Sapphic Cowboi (13 page)

Oregon and Washington State were a successful
series of shows. The loggers were appreciative of the pretty girls
whose performances seemed just for them. The elephants, llamas,
camels and other exotics were viewed as though from a picture book
come to life. That they did tricks and entertained them was always
a bonus. Seeing the lions and tigers was awe-inspiring. It was the
horses though, something everyone had seen in the past, before the
coming of the motor car that brought back nostalgia. Seeing the
beauty of the blacks, perfectly matched, the beautiful exotic woman
balancing on them, dancing on them, doing tricks with them, all
controlled by another woman in topcoat and tails thrilled the
audiences. Bigelow circus got their best audiences from the farmers
and woodcutters of the Pacific Northwest.

They encountered their first snows too in the
mountains as they traveled south once again. For Maggie and her
horses this was a first of firsts. Never having seen snow in the
Deep South the horses pawed at it in question, sniffed at it, and
snorted it out of their nostrils. They instinctively knew how to
find their feed under the blanket that fell around them but they
were confused and delighted by it by turns. Maggie found it cold
and shivered in her blankets. She had warm clothing but nothing for
cold such as this. Still, working with her horses she soon warmed
up.

“
How can you ride without
more clothing on?” Ariana asked her as she shivered in a sheepskin
jacket, gloves, pants, and fur-lined boots.

Maggie laughed at her from under the hat she
had acquired and delighted in. One of the cowboys at the one of the
stops in Oregon had bet his hat that his horse was faster than any
of her blacks and Sampson had proven him wrong, so had many of the
others who had competed. Maggie had quite a stash of gear that had
been bet against the ‘pampered’ circus horses. Of course if she had
lost she would have been a pauper but she had been confident in her
horses’ abilities and the losers had paid off good-naturedly. She
also had a sheepskin vest, some sheepskin chaps, and finely made
leather boots that had room for thick socks on her delicate feet.
She was warm from her exertions and the work that she always loved
among her beloved horses.

As they headed south again into Arizona and
New Mexico, Maggie saw for the first time sand dunes and desert.
She took the horses out and ran them on a local ranch, keeping well
away from the dangers the rancher warned her about, bad water,
alkali, snakes, and certain plants. The horses needed exercise and
an all-out run was called for and enjoyed by all. She had been
delighted to find many of her ‘family’ joining in on the run
including Perry, Ariana, and many others as well as cowboys from
the ranch where they were staying.

“
We’re going to have a
fandango in honor of the circus arriving, we would be pleased if
you would attend” the rancher invited them all generously. With her
horses already on the ranch, just a quick ride into town to get to
the circus Maggie needn’t worry her babies. What did worry her as
word spread about the party was that she would be expected to
dance. She had never danced except for with her father as he
attempted to teach her Irish jigs. It had been a lot of years and a
lot of changes and she wasn’t sure she was ready for such a
party.

“
We’ll find you a costume
and gussy you up!” Ariana promised her friend excited at the
prospect of a party. They had dances and shindigs within the circus
quite frequently, it gave the performers a chance to try out new
outfits and steps but that was work, this would be play and there
would be locals at the party.

Maggie found herself the object of many of
her family trying to ‘gussy’ her up. She ended up wearing an
evening gown, stockings, and fancy slippers. She felt awkward in
it; she had to learn to walk without her long strides and free
flowing hips movements that had been natural for her for as long as
she could remember. She did remember how to behave like a lady from
her mama’s teachings but it had been so long unused she worried
that she would disgrace herself.

At the first sight of Maggie coming out of
the tent, a little makeup on her fine face, her short hair slicked
back and looking midnight blue in the lights, Ariana thought she
had died and gone to heaven. Maggie looked lovely, she looked
incredible, and Ariana wished she could declare her ‘mine’ to
everyone but knew it wasn’t the time, or the place, not yet. She
had been so grateful to get the ‘old’ Maggie back in California
that she hadn’t analyzed her feelings or their relationship, she
had just rejoiced in Maggie getting past whatever it was that had
saddened her.

A buggy took them out to the
ranch as the horses were already out there and secretly Ariana was
glad about it as she hadn’t wanted to ride side saddle and get
horse hairs on her own fine dress. Maggie was struck speechless by
how lovely Ariana looked. This,
this
was a lady. This was what a lady
was supposed to look in her finery. A white gown with lace covering
the bodice and holding it in elbow length see through sleeves,
gloves that came up to her elbows, in white too made her look so
delicate, so ethereal, so beautiful. Maggie felt gauche next to her
but the combination of the two beauties had many of their own
family in shock as the stunners made an entrance. Immediately they
were claimed for dances. Ariana graciously accepted. Maggie, shy
and awkward, explained that she didn’t know
how
to dance and charmed her pursuers
into teaching her. She soon caught on and found herself to be
having a wonderful time.

Time and time again Maggie danced with men in
suits, some in tuxedos similar to what she wore in the show, some
fit better than some but even Maggie knew she looked better in her
own since it was custom fit by some of the finest seamstresses
around. She made small talk; they were astonished to find her so
knowledgeable about horses much less that she owned the dozen
blacks housed here on the ranch that they had all seen and admired.
She made countless contacts with men who were interested in her
breeding program and stock, her circus horses making an indelible
impression on the ranchers who prided themselves on endurance,
heartiness, and beauty in their horse stock. Maggie herself though
was holding her own. Time and time again though she wondered why
she wasn’t physically attracted to any of the bachelors or even the
married men she danced with, she found her eyes straying to see
where Ariana was, what she was doing, who she was dancing with.

