The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-04
New York Tribune.l
Secrets of the Circus.

pTlStly nOuStdCue, u0 ulu Hoe ioon e'S SN,A
he had ever been woman--to all appearan-
ces-for several years.
SIS your name Mr.. LuluP' asked the re-
porter.
''No; just Lulu"
"Been in the show business all your life?''
"Since was boy, but my performances
have always been of special character
that of making flights through the air. For
years after my first appearance ! was girl.
why was l? Because it enhanced the
interest of the performance. A crowd at a
circus will eye woman with intense curios-
ity when they wouldn't think of looking at
a man, you know. When the spectators
saw me shoot up into the air to height of
forty feet or more, as quick as thought, with
out knowing how it was done, they were
filled with wonder and admiration. They
thought there must be something supernat-
ural about it,
Were you not suspected of not being
woman?"
"My sex was always matter of specula-
ton, but my appearance was in favor of the
theory that i was a woman; and no one
could assert that was not. When was
younger my face was of an essentially femi-
nine type. maintained nv disguise under
all circumstances; even my intimate ac-
quaintanees were deceived. My hair which
was very light, was allowed to grow long,
and was put up in curl papers every night;
as regularly as the locks of the most finical
maiden. My dresses were marvels of art,
and--if may say it, the envy of women.
received all sorts of attentions from men.
No fayorite equestrienne ever received more
notes or flowers Once / was asked to act
as bridesmaid at wedding, and as could
not refuse, l went through the ceremony,
blushing when it was proper and looking
demure and sorry just at the right moments.
But the greatest trial / ever had was in
fighting German baron who wanted TO
marry me. He attended my performances
night after night, sent me flowers and mes
sages and made use of every opportunity he
could to express his devotion. He followed
me from town to town, and it was with great
difficulty that / got rid of his attentions al
last"
"How was your perpendicular leap
made2
sBy means of mechanical DEVICE" re.
piled the gymnast, twirling his moustache
cit is necessary to have innovations in all
forms of amusement. The world grows
tired of old tricks. | stood in full view OF
the spectators on an iron plate about foot
in diameter, which was attached to spindle
running down through framework. The
spindle was thrown up distance of seven feet
above the stage by means of rubber springs
carrying the plate with it. The springs were
powerful enough to send my body through
the air like shot. Another set of rubber
springs jerked the spindle back as quickly
as it shot out, so that the motion both ways
was toe quick for sight. On reaching my
distance caught hold of the ropes"
us this performance daneerousW
Very. 1t was necessary TO pose my
body so it would be exactly in line with the
medium line of the spindle. Otherwise
would receive severe shock, be thrown in
the wrong direction and miss the ropes.
The least delay in releasing the spring after
the signal is given increases the danger.
ibid you ever meet with any serious ac-
cident when making this fifght?''
zone night at Dublin the. machine was
imperfect and the spring became released
before was ready, throwing me on my
head and shoulders in the orchestra circle.
There was a great uproar in the house.
When they carried me out they thought
was dead. This performance was so dan
gerous, in fact, that no other gymnast has
ever undertaken it?''
What sensations do you experiences?
81 feel as if the earth had suddenly fallen
from under me. But there is really no
time for thought. / am at the ropes in an
instant
How are you able to grasp the ropes?''
by instinct | can see nothing
what induced you to give up this perfor-
mancer'
81 grew too stout. One day my body was
almost telescoped by the shock. | then set
to work tie devise machine that would en-
able me to distribute the force over my
whole body. The result was the catapult,
after several months spent in making ex-
periments. This machine is very simple in
its construction. An iron plane about ff-
teen feet long is suspended on an axle at a
slight angle. Rubber springs are made to
act SO as to throw the plane forward sud-
denly into a position nearly perpendicular.
This movement throws my body, which is
lying at full length at the upper end of the
plane, so that / describe an arc and alight
in net about sixty feet from the machine.
My first performance on the catapult was
given three years ago at Blackpool, En-
gland"
'.Were you successful at first?"
81 was nearly killed two or three times,
although had experimental for months
with weights aud stuffed figures. could
not tell how far the machine would throw
me or in what position / would alight. The
first time 1 was thrown lost all sense of
what l was doing or where | was going.
was utterly helpless and came down into
the net on my head and face. My head was
so cut and bruised that my hair came out in
punches.
''How many turns do you make in de-
scribing the arc?"
Formerly made three; but triple
somersault is dangerous. You lose COM
mand of yourself after completing the sec
ond turn
is your course through the air the same
every time?'
''No; different calculation has to be
made for each flight. am not able to tell
how far am going until half the force of
the impulse is spent. Then the turns are
made so that / may come down on my
shoulders into the net"
''Have you ever used any other mechani-
cal device?'
sin London made the experiment of
using machine much the same as cata-
pult, but suspended in mid-air. The springs
were SO adjusted that the iron beam on
which I lay, when released, described al
most a semi-circle, so that when my body
left it l was underneath instead of on top
of it'
''What sort of line did your body de-
scribe in passing through the air?'
This machine threw me distance of
POO feet in almost straight line. My
movement was 80 straight and SO swift
that it was almost impossible for me to
turn my body even once. In fact, did
not recover consciousness until my force
was nearly spent. Besides, the impulse Of
the machine gave me such a severe shock
that the feat was attended with very great
danger. On this account l was forced to
abandon this performance after several
trials"
what is the principle OF the cannon
from which gymnasts are sometimes hurl-
ed?''
''The same principle is involved in this
machine as that used in making perpendi-
cular flight, the only difference being that
the body is sent in an oblique line upward,
instead of perpendicularly into the air. AS
the performer can get his position with
perfect safety, this feat is not attended with
much danger
GLOW is the spring released in this instru-
ment?"