a D-' 9BJrr- fl'WSHtfi T5v?-' MONDAY, JANUA11Y 31, 1S0S. JIE S'CRAOTON TRIBUNE. MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 18. MITH 9 ry 3 1 THE TIGHT-ROPE WALKER'S ROMANCE. 1 AP4. a '-' m m m . 1H H Jm T i j. From tho Sun. toward tho nafe olid as fast ns I could, No one who saw tho tawdry flurry "f his tinsel trappings and the cheap appointments of the famous Signer Sal vlatorla as single handed and alone he prepared tho paraphernalia for his tlgh't-rope performance which had brought him his glory would have ever Imagined that there was time or space In his busy Ufa for a romance. The slgnor wns a peripatetic perambulator of tho rope, and his field of perform ance lay In country towns, where It was his wont to stretch his narrow pathway across a street from roof to roof of houses whoso owners were will ing to extend th'at privilege to him In exchange for tickets to "the Great and Only Megntherlan Concert," which fol lowed the outdoor exhibition. Yet he had a romance, and there were In It those elements which one greater than the Slgnor Salvlatorla might easily have crystallized Into a melodrama that would have stirred tho applause of a thousand galleries. "The gieatest act I ever done." he paid with n natural and easy disregard of accent and syntax, "I done in an Ohio town about ten years ago. I was doing my turn there for a week, as It was tho county fair s-eason, and I was following- their trail like a sleuth, for they brought people to town and help ed my business, never none too good. The third night of my performance, which was a half-hour exhibition In ir'ilnlr before the com art had begun. I had gone up on the roof to lt things ready, and while 1 was rotterlns around tnuggln' up the rope and see ing that thcie wasn't any loose cogs to be dropping. 1 heaid a screech up through the scuttle hole leading to the roof and the next second nut popped a woman like one of thcie here lumping jacks. It give me a hard pull on my nerves, but I dew over to see what the matter was. It waa rav landlady and hero I want to say that when I stop for any time In a town I go to a boarding house where I can get n. rate that won't break mo. "Jot to do it In this line. Can't give it all to railroads and hotels. 'In this case I not only stopped at this Moulding house, but the landlady let mo stretch my rope from her roof to the roof of the houses across the way, and as it was th? ma'n street of the town. It was convenient all the way round for me The only drawback was that tho lady had n halt-crazy husband that never had done anything1 for h'er when he had his henses, and now she had to support him nnd take his aliuse of her every time lie got a jealous lit, which was every time the had a new boarder that wus anything for looks and style." Slgnor Salvlatorla stopped a moment n this remark, stroked his little chin whisker, and smiled retrospectively. "She had only been polite to me be cause I had been polite to her, as any gent should be when there is a pretty woman around, und the landlady was the prettiest little woman, about as blp aa a piece of soap, I had met. "As I was saying, when I got to her she had sluntr the cover to the scuttle hole over It and was sitting on It with her jaw set and trying to stick her toes Into the roof to help hold it down. In a mighty few words she told me her husband was on the chase after her with a hatchet to kill her and he would be up from below In u. minute. She wasn't as bad scared as I was, for I didn't have much experience in that kind of business and didn't know what to do. I didn't have anything to defend myself Jr her with, either, and the more I .thought of the situation the more I begun to think how many things there vveru that was more dan gerous than walking a tight rope fifty feet above the earth, and me as inno iei't as a babe. The little woman told n.e to lrins a bairel half full of sand there was over lu one corner of the roof and we'd set it over the cover of the scuttle to hold It down. I done It as fast as I ould, and when we had the ban el there and about lxil. the ciazy husband come slashing v with hiu lmirliet. As luck would have It the sand fell In on him and knocked him oft the ladder below and the bar rel got stuck In the hole, to the little woman and me- had a minute