. Bryant, you will bo the death of that young chap!" I "If I am," was the brutal return, , with a leer and wink, "I am a widower and he will leavo a pre.tty widow!" I The Jlon king controlled himself nnd curbed u. rising and reflecting ox-I ox-I prcsslon. MUton FoUom's determination was a reckless and dangerous one, but he I proved himself to bethe "Brave Master Mas-ter of the Grave Bobbing Hyenas." and it was npt until he actually appeared ap-peared In the procession that his distressed dis-tressed and greatly shocked wife was aware ot hla thrilling exploit. i The boss animal man shook his head day after day as the pageant formed and tho hyena den moved Into place, with Milton Folsom surrounded j by the treacherous, snarling, genulno- I ly fierce brutes. "Only a question of time! Only a question of time!" the Hon king fairly groaned as he expressed bis prophetic belief. On ono occasion tho manager overheard over-heard tho wall and mendaciously 'sneered; I "She will look prettier than over In roqurnlng." I The employe's first Impulse was to throttle the manager. He looked dan-gorous dan-gorous and his eyes flashed fire. As he entered his den of lions he restrained his hands, but his lips were free: I "You prefer to kill by proxy, Mr. Bryant?" Tho manager cowered as If his Inmost In-most thoughts had been read. With a suppressed oath he turned on his heel, and from that hour avoided the Hon king as much as possible. The calamity calam-ity foretold by the boss animal roan came at last. The season was well-nigh well-nigh Bpent and MUton Folsom had escaped all harm and not received even so much as a scratch, when on tho fatal day the greatest crowns of the season packed tho streets and lined up so closo to tho moving pageant parade that they fairly endangered themselves as tho raultltudo lu the rear pressed Impatiently and struggled to catch a glimpse of the music heralded her-alded exhibit. The local authorities were Inofilclent, and the cage and band wagon driver threaded their teams I through tho mass as best they could,, calling at times to the excited throngs to 'Clear the way," Just as tho hyena den was passing a public square the hyenas, as If by command of a signal. Ispiang upon Milton Folsom and Tended Tend-ed hlra to pieces, to tho horror of tho beholders. Strong men raintea and women dropped to tho eaith at. suddenly sudden-ly as If stricken with dokth. The lon king and several of his assistnu 1 i reached the hyena den too late to ren- I der any assistance only In time to .remove the blood dripping form from the den of foi-r-lesged demons. Bry-int Bry-int turned up In time to send the halted halt-ed procession on 'its way, while Flora Krvlne, the equcstrlcune, rode away In her place almost nt tho head of the line, tgnoinnt of the tragic dlrnster At the manager's arrival the Hon king was supporting FoUom's limp form tondorly. "Honlblo accldentl" said Bryant, avoiding the gaze of tie bravo fellow. "Terrible murder!" replied tho lion king. |
