Page 156 - A Little Bush Maid

the pony racing, the boy scudding in front, until he suddenly turned and
bolted out of the ring, the pony following at his heels, but never quite

catching him--so that the boy really won, after all, which Norah thought
was quite as it should be.

Then there were the acrobats--accomplished men in tight clothes--who cut
the most amazing somersaults, and seemed to regard no object as too great

to be leaped over. They brought in the horses, and stood ever so many of
them together, backed up by the elephant, and the leading acrobat jumped

over them all without any apparent effort. After which all the horses
galloped off of their own accord, and "put themselves away" without giving
anyone any trouble. Then the acrobats were hauled up into the top of the

tent, where they swung themselves from rope to rope, and somersaulted
through space; and one man hung head downwards, and caught by the

hands another who came flying through the air as if he belonged there.
Once he missed the outstretched hands, and Norah gasped expecting to see
him terribly hurt--instead of which he fell harmlessly into a big net

thoughtfully spread for his reception, and rebounded like a tennis ball,
kissing his hand gracefully to the audience, after which he again whirled

through the air, and this time landed safely in the hands of the hanging
man, who had all this while seemed just as comfortable head downwards as
any other way. There was even a little boy who swung himself about the

tent as fearlessly as the grown men, and cut capers almost as dangerous as
theirs. Norah couldn’t help breathing more freely when the acrobats bowed

their final farewell.

Mr. Linton consulted his programme.

"They’re bringing in the lion next," he said.

The band struck up the liveliest of tunes. All the ring was cleared now,
except for the clown, who suddenly assumed an appearance of great

solemnity. He marched to the edge of the ring and struck an attitude
indicative of profound respect.