Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-26

A Chat with Melville, the Champion Of
the Arena.

4 Chat with Melville, the Champion Of
the Arena.
Chicago Herald interview.
There's horse that knows as much as
man. Just look into his face, will youl"
1t was one hot afternoon at the circus the
past week. The big tent was swaying lazily in
the breeze, and the hum of 20, 900 voices came
through the curtain into the dressing-room
where stood Frank Melville. the famous bare
back rider with his hand on his gray horses
neck. He was dressed in pink silk tights, and
carried In his hands riding whip, with which
he switched the sawdust on the ground
Around HIM were hundred trappings of the
hippodrOme. The Shetland ponies, gayly sad.
died and bridled, stood sleepily waiting for
their race. The woman who gldes down a
rope while holding on by her teeth was trying
her muscle on one of the chains that supported
the sides of the tent, and two acrobatic artists
one trapeze actor and the other performer
on the slack rope, stood critically watching her
movements Ali were resplendent In spangles
and silk. she in tights of a delicate blue. and
they in tights of orange and black and lavender
Yes SIR" said Melville. as he took his horses
face in his hands. The knows as much as a man.
See how steady his eye is and how perfectly
sober his expression. This is what we call
cOld-bloOded horse a cross between some of our
American breeds. They're the best animals in
the world for our business. You can teach them
duSINiuS SuOTG VI ldlklllS, ana LDey never GIT
nervous or excited. Why, this fellow Eaows
when I'm feeling well the minute I light on his
back. Ii I'm in good condition he tends right
straight to his own business. but it I'm little
under the average he favOrs me in every posi-
BILE way. If make somersaut a little out of
true he'll sway around just little so as to catch
me when / come down. and then carry me along
as gently as a cradle"
Just then the music struck up more spirited
air and the horse turned his gray face know
tnf f<1ry
to the auditorium.
See how composed he is" said the rider
smiling at the action. "He know it's our turn
next. He's just as different as can be from that
little white mare over there. l take her for my
second act. She's thoroughbred, and thor
oughbred horses are always nervous. But here
we go: must bid you goodbye. Wait till l
come back.
The gray horse arched his neck as his masters
private groom took him by the brldle The
curtain parted; there was glimpse of 10000
faces through the opening; the band played
even more wildly than before, and the gray
horse. followed by his wOrld-famed rider,
dashed away into the ring amid a roar of APP
plause.
But at last the act was over. Mr. Melville
had turned several back somersaults and per:
formed a variety of prouettes in mid-air, had
leaped from the ground to his horses back with
out turning hair, and all the time the band
was blaring itself hoarse, the ring-master's whip
w
off spontaneous bursts of applause that swelled
up loudly and then died away like waves on the
strand. AS his horse dashed back into the
dressing-rOom he followed slowly in the heavy
shoes that circus people wear to save their SAN
dals. and retired to his dressing-room a little
tired and perspiring.
well, that ends my work" said he, "until
O'Clock this evening. Fifteen minutes in the
afternoon and fifteen more in the evening
that's my days work. But it took me seven
taOn fn l0or md np'k hale =
yet 1t may look easy. but 1t isn't learned in
minute, let me assure you of that"
us 1t very hard to learn?" asked the reporter.
Yes, very; and some people can never learn
ever you may call it, Now, there's my brother
GeOrge-there he goes again out into the ring
he's capital rider as far as the mere riding
goes, but he has not the build, or the presence.
If you choose to call it SO, that is necessary for
a man to have if he is going to be great in the
business. George is more on the comic order.
Just watch that gait of his. There. there; look
at that strut. Isn't that capital? He's one of
the very best clowns in the circus business,
think"
The brother George, concerning whom these
comments were passed, was Just then fleeing
before the ringmaster's lash. He was dressed
in black, with white over-gaiters, white gloves,
and red wig. He was pigeOn-tOed and knock
kneed. and altogether disjointed and the audi
ence laughed at his antics immOderately.
II,
ing to the bareback rider again. did you ever
get into this business!"
'Get into? Why, man. didn't get into It, l
was born in it. My father was one of the best
riders of his day. My mother was rider. too,
and my mothers mother was in the show busi-
ness long years ago in Australia. in the DAYS
when every circus had its afterpiece or play l
was cripple in my boyhood We lived for
time in Chilli, South America, after leaving
Australia. There they have sort of iron bas-
n Wh in no fnr IF
the room to warm It, One day, when quite
young, fell backward into one of these baskets,
and the result was severe burn. from which
my spine was affected SO that was quite drawn
out OF shape. My chin was drawn on to my
breast in an unnatural way, and, on the
suggestion of friend. my father thought
to cure me by teaching me to perform. l began
when about ten years DID, and 1t was two years
after before appeared in public. 1 went
through the regular course of training, the first
part of which is to learn to dance and tumble.
1t is absolutely necessary for a bareback rider
to be good dancer and good tumbler. First
OF all, though, the most important thing to learn
is to strike on ones feet. 1t doesn't matter
which side up man is, if he can only touch his
toes he's all right
'Well, isn't there great danger of some times
falling under the horses?"
Not as much danger in that as there
looks to be. particularly if your horse has
common sense. The greatest danger Is
when there are a number of horses. But
even then, many time in fact, when have
been riding four horses. 1 have fallen under
their heels and been all mixed up beneath them
so that everybody thought must be killed, and
then came out without scratch on my body
The trick consists in simply rolling right up in
ball, and If the horses well trained they will
not step on the rider, but simply knock against
him until he rolls out to one side and gets on
his feet again.
Effect Of the NiEht Air
The Westminster Reoie,o quotes from Miss
Nightingale some very sensible remarks on the
subject Of night air. Her accomplishments as a
scholar and her experience as nurse give
great weight to her views on this important