most
dislocated her collar-bone in turning a double somersault off a
hay-rick; and in fact, they argued, "If she was any one else but Polly
Clark, she'd 'a been dead long ago; but them that's born to be hanged
will never be drowned," though in what way that proverb was appropriate
in Polly's case they themselves could not have told you.

One day Polly conceived a brilliant idea. She would get up a circus of
her own. The little boys of the town eagerly agreed to Polly's plan of
proceedings. They were to meet and rehearse in her father's barn on
Wednesday night, while Mr. and Mrs. Clark were attending the Lyceum
meeting.

The appointed hour drew near, and so did the boys. With Polly at their
head, they marched in grim silence past the house, and when they reached
the barn, she informed them that Bridget, thinking she had gone to bed,
was entertaining her beau in the front parlor, so they could make all
the noise they wanted to, without fear of detection.

After a moment's search Polly unearthed a couple of candles, which Tommy
Briggs lighted; and while he and Polly adjusted the trapeze he had
constructed in stolen moments, the other actors in the drama rigged up a
remarkably insecure tight-rope.

At last all was ready. "Down in front!" shouted Tommy, in an imperative
manner, to the imaginary audience. "The performance is a-goin' to begin.
First, Mr. Adolphus Popinjay is goin' to do some gymnastics with the
trapeze."

Mr. Adolphus Popinjay, otherwise Jack Hybbed, after many attempts, and
with much assistance, succeeded in getting into the trapeze, where he
went through a number of extraordinary antics, the most difficult of
which was that of standing on one foot, the other leg being extended
stiffly behind him, while with both hands he clutched convulsively to
the sides of the trapeze. Polly felt a keen sense of disappointment over
Jack's performance. Somehow or other it lacked the ease and grace that
the man in the circus had exhibited. She was impatient for her turn to
come, that she might show them her idea of acrobatism. She was delighted
when Tommy announced that "Pauline, the great unbeaten tight-rope
walker, is now a-goin' to come out."

Polly advanced majestically toward the tight-rope, which was fastened at
one end to a big hook in the side of the barn, and at the other end to
the loft, against which was placed a ladder, which she proceeded to
ascend. There was a beam overhead, which Polly was to hold on to