The Lincoln County herald., 1872-05-02
A HIGH CALLING.
A THRILLING SKETCH BY AN OLD IRA.
PEE PERFORMER.

PEZE PEKFORMER.
1t was done away with long ago. Gov.
ernmsnt took it up, said it was dangerous
and put a stop to il. Perhaps it was
and perhaps Government was
right to put stop to it. But didn't
like it then, for it was my bread and
meat, five pounds a week to me aud
when it was stopped, my profession was
ruined.
l don't like it now, for you see I've
made flesh and am close on fifty but fif
teen or twenty years ago when l was in
my feshings, l could have shown you
such figure and such muscles as you
wouldn't soc ovsry day. Me and my
BROTHER were regular pair, just the same
height, and wonderfully in the bills and
our manager said it would be utter mad
ness so announce ourselves az BENJAMIN
and Thomas Hitohens, So wn used e, he
in blue letters oil over London, lies
Frerss Provsncaux," aud tho people came
to see US from all parts.
We were engaged, you see, at the
Royal Conduit Gardens, and did the ira
peze work. Now dare say you'll find
plenty of people who will say it was long
before, but you don't believe 'em. I'm
the man who invented the trapeze--at
least, I'm the boy that is, invented it
when l was boy, on the swing in our
back garden-ths one We made under the
apple tree, out Of mothers clothes line,
and rubbed it till it broke all to bits, and
let Tom down that heavy that be put out
his shoulder.
You see it was from experimenting on
that swing, hanging by my legs, BY one
hand, by two hands, and upside down,
that sowed the seeds Of those wonderful
trapeze exploits that have, as we say in
the bills, "tbrilled expectant audiences in
every nerve and fiber of their frames"
Tom turned very sulky after he put
his shoulder out, and he wouldn't try
any more tricks, till he grew jealous of
seeing me get SO handy at them Che was
queer fellow, was Tom, and never could
bear for me to be ahead Of him, even in
taking medicine), and then he set to
when l wasn't by, and worked SO hard
that he got to shorten the rope, and to
hang by one foot quito clever. l hadn't
known anything aboutit, he'd been so sly,
so that was quite took aback one day,
when, after fighting about in my boyish
fashion upon the rope, he snickered at me
bit, and then to my great astonishmsut,
Get down." he says; and he sets to-,
does all have done before, and great
deal more, too, till ho cnds by hanging
one leg, when, crash the rope snapped,
and down came poor Tom on his head
and shoulder with a most terrible bang,
Up got Tom, and flew at me like a
tiger, because | was laughing-and put
it to you, could | help it?-and thcn we
had regular stand up fight, which was
not ended uutil our Mary charged down
on US with a clothes prop, and caught
Tom by the throat with the big prong, so
as she held him against the wall till be
promised he wouldn't fight any more.
Tom didn't keep his promise, for he was
terrible boy for fighting, and many 8
the up and down set to we have bad to-.
ge,her. Woe botide any boy, though,
who touched me 1t didn't matter how
big he was, Tom always took my part and
thrashed him.
From doing things on the ropo We took
to tumbling little on the ground, tying
ourselves in knots, walking on our hands,
aud l shall never forget the day that
first threw.a somersault without touching
the ground with my hands. That day
was marked one for me-6rst, because
of the pride | felt as l ran 10 the field and
spun over; second because Tom was so
jealous that he took run and jump, and
came down on his back, making it so stiff
and bad that he couldn't move hardly
for week.
At last, having done all this for our
own amusement % boys, We had to give
it up, for times got very bad at home.
Poor father, who had only been jour-
usyman painter, fell i'll and died and
mother moved to London, whore, after q
deal of trying, We boys got job here and
there at rough painting, for, from help
ing father AZ home, We were both pretty
handy with the brush.
AaWSS, uo"0'0tt VeiS uoAN VN0
US, when one day We heard of chance.
The Royal Conduit Gardens were being
done up in . hurry, the lessee having
taken them, a. it were at the eleventh
hour, aud, being at high rent, Of course
he wanted to get them open as soon as
possible. Re. decoration was tho order
Of the day, aud every man who could
handle q brush was taken on, painters
being scarce in the spring.
Well wo went, and we're soon busy at
work. painting arbors and arches, and
touching up orchestra and artificial sky
till the gardens were opened, when the
manager, who was very civil fellow, gave
Tom and your humble servant ticket
for the opening day.
That was . treat for Us, for We we're
in good spirits, having q few shilling in
ous pockets We saw the theatricals,
heard the music, looked at this, locked
at that, and were thoroughly enjoying
ourselves until We Joined tho circle about
10 Witness tho performances of the Tan