or two to think, and Khe don- the thinking. " Ar3 you afialrtV says she. ' 'Some.' says J. nodding tuwaid the scuttle hole. " 'I mean of me'.'' says she smiling. ' 'Not much,' says 1. ' 'Are you strong?' says she. " 'That's part of my act,' says I, 'but not against a crazy man with a hatchet,' says I, vondeiing what she would do next and about how long It would be till the crazy man was on deck with his tomahawk gleaming In the air. ' 'Then,' says she, 'grab hold of me right quick and carry me across the lope over to Jlrs. Peck's house so's my husband won't gel at me with that axe.' "She had moie nerve In a minute than I had In a week, but when she said that my professional pride come to m,e, and without any more talk I reached for my balancing pole, and, stooping down m she could get on my back, which she didn't like very much, l made a quloK run for the end of the rope. 'just as tho cray husband come out of the scuttle through the barrel and tumbled down on the roof half-smothered with sand. I told her to hold tight and do the prain' for both of us and I thought I could get her through safe. I don't know how I ever got out on that rope with her on my back, for that wasn't the way my profession done business, but I got there, nnd ns I shot out with the woman clinging to me the people in the street below net up such a yell as I never heard before and I come near losing my balance, for I knew, and they didn't, why this fea ture that wasn't on the bills was uein showed. "The crowd yelled about twice, and then all of a sudden got so still I could hear the little woman's heart beat. Anyway, I thought I could, but maybe It was my own. I knew when they done that the crowd had seen the man on the roof with the hatchet and rec ognized him. for all the people in the town knew the kind of a fellow he was. At the same time the crowd got still something came to me telling, me to nerve myself, for the crazy man would cut the rope and drop me and my load In tho street, to be crushed Into a shapeless maBs, and I came near let ting go and dropping before I was dropped. I couldn't see what was go ing on behind me, and all the little woman know she was whispering to me to go ahead, because we were safe 'If I only kept my path. I didn't know whether she thought about the man with the hatchet or not. Likely she did. It wasn't her to mention It.though, under them circumstances. "While I waB thinking about him cut ting the rope I was getting along It the little womnn hanging on till she ncnrly choked me. but It didn't hurt, and I was standing it beautiful. It's funny how a man will find pleasure In life. when there's so much In sight that ain't, and I nearly forgot the man with the hatchet thinking about tho little womnn's arms holding onto my neck ns tho one hope for her life. Hut It wns for only a second; then I felt a Jar on the rope nnd I choked and braced myEelf, for I wns sure that the crazy man was beginning to cut, nnd I knew that three or four licks would be enough. I waited for tho second Jar, but It didn't come, nnd In Its place come a spring to the rope, as If a weight had been tnken off of It, fol lowed by a swishing sound nnd a dull thud on the sidewalk fifty feet below us. At the same time the crowd sent up a groan as If every person In It wns hurt. I didn't know for sure what had happened, but I guessed that that crazy man, like most any crazy person or n mad dog, only had room In his mind for one thing at a time, and when that was there there wasn't space for any more. He wanted to kill his wife, nnd the onlv wny he knew how to do It was with the hatchet by cutting her to pieces, it did not strike him thnt he could kill her by cutting the rope nnd letting her drop to the ground. That was too much for him. He knew an easier way, and, as she was out there on the rope not forty feet from him, he would go out there and kill her. Crazy people have such a crazy way of doing things, don't they? He did, and when he took his second step out on the rope he went over and down to his death. That's what had made the rope spring back. 1 guess tho little woman must have felt that something awful had happened, though she never said a word, because when I at last stepped safe on to the roof and the crowd yelled a hundred times louder than