The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-10-18
DARE DEVIL DEEDS.
Professions That xiii Seeking Fame
aud Facing Death.
perllous Feais and How They are
Performed.
Frlghtfui Flights Through IIid'Air

In this age If reckless venture few things
appear surprising, aud II isonly when some
luckless hero meets with sndden and ten
rible death in pursuit OF that Glittering
bubble, fame. that the public attention II
arrested or curiosity excited, yet the writer
recently witnessed o series OF periious per
formances, which In their im minent danger
called for that high order OF courage and
self-reliance so often chronicled IN the MS
tories OF Roman heroes and batile-scared
veterans. Seated In the great pavilion OF
w. w. Coles colossal ciicus continues the
narrator, somewhat bewildered by the
deafening applause bestowed upon an ar
list who was retiring from the ring, was
startled TO see little girl of not more than
70 or IA years leap into the arena and rap
IDLY ascend to platform suspended to the
dome oil the canvas, full sixty feet from the
ground. A pause followed aud the direc'
tor announced "Mdli. Anne, the human
ay. y and such, indeed, the reckless child
seemed to be, for she immedal ely seized d
small trapeze and gracefully threw her eli
into the air underneath the swinging cell
ing, with her head downward and the soles
OF her shoes fatty on the smoothly polished
platform above. A few quick steps or
treads were taken and TO the amaz'ment
of every beholder the little performer let
golden hair floating in the slight breeze
she waved her arms gracefully beneath her
head and started across the long inverted
bridge with hy-like footsteps. Every step
was timid with the nicely OF the pendulum,
and to this fact is attributed the secret OF
success which makes this perilous perform
ance possible, vet the nerve or steel
required to compound every more OF the
| body under such circumstances is more
10 40
which caused the late Captain Webb to
| lose his lite in the whirlpool OF Niagara.
Another blood-curiipg act which took
place during the exhibition was that OF
riding BIZ yc!e along single strand o.
wire which bad been stretched from end to
end of the great canvas. In ms ACT as
those preceding it, there was manifest the
same reck less. death-deIying apIrit 10 the
bicycle WAS attached trspfze-bar, upon
which MAZE and tema'e gy mnast executed
some very ,hriliIg eyolutious, whiie the
two.wbes!sd chariot WAS bsing guided
along the narrow pathway 1t would
seem that even this bold venture
wa, quite enough to tax the temerity OF the
most needless performer. Bat the spt cts,
tators were awe.s ricfcn whfn the aerlal
bicycle rider poised his steeiy steed upon
the trail wire and placing his head upon
the saddle st,od ss straight as an arrow.
with bis feet pointing heavsnward. And
thus. indeed. did sensation upon sensa-
tion's head accumulate until 1t appeared
that the verge OF all human daring bad
been reached 1t hardly seems possible
that such desperate chances would be taken
for profit alone. There must be an uD-
gnyernable desire for public applause and
world. wide fame 10 SOUR one 10 such deeds
for the amusement OF The people. But so
long As the public demand the hazard OF
a lie 10 move It's pulse d please its
eye, it ia olte probab that Cole or
some one eise will find performers ready to
CRAFTY the public taste. Among the many
other striking performances which saw al
this great show. says the narrator was
troupe of real BedOuin Arabs whose antics
have never, heretofore, been witnessed ID
the western hemisphere. There were twelve
male and two female performers, in the
band. The men were as agile 8s tigers,
and with their peculiar leaping, whirling,
tumbling and marvellous feats OF strength
in building high pyramids, they Kept the
large au Hence in constant state OF
surprise, but | must say that 1t was here,
tba: saw the first successful attempt at
snake charming or serpent performing,
so o2en advertised by travelling circuses
At cry from the sheik, a female came
bounding into the ring followed by Two
stalwart Arabs bearing large willow has
ket, which they placed upon the ground
and from it took several enormous sepepts
which they handed TO the snake chsrmer,
who wound the writing monster. around
her body neck and arms, aud danced
around lie ring in great glee. During the
performance all the Arabs remained seated
on the ground ia circle at the outer edge
of the circus ring but their constant chat
ter, cheers and swsying movements OF their
b luies made most picturesque and sen
sational scene. Saturday, October 20th, is
the day set Tor these wonderful perform
ances in Dallas.