Ariana was having a marvelous time or so it
appeared. She was in fact worried that these ranchers would
convince her friend and the woman she had fallen in love with to
stay and breed horses. Her own glances included where Maggie was,
what she was doing, and who she was dancing with. Time and again
she took her own escorts to where Maggie was and introduced them
which led to other dances with Maggie as they switched partners,
unbeknownst to Ariana she was making Maggie more popular by this
action as well as giving her more contacts. Maggie was definitely a
woman like no other to these men.

“
Our Maggie is having a good
time” a couple of the roustabouts commented. Everyone really was
having a nice time at the fandango as Irish reels, Scottish jigs,
and a host of other Americanized songs and dances were played by a
live band. When they began to play Spanish music though Maggie’s
partner declined the dance and she was soon being shown the steps
by an inventive and avid partner of Mexican heritage. She smiled
and laughed at his extravagant compliments but when his hands
strayed a little too suggestively she surprised him with the
strength of her own hands as she slapped him and hard. At least
they had both been discrete, him in his groping, and her in her
turning down of his overture. If anyone noticed his red cheek they
didn’t say anything and his ego wasn’t harmed. In fact he was
flattered that she was so insulted and laughed it off even though
he thought she slapped like a mule kick.

The Spanish music intrigued Ariana though and
she leaned in to Maggie to suggest they add it to their act; she
could dress like a Mexican dancer as they had seen many of the
guests dressed so. Maggie nodded and thought of how pretty Ariana
would look in one of the dresses and perched on one of her blacks,
a nice contrast. Her own tux and tails would be a nice
accompaniment to it.

The circus people went back to the circus set
up together where people who hadn’t wanted to go, children too
young, some performers too old had held down the fort and guarded
their livelihoods. “That was quite a party eh?” was heard over and
over again as they discussed the night and the people they had
met.

Ariana and Maggie both had guest rooms at the
ranch and were up early in their normal shirts and dungarees to
take care of the blacks and get them ready to head back to the
circus to perform. They had lots of unanticipated help but the
cowboys and stockmen on the ranch couldn’t seem to help themselves
seeing two such lovely women in pants and they helped ready the
horses. Maggie was amused, her horses didn’t need getting ready,
she packed her bag, mounted Sampson and now with a second newer
saddle that Maggie had won, Ariana was mounted as well. Neither
rode side-saddle and they thundered down the road with the herd of
blacks jostling each other to keep up and enjoying every minute of
it being watched with awe by the cowboys and stockmen.

Both women had no idea of how beautiful they
looked or how many admiring glances they had received at the party
or in the time they had spent on the ranch. They had both received
outrageous proposals of marriage in an area where women were scarce
and lovely women such as themselves even more scarce. Cruel
conditions, bad weather, and loneliness aged most women out here.
The entertainment that the circus offered was a highlight to many
and people came from miles around to see the shows and side
shows.

They were all saddened to leave and head to
their next show destination. They were slowly making their way back
through the south. Maggie intended to head down to her farm and
spend the ‘off months’ with her horses. The others would go on to
their winter destination in Florida, resting and relaxing until
late spring when they would start again in the Eastern states and
work their way across the United States as they had each year for
twenty five years.

Remembering the Spanish dances Ariana and
Maggie incorporated a little one into their act on the horses. The
showgirls helped them make the dances perfect and Ariana in an
altered Spanish costume make out of wine colored silk and Maggie in
black trousers with a blue silk button down blouse under a short
bolero jacket that she whipped off as well as a cape with an inner
red lining used to pretend that the horses were actually bulls made
a striking contrast and an interesting show to their audiences.
Maggie people were always unsure if she was a man or woman, her
pretty face, but short hair made some uncomfortable but the outfits
she wore made many of them think she was a man. She didn’t care;
she was having fun dancing with her horses and with Ariana who
looked breathtaking and totally effeminate in her gown. The dances
got very heated and the horses’ tricks and costumes more elaborate.
They now had trunks of accessories for them.

After one particularly grueling dance where
Maggie basically threw Ariana onto a horse who then danced on the
backs of not one but several of the running horses, they both were
perspiring from their efforts where Maggie used her cape to ‘hold
off’ the stampeding herd, it was then as Ariana ‘fell’ into her
arms that Maggie nearly kissed her for the first time. They were
both aware of the moment, both saw the look in each other’s eyes,
both knew if there weren’t hundreds of spectators what would have
happened, then and there. The moment was lost as the music altered
and the horses drew their attention back to what they were supposed
to be doing, performing and Maggie twirled Ariana back who then
bounded effortlessly onto the back of one of the horses and Maggie
onto another as they thundered around the center ring and out the
main doors to deafening applause.

“
Well, we have come full
circle here” Cecil told Maggie as they set up in Jackson. After
this three day show Maggie would be heading south for a few months
until they started up again in the spring.

Maggie smiled, showing off her even and white
teeth and her pretty face. “I’ve enjoyed most of it Cecil and I
thank you for the opportunity.” She had made a lot of friends,
earned real money, and learned a lot.

“
You’re coming back aren’t
you?” he fretted.

She laughed, “of course I am, I couldn’t give
this up” her arms spread to encompass the massive tent going up not
far from where she had put up her temporary corral as well as the
other tents going up for the many side shows.

He smiled, it got into your blood, it was a
fever, and the benefits of having such a unique family were nothing
to sneeze at. He saw the friends she had made and the back country
girl he had met so many months before was no more. She was growing
up. He had seen what happened between her and Ariana and while he
didn’t understand it, he didn’t disapprove. They were both
beautiful women and deserved their happiness. He didn’t think
either had acted on it but he wondered if he would really know if
they had. It was none of anyone’s business.

“
Golly Magdalena!” Peter
drawled deliberately sounding like he was right off the cotton
field.

“
Magdalena?” Ariana asked
with an eyebrow raised.