they did before they knew what they were yelling about, the little wo man let go her hold around my neck and dropped at my feet In a dead faint; nnd I didn't blame her. either; It was time for somebody to faint, and If she hadn't a done It I would, sure pop. Her doing It gave me something else to think about, and I got her down stairs as qulik as I could where the women took charge of her und soon brought her out ull right. "1 guess that's all there Is to It." smiled the slgnor, picking up his bal ancing pole and pointing to a date line and some Initials on It. "This Is the one that steadied us over, and the little woman had them put on there when she become the blushing bride of Slgnor Salvlatorla," nnd the Slgnor bowed with a sweep that would have entranced an audience of millions. i aWB1' Q MMtPF" -X JLJL -m.JL o FEBRUARY SALE Might Oowns, White S OF MUSLIN UNDERWEAR, kirts, Corset Covers, Drawers, Etc. Fresh from the rural factories conies this big collection of snowy undergarments. No taint of sweat shop or crowded city tenement about them. Every stitch honestly taken. Every garment cut and put together by nimble-fingered experts. To make this Muslin Underwear memorable we shall halve our own legitimate profit, and by so doing more than double our output, thus giving you a buying opportunity of the last importance from a money saving standpoint. February is looked upon as replenishing time in this important item, and you are cordially invited to make out your list and come prepared to buy lib erally. Such chances do not often occur. This Muslin Underwear Sale of ours is raised to the dignity of an event in our yearly merchandis ing, an event that strongly appeals to your sense of economy, and you can ill afford to pass it lightly by. Sale Begins Wed tlUUUH NA.MKM Ol' PLACES. Interesting Discoveries in the Course ol n i'oruiul of tho t'oittal Gnido. Calf Killer Is the peculiar name ot a postotllce in Putnam county, Tex. Ala bama has Its Brickyard and Oregon Its Bridal Veil. Breadlonf 1b In Vermont. Uobtown In North Dakota, Beehive In Georgia and Autumn Leaves In Wayne county. Pa. Allsup Is the significant name of an Alabama town. There Is a Cistern In Texas. Italn in Nebraska, and Pump in North Caro lina. It seems unfortunate enough to stop at that, but the "Postal Guide" goes further and gives California as the only place to Wnsh, and Illinois or Minnesota to Iron. At thl rate, when can the Man whom we llnd only In West Virginia ever get his line shirt laundrled? Indian territory has Cheek, Ohio has Gall. The only Chenphlll Is found in Tennessee, and the only Otdlnary post "dices are In Kentucky and Virginia. Whatever you find elsewhere Is ex traordinary and high-priced, says the Omaha World. Cash can be obtained in eight states, but Kentucky and VJrginla are the only ones giving u Check, and when you get It you are compelled to go all the way to Maryland or Tennessee to find a Bank at which it can be de posited. The ladles are supposed to have a special fondness for Bargralntown. There Is only one in the United States. it Is In New Jersey. Tennessee nnd Indian tenltory each has a Bob, but there Is no Ruben nny where. Five different states claim the Best postofllce. North Carolina hns the trinity of Christian graces, Faith, Hope and Charity. Our own Nebraska I.s the only state in which you can find Best. Stand up for Nebraska. For Benefit go to Virginia. You will also tlnd a Chum there. The Cloud Is in Michigan, and the Thunder In Georgia, but the Storm rages In Arizona. The "Postal Guide' 'Is surely Demo cratic, as It reports Confidence In only two states Missouri and West Virginia. Kentucky Is satisfied with only a Crum. There Is a Boy In Tennessee, but no girl anywhere. You get the Hesult In New York. Nine states, Including Nebraska, offer you Bliss, but Texas is tho only place where the Beauklss Is nllowed, and Oklahoma has the exclusive claim on Cupid. South Carolina and Missouri ought to get together; the former has Catarrh and tho latter Cureall. Candor Is found In North Carolina and Brag In Georgia; Briar In Texas and Itose In Kansas; Bride In Ten nessee nnd Grams In New York; Illver In Indiana and Bridge In Oregon; Brief In North Carolina and Lawyers In Vir ginia; Big Isaac in West Virginia, and Little