Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-07

The gymnastic profession is divided
into two distinct branches, each COM
prising many Zines" and .pecialties
-gymnssts, those who display feats
In mid.eir, n trapeze flying, ceiling
walking and exercises on lofty bars or
rings; and acrobats, who practice tum.
bling upon or Ia closer proximity to
the earth. An acrobat or gymrast
wants = pupil, eithea to assist him In
his own tricks or to educate and farm
with an eye to profit In the future.
Whatever the object may and what.
eve the line of business into which
the young Idea is destined to shoot,
the trainer looks About him for a
pupil. Seven or eight appears to DO
the age which all sgreo upon as the
most suitable for commencement.
The trainer does not seek for ape
cial points of natural aptitude In max.
ing his choice of an embryo athlete.
Amy youth of the appropriate age,
provided he DE free from bodily oil
ment or deformity, is regarded as
capable of being developed into o
Lsotard, Blondin or Grimaldi. If two
boys, equal In other respects, were TO
present themselves 40 candidates, the
smaller or better looking of the twain
might receive preference; but no
healthy boy is regarded as absolutely
unfit for the work.
The first and chief aim of the train
er Is to work up the muscular strength
of his subject to as high a pitch as pos
sib!e. He feeds tho boy on an abund.
ant of nourishing diet, and teaches
him TO be temperate in all things.
The boy is made to take long walks,
cold baths, to use the dumb-bells and
60 through in~vigorating exercises In
an ordinary gymnasium of ladders,
ropes, and bars, such as a schoolboy
might enjoy himself with. This treat.
ment is pursued for two or three
months before difficult feats are at.
tempted, and the boy Is usually en-
couraged to undertake the latter by
judlcious praise and promise of re.
wards, and by the example of hi.
tutor. Several of the little fellows
usually train together, and are stimu.
lated also to attempt dangerous feats
by the spirit Of rivalry that exist.
among them. They measure their
progress inch by inch, day by day, and
each Is eager to proclaim his record
the best.
By the time the pupil reaches the
age of twelve or thirteen years, and
before the term of his apprenticeship
shall have expired, the trainer often
finds 1t necessary to pay him q salary,
otherwise he may run away and join
a performing troupe uuder an assumed
name. When the legal term of ap,
premiership Is up, In case the boy be
not united TO his trainer by ties Of
blood, a. regular legal engagement IL
usually entered into. 1t ia usually a
co%partnership agreement or a contract
for a term of years, or the hedgling
may start on his account, and
Professor So.and. 30 falls back on his
r~eserve stocks of sons who to TIRE
public lev grow any older. AL
though mosJ likely accustomed to ex.
hibit la ons1lne of performance only
the boy will by this time have learned
many other feats for himself, through
being constantly brought into contact
with other specialists and having
opportunities of using their apparatus
on his travels; In after life, therefore
he may adopt an entirely diferen'
branch from that in which he wa
educated, according to the demands o
the market. Once thorough,
grounded In the alphabet of his busi
ness-the forward long-swlngs, back
ward-long-sWings, and houghs-off o
the gymnast, aud the lions leap, flip,