The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-08-26 00:00:00

IL BLONDIN, THE IRMO OF NIAGARA.

A few ineklents in the life of IL Blondin will be
read with interest at this time, when his forthcoming
visit to Dorchester will natcrally centre public atten-
tion on this remarkable loan:

How --BLEiii;;;---B;;;;;;; tßorg•Watabin.—When
young Blondin was not more than five years old, a
bevelling company of equestrian and acrobatic per
formers pitched their tent one day near the paternal
home. He, in common with the boys of the neighbour.
hood, became a wondering spectator of their exploits;
and it was soon obvious that these exploits had pro-
duced a powerful and abiding effect upon his infantile
mind. With marvellous adroitness for a child of his
tender years, he began to imitate some of the "hair-
breadth escapes" witnessed by himself and companions
in the professional arena; and ere long he succeeded
In accomplishing a variety of gymnastic feats, such as
no eh lid of his age had ever before attempted. "The
child." says the post Wordsworth, 'is father of the
man," and no one could have witnessed the first rude
eforts of the boy Blondin, after returning home from
the Peiferinenose of that peripatetic troupe, without
disowning to them something more than mere imitation.
His attention had been parMaedielY attracted by the
showy appearanoe and display of • yoeng gentleman in
blue bele, fleshings, and *spangles, who exhibited
considerable skill and elasticity, both on the tight and
sleek rope; and he resolved that not an hour shoed
pass over without hie attempting some of the same sort.
H. emordlngly procured • piece of strong cord, and
&fixed it to the upper range oda eamPle of chairs. Placed
do•-e-dee et a little distance apart. On this he mounted
So make his first missy in rope-dancing, when, as a
matter of course, the imperfect machinery collapsed,
and the young mink fell to the ground equally sur-
prised and slimed. A few tears succeeded the mishap,
and Mamma iMndln hastened to lift up her precocious
son and heir, glad to find no worse resole than • few
braises tellers she really feared a broken limb—

"tat childhood's tears freely shed,
Are soon forgotten."
and although the bruises disappeared," his amlblion
did not, for having fairly mastered the idea that the
lightness and testability of the chairs tad caused them
to fall inward* (he knew nothing of their want of
bass), he set about seeming a fresh line, This time
be possessed himself of • mach stronger oord, and
secured it to the posts of • gateway, intending to
"astonish" a number of admiring playmates with his
youthful daring. Alas she cord was not yet strong
enough, nor his father's fishing-rod a onflkient
balancing-pole; so down he came again with • blank
countenanee, • splintered rod, and • sprained wrist, but
no bonito broken, nor any wavering in his determination.
His mind was resolutely bent upon success' and he
busied himself late and early in prosecuting his tight.
tee adventures; but afraid to name them to his
, father, who- was angry at the lose of his "Piaster," as
' he called it, be confined the secret of hie failures aed
aspiration' to an old ostler, with whom he had formed
one of those intimacies which, however apparently
anomalous, are, in many instances, more enduring, and
bear better fruit than ordinary boy-friendshipe between
amperes in age and condition. The veteran man-o"-rt
war's-man, proud of his confidante's spirit and sem% 1
made him • present of a pion of boat's cable,
himself fastened it securely for the brave tyro, at a ,
ressonable height from the ground, at the same time
providing him with an old spar to serve the purpose of
bslaacing-pole. With so eye witness but his sailor.
friend, he at length in crossing the rope—this
Aka arm one—and the natation of his young life
wig attained.
CFALLUIT Ria<3lll vi,iftlL—Of Biondi,' it may be
. ,horaiver, that be is bold and determined under all,
nee. An incident occurred dosing his voyec
rwbich. merits a rise in any account of We li
ibeerves to downstate that his dining on the tigh
ape is not the Item Salt of tong and persevering ,
preotice, but that be had in him then the germs of that
indomitable courage which has stnee contributed to
materially to establish hia world-wide fame. Derived
the raging of a violent rtorm, a young man of noble
birth, who awed to be a passenger on board thetas'',
ship with him, Mil suddenly precipitated overboard, se
the "hip rose and dunk in the black abyss of waves that
yawned around her. Moodie, with a bound, leaped
diet hint ; the winds shrieked,ond howled like demons
let loose, and the haring surging waves swept
mercilessly crver,ehan ; bat the "'stroog swimmer," the
future Beim of I.ra, breasted them notwithstanding,
and courageously approached the drowning man in time
to save him. littnamding gallantly against desperate
odds, he reached the ship, and was drawn up in safety,
but not before be had sees* lashed his fainting com-
panion in the rope that was thrown out to him. Deeds
like these go far to prove that Blondin's is no artificial
An Eaton or ars Parea.—Monsieur Blondin was
nto perform at a fashionable watering-place in '
atlirViest of England, and amonpt other feats that
were expected of hint, it was ennoused that he would
Appear on the rope with an "Elephant's Cooking-appa-
ratus," and per64* of ltinohoon of his own preparing.
The unfortunate line in the plseerds which gave rise to
snob extraordiniwyeapeetationo on the part of his audi-
ence, should have reed, an "Elegant Cooking-appara-
tus ;" but although ekahants in modern day*, what-
ever they may bashes et old, are not proverbial for
ing a knowledge of gastronomy, much less for
possessing
equipped with • patent cooking-stoves, he was
literalty expected to perform the feat in question, and
a portion of his 'Adieus grew clamorous and went
away in high dudgeon, not to say disguat, when he
daunted the rope with an ordinaty cocking-stove
attached to his back.—lffestrated Life of Bloain, by
G. Liftman Beim.
•