Indian in Illinois; Calm In Ohio and Hurricane In South Dakotu; Burn side in Iowa and a full Beard in Ken tucky. Colorado has a Chromo, Quite a number of postolllces seem to have been named after young Indies, Such names ns Cora, Ada, Berthn. (Blanche. Alice and Amy occur In pro fusion. A few of tho other namqs worthy of mention In the small part of the "Pos tal Guide" thus far gone over, are as follows: Buzz, Bran, Calico, Burning, Bush, Cave In Hock, Allrlght, Arnica, Agreeable, Talklnrock, Balloon, Bangs, Cute, Center Sandwich, Convenience, City Price, Bogus, Almwell, Backbone, Goodluck, Cobb, Cheerful, Boom, BruBh, Alto, Bantam, Changewater. Bonnet, Box, Angel, Banister, Chut, Bovine, Barefoot and Barenfork. Mnmii StntiHllcn. There are about 130,000 inlnleters of the gospel In the United States, 180,000 churches and 25,000,000 communlcnnts. Upon Second Floor. nesclay Take Elevator. Feb. 2 Night Gowns une or the strongest teatures or the sale will be the Night Robe offerings. It's easy to prove the honesty of the bargains. Suppose you get a full, generous pattern, figure out the cost of material, trimmings, etc.; figure the time and sewing worry, then compare your total with the cost of any similar garment in this stock. You'll be astonished at the saving there is in the ready-to-wear gar ments as we sell them. Night Gowns of Fair Muslin, 19c Empire Gowns with tucks and embroidered yokes 49c Empire Gowns with tucks and embroidery trimmed and sailor collars 59c Special attention is called to all of the finer gowns from 98c. upwards. They are simply unequalled. Long White Skirts MrZ '! il .WW iJ.I&iS&fiS ZJ?TfXtyi-iyit!S.tlA?XiX!Vi l-L-iV-'j.' T"""-Tir "''w V rew rrm These lots will not go a-begging for buyers. All made of good cotton or fine cambric, trimmed as you would or der them if made by your own home seamstress. Priced at about the retail cost of bare materials, and all the sewing worry saved. Wmeei Skirts with tucks and embroidered ruffles 39c Umbrella Skirts with several tucks and wide embroidery ruffle 59c Umbrella Skirts of finer qualities and richer laces and embroideries, from 85c. to $4.98. Corset Covers The quickstep prices which stamps every item in this big sale are nowhere more in evidence than here. We think that you'll agree that the following lots are wonders of good workmanship, good material and price cheapness. Many of the lots will not last the sale out. Hadn't you better try to be among the first? ioo dozen Corset Cover, of good muslin, well made and perfect fitting 7c 75 dozen Cambric Corset Covers, V shaped, ready to trim 1214c Cambric Corset Covers, V shaped, trimmed with embroidery 15c ioo dozen various styles of Cambric and Mus lin Corset Covers, V neck, high and square neck, trimmed with neat embroidery, at 25 and 29 centswhich beat the world. Several very fine numbers of French Corset Covers from 39 cents to $2.49. Drawers To give you just the items here with des cription'1 and prices of the different lots, will be sufficient to throng the counters with pleased buyers during the entire period of this sale. Children's Drawers with tucks, 8c. and upwards. Ladies' Drawers, wide hem and cluster of 3 tucks 15c Ladies' Drawers, with 3 tucks and embroidery ruffle 25c Ladies' Umbrella Drawers, cluster of tucks and wide embroidery 39c Ladies Umbrella Drawers, with lace edge and insertion and linen ruffle 49c It c2 i &r JWnmK . j v..l"" - 4 1 Children's Wear 50 doz. Slips, like this cut, at 25c 100 styles of Children's Slips and Short Dresses, varying from 49c to $4.98 We lay special claim toward these particular lines. A Baby Am Does not wear out its little undershirt it outgrows it. The first place to become too small is under the arm, at arm-hole. Mothers know this, and that is why the "Alma" Sleeve has met with such general favor, for it will not bind under the arm, but will keep its shape after washing. Be sure and ask for the "Alma" and look for the guar antee which is on every garment. Complete Outfits of fluslin Under wear to Match. 7, Usual rionday Bargains in every department throughout the house. Remember, that we are selling Ladies', Misses' and Children's Coats, Capes and Reefers at onehalf and onethird their actual value. M"Qf V
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers