The Evening critic., 1884-06-21
THE TRUTH oF 1T.
An Interesting Review OF Miss
Hursts Performances.

TO Ne Eaitor Of 76e EeeHiHg Crt,ie;
Concerning the Lula Hurst business,
woul respectfully advise those persons who
are mystined In the least With her perform
ances to HE them away to some secluded nook
and concentrate their bewlldored energies
upon the perusal Of the common principles OF
natural philosophy, supplemented with Wig
orous diet Of catfish.
Not the first demonstration OF anything out.
sideof a, perhaps, unusual development OF
muscle superinduced by working the dssher
OF tel-galon churn In the mountain fast
nesses OF her country home.
A welldevoioped woman, Weighing 100
pounds, can exert considerable force, es-
pecially where every possible advantage ls
taken OK well-known principles OF philosophy
in its accomplishment. Persons travelling
through the country advertising TO do mirscu-
lous and unexplainable things, II detected,tne
people should be notified aud the glarlng
fraud exposed. Not speaking as novice, pat
as one VINO has been under the umbrella had
hold OF the stick, and sat upon the stage during
whole evening'eperformance,h have no hesl'
tnttOn In saying that each and every tftcN per-
formed by her that evening ie directly attrlbu-
table to the single cause-natural philosophy.
In corroboration OF this statementa number
OF gentlemen on the stage requested the privi-
lege OF changing parts with Miss Hurst but
for come frivolous excuse on the part OF her
father or manager were Invariably denied tho
opportunity.
beginning with the umbrella truck, you are
requested not TO touch the umbrella while the
Wonder grasps the extreme lower end OF the
handle with one hand, and holds tne extreme 9
muscle at the base OF the thumb and the nesny
portion OF the hand ncar the wrfst-such a
position as one naturally puts the hand In en-
deavoripg to hold q handful OF water-With the
fingers extended ostensibly TO have 1t appear
as though the hand simply rested geptiy
against i, then you are TO catch your mold c2u, M
hands OF the performers, which Is tho worst
possible hold for one 10 steady the UMBRELLA.
Go out In strong wind with an umbrella up
raised and see II one hand does not naturally
grasp the lower end, white the other seeks tue
extreme upper end, precisely the posi-
tion OF Miss Hurst's hands during the perform
ance OF the trick, and try to steady II.
Trick No. 2-Consists ofth operator placing
her hand In the centre OF stick which gen.
tlemau is requested to hold steady at arms
lenpth-a thing impossible In itself-while she
vibrates her 150 pounds avolrdupois thereon
Note the llneof gravitation In the performers
body while performing this trick. l should
prefer to have my n9gers naaer ner & iSe, hnia yan
weight is thrown philosophically forward
upon the'centre OF the stick.
Trick No. 3-The Wonder holds billiard
cue, while two gentlemen try TO force IL to the
foor-note the knack OF holding the cue, aud
that 1t is the point OF tho cue that is 70 be
forced down, whyf @ Notice the , eomPoanc ,poa n
gravitation OF tho performers body while
executing this trick, and also the disadyan
tageous positions the men are obliged to as
sumo In their endeavors TO force II down, one
| of the gentlemen on the stage, between th'
acts, took the cue In the same grlp, aud all th'
men who could got hold OF It were unable Z
| put II down. i venture TO say tina, there are
| great number OF women In tho city VINO coui(
resist the efforts OF three men in the SAM
| trick.
| Trick No. 1.-Two men try to hold a chail
| steady while Miss Hurst simply lays her hand
| on the same-see where the chair Is, up 3
| high that the back touches their chins, one o.
| tho worst possible positions for II mau to OK
ert his strength, being the dead centre o
| muscular effort ON their part-they are not al
| lowed TO choose the best positions even ut thai
but are told that such positions would Inter
| fere with her power. And, conndentlaily, tina
| gentle touch on the chair, TX an almond nu
| were placed between her hands and the chair
| would wilt like cream pun In the mouth OF
| Trick No. D. All, here Is the conyincin
| clincher, In the opinion OF Papa Hurst. A ma
| is invited TO sit In u chair while the lpondeTu
| raises him clear on the iloor with simpl
l. placing the palms of her hands against tn
| sides OF chair. chair OF the very wides
| legs is used for this trick, simply Tor the roc
| son that the operators rosined hands VII
| cling TO IL much better than round-legge'
| one.
Can any person who Witnessed any OF thes
| performances truthfully say that no saw he
| lift anybody clear OFF the iloor.
| A large man is usually selected for this pui
| pose. Why, did you ever stop to think that
| big man weighs more In front than he does a
| the back-philosophy again. Concentrate YOU
Gculars upon the line OF grayltatlon as Wonde
| leans forward over the back OF the chair 10 Sc
| cure good hold. Tho occupant OF the chai
must also lean forward to nccommodate tn
| position OF the performer. What IL the result
Where Is the line OF gravitation now? Is
not near the front legs OF the chair? Now sh
forces the chair ahead or over To one sld'
The occupant, in order TO prevent tippln
over forward or sideways, stretches out HI
legs TO save himself; when at least two third
OF his weight Is on the floor the chair Is lifteC
The same thing was accomplished by gon
tleman behind the scenes between tho act
without the use of roein.
| would submit, In conclusion, tho above a
the result of careful observation while on tn
stage during whole evenings entortainm sn
Professor Newcomb's opinion, as published |
the star, setting forth failure on the part
Miss Hurst to perform anything beyond tha
Of unusual physical strength at private pc
formance before sclentinc men, is satisfactor
proof TO me, In connection with my own pc
sopal observation, that the whole bustnes
from beginning 10 end, is only another or th
modern contrivances TO proy upon the shek'
pocket ana superstitione OF trail, unsophi
ticated humanity. 1 would also add that u
above statement received the coucurrenqeof
number Of those who occupied poeiti2yb q
the stnge on the same 4cSysion. .oss