The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-08-17

oscillation whatever, Thomas Hanlon
who is the eldest Of the brothers, cams
/ promptly on the stage when this fea
was rung on, and imEnediateiy ascend
ed.to the ladder by means Of 3 perpen
diculaF rope. Once there, he Weni
through q series of perilous gymnsstiC
exercises-sWinging by his hands from
end to end Of the ladder, hanging By
his feet to its rounds, snd performing
other characteristic feats that nevel
fail to inspire in an audience a feeling
of admiration mingled with instructive
and lively apprehension. The conclu'
sion Of this act is of the most sensa
tiOnal character. Suddenly recovering
himself from a position in which
his head is hanging downward,
the gymnast stands upright on the end
Of the ladder, gives powerful spring
toward the proscenium boxes, and
seizes a vertical rope that hangs sus
pended at a distance of eighteen OF
twenty feet from the point Of de
parture.
Hanlan, having accomplished his
other feats, with the utmost fearless
ness and apparently without q mo
ment's calculation, appeared a moment
gathering himself for the terrific
spring, and the next moment was fly
ing in 8 dizzy arc toward the rope,
the lower end of which was held by
two Of his brothers a'-i's -s3
He reached the rope, grasped for it,
missed il and fell with q confused flash
in the air, striking the stage with fear
ful momentum, and rolling over, un-
conscious and bleeding, into the par
quette. The audience, on whose lips
an expectant sigh Of relief had hovered,
rose to their feet with murmEr OF
horror, subdued, but universal Some
ladies cried out, and some parties, in
their condemnation, turned TO leave the
theatre, The wings Of the stage imme-
diately became peOpled with members
Of the company, and the auditors near
est the unconscious gymnast lifted his
form to the stage, across which it was
borne out Of sight, mass of bloody
inery-a strange contrast to the light
footed athlete who, a few minutes be-
fore, had scaled his way to his dizzy
perch, with all the ease and indiffer-
ence Of q squirrel az q g5tanrrt
In few moments one of the com
pany appeared on the stage, called for
a surgeon in the audience, and stated
that tae injuries we're not serious-a
statement made with view of quieting
the-alarm of the audience, who appear
ed undecided whether to remain or
not. The performance, after very
short delay, was resumed, and while
the counterfeit negroes went through
their-considering the occasion-inef-
fectual mummeries, 8 pale group was
gathered around the senseless artist
behind the scenes. The .daaSease, with
her skirts gathered tightly in her hand,
looked on with eolOrless face, and an
occasional murmur of terror, and the
contrabands hoVered around on con-
fused errand8of mercy. The PROSTATE
man lay on a cot. breathing heavily, a
fearful cash over his left eye, another
on the chin, and a slight. one on the
thigh.
Dr.. Miller, who was in the audience,
examined the wounds, and was pres
emily Joined by Drs. Mussey and Black
man, who found no fracture of the
skull, and strange 10 say, no broken
bones or serious cOntusions of the limbs
or body. The cash over the eye was
about two inches in.length and exposed
the skull The cut on the JAW was not
severe.
The patient recovered consciousness
in about fifteen minutes, and seemed
more concerned about the middle fin-
ger Of bis right hand, which he re-
peatedly manipulated, than for his other
Injuries. HIS wounds were carefully
dressed, and he was removed to the no
tel in 4 carriage Two hours after the
accident. he had recovered almost en-
tirely from the shock, and expressed a
desire to be permitted 70 reappear du-
ring the week.
1t has been seven years since Thom-
as Hanlon fell before. The accident
occurred in St Petersburg, and was,
perhaps. less serious than that of last
evening His training has evidently
included the art Of falling with com
narrative safety, for few men could re-
peat the accident without a fatal re-
suit
These six brothers-Tbomas, George,
William, Alfred, Edward, and Frede-
rick, varying in ages between eighteen
and fhirty-tWo, resembling each other
in stature and general appearance
at first view do not realize the popular
notion of athletes On the contrary,
thew would more readily be taken for
students Of law, divinity, or medicine,
from their seeming delicate organiza
ton, and We suspect that this physical
refinement tends 70 heighten the effect
of their displays.
Ten years ago, when these gentlemen
had reached the ultiuaa flsule OF the aero
hattie. gvmnastic and aerostatic prof
cheney then known in Europe and
Anefica, they met in St Petersburg an
enthusiastic French physician who in
oculsted them with his theory thai
there was no limit to physical any more
than mental improvement
They immediately commenced De
Iiberats regimeh according to the SC
cepted theory, and since then have
eaten. drank, slept and reereated them
selves in accordance with Rn inFariabls
rule
To each was assigned sn especia
province. being governed, Of course, IL
the selection BY any marked proelivity
/ that either had developed-one 70 b'
stropg another agile-One to sustain
proIobeed exertion, another 70 be a
nome In the clouds. Still they have
suffered but two accidents, both arising
rom defects in the fasteDings of theil
apparatus, and both cured in a shor
| time Their bones, it is said, units
With the first intention as it we're
l;ke fesb wounds with people whose
svsteun Is in good order.
The momentum Of the spring mad'
bv Thomas last evening, added 70 th'
severity Of ne fall, and il b simpl!
wonderful that he escaped 20 easily
Tbe esuss of his missing the rope l. sale
"a = the result Of the lights blindinl
bin. or causing = refraction in the air
Which made the rope appear % him Il
a false position
- r,~or. AIaL Faaar