hard. I imagine I was given all the small jobs because I was small. I was 5' 7" tall, but only weighed 120 at that time. In the second week of my life in the sawdust world the event happened that was to change my life.

The beautiful Carole, our "poser" fell from the platform she occupied above the center ring when a cable slipped. The doctors at the hospital told

the BOSS she would not be able to work for several months, due to the injuries to her back and legs, and this was a severe blow to the show. She command- ed the attention of the audience each time the rings were changed for a new act. Her continual swaying, twisting, and fluttering of her beautiful gowns and veils, while in the colorful glow of the spotlights brought oohs and aahs from everyone, and she would be sorely missed. That night as usual, I was in the pay-wagon with the BOSS as the discussion went on. There was no girl that could be spared from another act, and there wasn't time to hire one and teach her the routine. I don't know what made me do it, but all of a sudden everyone was looking at me in astonishment because of what I had said. Only then I realized that I had said, "I can do it!!" I hurried on then and explained that I had watched Carole closely, and knew her every move, and that she and I were both dark haired and about the same size, and that I wouldn't mind doing it, "For the good of the show." Of course, I was thinking of all those wonderful gowns and veils, and all the frilly things under them. All these could be mine if I could pull this off. Questions flew fast and furious for a while, and I must have given the correct answers, because soon we adjurned to the trailer previously occupied by Carole. Gowns, dainty undies, and high heels were taken from their resting places, and I was commanded to "Dress". Everything fit me as if it were mine except the shoes. Try as I might, I just couldn't squeeze into them. Then I was commanded to go through the act. I did all the poses I could remember, and the

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