Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-08-08
The Rope Walker at Niagra.

| WI WINS III Jue HOtne journal, thus
describes NJ. Blondins passage over tho
Niagara River in the character of an Indi-
an chief:
"Atter being dressed in his flesh color.
ed tights, wamrum apron, bead necklace
and moccasins, he came out with his
particularly uncombed sandy hair uncoy-
cred rs yet by its crown of feathers( to
look little into the arrangements for his
performance. For fifteen or twenty min
utes, the little Tecumseh was hopping
bout, trying the cords which held the
ropes to the stanchion5, cookingfred
pistol which was to be the to ano
nounce his return, giving directions
for the music, binding the ligatures of his
balance pole, and answering very merrily
all the jokes of the lockers on. In his
motions back and forward, he took no
regular step lie simply bounded. Like a
child's soap bnbble, the difficulty seemed
to get to the ground-to keep from foatS
ing away. During all this time, of course
had the desired opportunity for the study
of his face. 1t was one which rineteen
persons out of twenty would pass over as
wholly uninterestipg-the twentieth and
more observant man giving him good
| iONN 40 OllV vi VIC lllOSb utlcl ulltl6u anu
honestly spunlly little fellows he had ever
seen. The top of his skull, of course, is
very high with his bump of frmness -
| His cheek bones are prominent, his nose
is straight with thin expanded rostrils
his lips are thin and firm, checks hollow
and pale; he wears sandy moustOche and
imperial-a la Napoleon. Though any
| thing but beauty, he is a man it is mpos-
sible not to take fancy to. Retiring to
his shanty for 4 minute or two, after all
was arranged, his appearance was an
nounced by grand display from the
band and, forward came Tecums sch, with
n high crown OF many. colOred feathers on
his head not with a slow pace as would
be expected from an Indian chi0f-but
dancing jig all the way to the precpice.
Il was curloIs. however, TO see that the
smile on his lip, AID his other signs of
merrment for the many were altogether
mechanical and artificial while the close
ly pressed eyelid through which his keen
blue eye was hardly visible, showed the
inner minds after absorption and con-
ceptration in the work he had to do. The
rope was drawn from shore to shore, 500
feet across and $50 feet above the Niagara
rapids-a peri!ous bridge for human !eet
to walk took hold os his arms rs he |
stood trying the rope for moment with |
the ball Of his fnot. 1t was like bunch |
OF iron wire, wholly unimpressible. And
away he went, his moccasined feet hugging
the two sides of the swaying cable, his |
balance pole playing up and down, and !
his little figure gradually diminishing q
be walked steadily on and reached thes
middle of the chasm, where he proceeded |
to stand upon one leg and hold the other
out at right angles The spectators of
course We're all breathlessly silent; though
! found it much more breathless to think
OF aterward than 10 see it done He did
IL with such apparent ease and certainty
that 1t was like seeng bird fly or a spider
walk the ceiling-not to be wondered at
Tor that kind oil creature. | am inclin.
ed to think it would be more startling
lbetter enabling one to imagine himself
in the performers place. if he were to 10
1t in common clothes Looking scarcely
larger than butterfly as he reached the
Opposite shore, Blondin remained out of
sight for fifteen or twenty minutes, and
then the pistol was fired TO announce his
return. lie came quietly on to the cen,
tire where he stopped TO lie down at full
lerth on the rope, and execute various
postures and gymnastics and between
this and his reaching our shore again, he
made several pretended trips, as if losing
his balance-the screams of the affrighted |
ladies'. at this very comically varying the
tune which was being endeavored by the
band. As he came up the slant of the
rope again, saw that his lips were tight
" drawn together and his features were
rigi6lv set with the mental exertion, and
and il was an expression Of foce that
would be worth painting as q type Of de-
termined will. Through all the anxiety
of spectators suspense, could not help
admiring the little man exceedingly, and
I was the first to give him hand as he
stepped on the cliff. 1t was cold clam.
my grip that he gave me in return, and
his fingers felt icy and wet. Everybody
who could reach him rave him shake OF
the hand on his way to the shanty, and
the enthusiasm fo- him seemed universal.
And so ended 'the show Of human life
put fearfullv to peril Mr.. Blondin,
was afterward told has wife and several
children and resides at Niagra, having
adopted it rs the theatre Of performance.
His professional profits amount to $4,000
a year"
A GENEALoGy.-John Knox, the Great
Reforuer of Scotland.
John Witherspoon, D. D., one OF the
Signers Of the Declaration of American
Independence.
John Breckinridge, Member Of jeff
erson's Cabinet.
John C. Breckenridge. Vice President
Of the United States l857-6l.
John c. Breckinridge, President of the
United States, 1876.
rThe above is true record of the gen