She sat on 'is shoulder and the crowd thought it wonnerful. Arter
that he took 'er in reg'lar. Mrs. Braddock almos' lost 'er mind, but
Brad coaxed 'er into seein' it 'is way. It was before he took to
drinking steady. That gal 'as no more business being a circus rider
than nothink. But you can't make Brad see it that way now. He says
she's got to earn 'er bread and keep, and that she's no better than
wot 'er father is. If circus riding is good enough for 'im, it's good
enough for 'is offspring, says he. Her mother just had to give in to
'im. Well, when she was about ten, Brad took to drinking. That was
before he bought old Van Slye out. One day he fell off the 'oss with
'er and broke 'is arm. Fort'nitly, the younker wasn't 'urt. So, then
he had sense enough to listen to 'is wife. He quit riding 'isself, but
he put big Tom Sacks into the act in 'is place. Tom is the present
Mons. Dupont--a fine feller and as steady as can be. He's powerful
strong and a fairish sort of rider--but nothink like wot Brad used to
be in his best day. Christine's getting a bit biggish for 'im to
'andle; I daresay this is the last season for their double act.
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