The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-29
II THRILLING SCENE.
Blondin and his Bicycle on the Tight
Rope.

An English paper thus details a thrilling
afar which occurred lately during one Of Blon-
din's exhibitions:
Afer he had crossed in sack, stood on chair,
and haG done some OF his minor feats. It. vi y, az
found that the rope, which was !. new one. had
slackened so considerable nat It would be neces.
sary to tighter IN order to to allow his perform
- MS new and extraordinary feat OF crossing it
on bicycle and he was, therefore, compelled TO
robe. Half an hour was asked for and cheerfulIy
granted, but, after the guy ropes had been loose
ened and the rope ,ishtened up, some difficulty
WAS found In re6xing the pole TO which the guys
were attached, in consequence OF the tension
OF the rope having dragged them forciely
ont OF the ground. Quite three-quarters
of an hour elapsed before this was done,
and then Blondln appeared again, ana starting
from the west end Of the building carried his
assistant over on his back. IL was evident, from
the lowering of some ballast bags on the guy
poles, that during this passage across inc rope
aackened great DEAL but Blondln either dld
not observe this or did not think 1t Important,
for after short interval, during which he chang
ed his dress, he appeared on his bicycle, and
amid the cheers OF the spectators started on what
seemed an awful, perillous journey. He had not
gone far when II became apparent from the de-
cline in the rope that 1t had slackened very much,
and people who understood the nature or blcy-
cles and the impossibility OF propelling them up
hill began to calculate the probabilities OF
his getting up the incline he must inev
tably meet at the other end OF the rope;
but Blondin looked extremely cool and confident,
and no fears for his safety seemed TO be enter
tained till. after stopping cleverly about mid
Way he began to traverse the Incline. IL then
became apparent, from the gradual Stacking OF
his speed, that he was doing some hard work,
ana murmurs began TO rise from the audience.
when about twenty yards from the landing stage
he came to q dead stop and appeared TO rest, bal
ancin9 himself cautiously With great pole he
earried He then made another effort and got q
few wards further, when he stopped again. II
then became apparent that he could not get
further, as, although to the danger Of disturbing
ward il refused to move. The scene that then
ensued was most exciting. People left their seats;
ladies' with frightened faces, made for the doors,
and the general mass OF the people at the east end
OF the building made q rush to the west end,
hundreds Jumpi 6 ginto the arena. when therush
and noise had subsded, marvellous Stiffness
succeeded. The crowds on the floor beneath the
rope, and in the galleries nearest the spot, seemed
to be hushed in eager expectation or solnethlng
unuleasant, gazing with horror-strcken faces on
the performer who sat motionlesS as statue on
the rope about six yards from the landing place,
while his assistant leaned over the stage, anu ap-
peared TO be speaking to him. but looked helpless
In the emergency. After delay OF two or three
minutes, which seemed an age, tile assistant, evil
IDENTIFY by Blondn's directions. procured rope,
and this he threw out cautiously. IL fell on the
performers shoulders, and he, with some difficult
ty, sustained the pole with one hand, While Win
the other he tied the rope round his waist. The
assistant then gently pulled him in. Every move
OF the wheels was watched by the audience III
silent horror till the machine ran on the landing
stage when the suppressed excitement cumna-
ted in one great Shout OF Joy, succeeded By the
widest demonstrations.