Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-08
ACRORATS.
The Latest Thing I'm GymnasfIes-Ihe
AanI0n's OutdOne.

The Latest Thing I'm GymnastIes-Ihe
HanIOn's OutdOne.
The New York World gives the
following account of the latest SEN
sation among the acrobatic fra
ternity:
What has been promised us as the
Great Sensation of the Age with
large capitals) came off at the Tam
many last night in the form of a
gymnastic performance unprece.
denied. The Gregory Brothers
three agile youths in their teens,
who had pleased the haJitHes of Mr..
Growers place of amusement by
many daring feats - determined
some three months ago to outrival
all the elder champions of the world
in some one thing. They hit upon
the idea of having one of the trio
turn somersault in mid-air durin g
bis fight from the hands of one to
the hands of another brother hang
ing heads downward from the two
ends of PecheHe perileuSe, a ladder
trapeze. Although this would seem,
at the first mention of it, to be a
difficult feat, the wonder is that the
Han1oDs never attempted it, for it
is really no more difficult for the
performer of the sOmersault than
a somersault from one flying trapeze
to another. The wrists of the gym
mast, TO which the performer clings
while swinging to gather the neces'
sary impetus for his aerial leap and
"turn over" are just as convenient
to the latter Of he has confidence in
his suppoIt,) as the bar of the first
trapeze. Likewise the wrists of the
gymnast, which he springs to and
clutches after the sOmersault, are
the same to him (if he has the same
confidence that they will not fail
as the bar Of the second ira
peze. The requisite thing is, of
course, that three persons engaged
in this skittish business shall be,
aside from their skill, perfectly con
fident one in another. The theory
of Locke, that certain sensibilities
may be as good as paralyzed or de-
stroyed by the ignoring of them, is
illustrated by the insensibility to
fear of broken bones or even death
by certain veteran soldiers, hurdle
riders, and athletes. These Gregg
nv brothers who thrilled the town
last evening, have cultivated that
insensibility very early in life, and
by the most systematic process.
Since the idea of becoming the
Three Flying Men of the Air ocN
Cured TO them, they have practiced
the somersault act together over
mattresses at q distance above the
ground which was gradually in.
creased, until like the very children
who are suffered by their parents to
toddle along the verges of dizzy
preeipices in the Alps, or like the
workmen on lofty buildings daily
raised higher above the pavements
forty feet from the stage or terTC
frma became as no height at all tx
them. 1t appeared terribleheig ht tf
the audience, however, who did no
think of such processes, but Wer'
assembled to witness the result anC
when the three lively youngster
ascended TO their perch, and thel
father. stepped forward beneath
them TO announce that the somer
sault was to be performed, a coli
chill curdled most everybody
blood. The performance had bee
promised TO take place over mel
The net was brought out on Tn
stage accordingly. Catching sigh
of il as the boys were about t
swing, a man in the gallery cried
The net, the net. Mr.. Gregory
the elder, stepped to the tootlights
Ladies and gentlemen, there IS n
occasion for alarm "The ne
the net. He'll break his neck,
nrotested a voice, and storm
Kisses and applause rang throug
the auditorium. "Gentlemen, If yo
insist-but- boys have perfe'
confidence in their powers, and
am certain of them At tn
iuncture. while the fathers vol
was nearly drowned in the tumu
brave young voice rang out fro
aloft-from the tropeze: mo NJ
father; swing, boys, and do 1t
Swing they did. Down the thr
lille bodies swerved. Down agal
catching to the wrists of the %
on the left, descended the midC
brother, and swayed sin md al
One, two, three--to and fro; a
then, Gregory, quitting his no
turned himself over and ailght'
his hands graphing like talons !