The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-05-03
ACROBATS AND GYMNAsTs.

ACR0BATS AND GYMNASTS.
The practice of lofty tumbling with
out net is SO manifestly reprehensible
that il needs neither comment nor con-
demnation here; but it is curious fact
that many more accidents are recorded
Of ground-tumbling than of aerial gym
nastics. A member of the Hanlon-V Volta
troupe, who has been doing sensational
business all his life. told me that he
never met with mishap but once, and
that was in descending from bar only
his own height from the stage, when he
Sprained his knee rather severely And
it is Il significant circumstance, which
cannot be too strongly noted, that the
comparatively few accidents which have
happened to gymnasts have nearly all
occurred through defects in the life
saving apparatus, the net. When this
belongs to the performer, it is generally
spread under his own supervision, and
the strength of its texture and fasten-
ings carefully tested and renewed if re-
quired; but where the net is u stock
property of a place of entertainment, or,
worse still, is provided by an cntre-
PreReNr who, not performer himself,
farms the gymnast, and undertakes to
lind all the appliances, damaged ma
terial and insecure attachments are apt
TO be overlooked.
The descent into the net itself is said
10 be not altogether devoid of danger.
and an impression is current among
these people that to fall upon the side
OF the head will inevitably break the
nUl | stana l.. IL.
case has been known to bear out this
theory. Many gymnasts now dispense
with the rugs or carpets with which the
net IS commonly padded, on account of
their interfering with the view Of those
seated underneath, and come down upon
the naked meshes without injury. A
certain "Little Bob''--a fine youno
man now-who has been celebrated for
pre-eminently high dives ever since he
was very small boy, sometimes max
lnlg. headlong perpendicular descent of
elghty feet or so where the building is
lofty enough to permit of it, saws that
ne would have no objection to plunge
from height twice as great into a net.
of proper tension, and that he has never
suffered any Inconvenience from the
transit through the air or arrest of mo-
.ioh. lie comes down in slightly OBJ
isique direction, with the hands extended
Ior eiIect, after the fashion of diver:
When ne sees the net ''getting near"
lhe arms are withdrawn to the sides and
lhe head is tucked in on the chest. so
lhat he falls upon the shoulder-blades
ana rolls over In connection with this
part OF the subject, the elegant and
wonderful "dives' of Zazael at the
London Aquarium win doubtless be re-
membered by many readers.
Iour special commissioner being
ahhen I up to an exceedingly high and
uusty place to see some very ingenious
mechanism recently invented bya GYM
mast was induced by the enthusiastic
arguments, protestations, and twice
repeated example of that indiyid-
ual' to take the direct route 10
me lower regions-in plain words. 10
;uop from swinging bar into the cush-
,oneu net some fifty feet below. Fin
serS seemed to assume an iron grip. and
.he par to become magnetic, even after
e..1, sng fapeze had been brought to q stand
s.hi; ana the legs drawn up at right
ausles with the body in a Sitting pos
.uie' as directed. "Now then. Gor'
mas shouted more than once. before I
could unbend those hands which had
apparently acquired persistent rioidity
y =, ,nelr own; then the bar and roof with
n ,a peams and girders flew away from
III "ui ana tremendous repentance of the
~ NY l was committing rushed upon
e,a w'th Il distinct presentation OF
ossery detail Of every story had heard
VI people falling through nets impron-
.iY ilNed or badly mended. and n To-
Mliy independent calculation N tha
versaS ,5"l eiiect which the legs Of the in
in tieu tbo chairs ! had observed piled up
r,ad', !" W. area below the apparatus would
fvnuce fron upon the human frame falling
h., oni height; the whole accompanied
- q perception that | was gradually.
MIR gradually, inclining backwards.
ME-. opened a new vista of the Droba-
of ~ oi my demonstrating the truth
~ W sideways neck theory. | seemed
for suspended between earth and sky
reao,. a9oet week, and was always |
diucliea to the position, when | sud- |
son anu Unexpectedly found the Grim
mi i..resses billowing up about me
tbo iglng over my face. and woke TO
IapdnS I'e iaet that | had really fallen. / !
nv aiueu !, on my back, flat; but there was |
ns snock, nor, indeed. was / conscious
due ta ',lg w stopped; which perhaps was
NET y ~, sne elasticity and rebound of the |
which ne . only part Of the adventure I
the ',~ yas,; Mas disagreeable physically was |
cra,,I;. ,o II;aiklng, or rather stumbling and
tbe S,,ig' nm over the net to the ladder at
Sort or 'aftnest ~ nest end. a very quaky, sea-siek
tiee dn,.;.s ana gymnasts usually prac-
same etaLlng NJ the morning on the stage of
al go as.l .heater. Even when not working
" ApY new trick tha,, .I,,,os,, ,.,,,s:-