Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-07
THE SENSATION.
The Lates. Thing---Gymnastics. cs.

The New York World gives the follow
ing account OF the latest sensation among
the acrObatic fraternity (:
Whist has been promised US as the
Great Sensation of the Age with large
cspitalsl came of st the Iammany last
might IN the form Of gymussIc per-
formspce unprecedented. The Gregory
Brothers-three agile youths ia tbe'r
teens. who had pleased the hdGttueS OF
Mr.. Growers place Of amusement 0y
many daring fests -determi ned some
three months ago to Outrivsl all the
elder champions of the world i1 some
one thing. They hit upon the idea OF
having one OF the trio turn somersauls
in nid-air during his fight from the
hands of one to the hands OF another
brother hanging heads downward from
the two ends Of pechsILe peTiLiuse, lad
der trapezs. Although this wouli sseml
at the first mention OF it, to be dim 1'uit
feat, the wonder is that the Hanlohs
never attempted 1t, for 1t ls realiy no
more difficult for the performer oi the
someTsauit than s0merssuit iFOm one
Il Ying tr8p6Zs TO smother Inc Wrlsts Oh
The gymDsst, to which the performer
clings while swinging to gather the
necessary iHnpetus for his se rial leap and
Hturn over" are just as convenient to
the latter (if be has confidence in his
supportl, as the bar of the first trsp Ze.
Likewise the wrists OF the gymnsst,
which he springs to and clutches after
the souneTssult, are the same to him (lf
he has the same confidence that they
will not fail him) IS the bar OF the sec
ond trspeze. The requisite thing Is, OF
course, that the three persons engaged
In this skittish business shall he, aside
from their skill, perfectly confident one
in another. The theory Of Locke, that
certain sensibilities may be as good as
paralyZ ID or destroyed by the ignoring
OF them, is illustrated by the insensibil-
ity to fear of broken bones or even death
by certain veteran soldiers, hurdle riders,
and athletes. These Gregory brothers
who thrilled the town lest evening, nave
cultivated that insensibiuiy very early
in life, and by the most systematic pro-
cess. Since the idea OF becoming the
Three Flying Men Of the Air occurred 10
them, they have pTacticed the somersau
act together over mattresses and nets at
| a distance above the ground, which was
gradually increased, until like the very
/ children who are suffered by their pa
| rents to toddle along the verges OF dizzy
breeipiees in the Alps, or like the WORK
men on lofty buildings, daily raised high
/ er above the pavement, forty feet from
! the from the stage or terra firma, became
| as no height at all to them. Ii appeared
a terrible height to the audience, how
ever. who did not think OF such process
es. but " ere assembled to witness the re
suit; and when the three lively young
sters ascended to their perch, and thell
father stepped forward beneath them &C
announce that the somersault was to b'
performed. 8 cold chill curdled mos
every bodyis blood. The performance
had been promised 70 take place over
net. The net was brought out on thI
stage accordingly. Catching sight OF 1t
AZ the boys were about to swing, maj
IN the gallery cried - The net, the net.
Mr.. Gregory, the elder, stepped to th
footlights: I! Ladies' and gentlemen, ther
h no occasion for alarm The mel
the net. He'll break his neck" protest
ed a voice, and 8 storm OF Misses and al
nIause rang through the auditorium
4 Gentlemen, il you insist-but my boy
have perfect confidence In their power
aud 1 am certain of them" Al tn
iupcture, while the father's voice We
nearly drowned In the tumult q bray
Young voice rang out from aloft-frol
The :rapszs: mo net, father; swlL
Toys and do itIn Swing they al