The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-04
FEMALE GYMNASTs.
Extraordinary Feats of skill, Strength and
Endurance-How They Live.

Extraordinary Feats of skill, Strength and
Endurance-How They Live.
New YORK Herald.
The weaker sexl Yes, as a rule, but when they
get up their muscle and on their muscle one of
Ewes daughters is more than match for the
ordinary man-dude. Any one who has wit
messed the performance of professional female
athlete must marvel at the strength, skill and
endurance that woman is capable of. There
are on both sides of the Atlantic over one thou
sand women who earn their living as gymnasts.
and of these nearly 300 are found in America.
The number is large, but so is the country over
which the performers are scattered, and there
fore the New Yorker should not be astonished
and cry, Where are they alll" Only at one or
two variety theaters in the city are they to be
seen and at a big circus, such as Barnum's
which occasionally visits the town. California
and the Western cities their happy hunting
grounds These athletic ladies will tell you that
the Westerner is the most ardent admirer of
muscle and nerve, especially when displayed by
the softer SEX"
''It is mistake to suppose" said Mr. Todey
Hamilton, long connected with Barnum's show
that the way of the female gymnast is hard,
that girls only are in the profession, and that
they soon wear out like the pugilist, that they
are not fond of the business. Ask them"
If the reporter had been bachelor or young
man he might have been afraid of interviewing
muscular ladies' But he was neither single nor
young. Therefore he asked questions with great
hardihood. Contrary to what might be sup
posed these ladies have no special dietary for
feel like it; eat heartily, too, and of anything
that comes in the way. Ice-cream, beefsteaks
apples and oranges, potatoes in any style,
oysters in every style, peanuts and fish they can
and do relish just before or Immediately after
their work" as they call their performance.
And liquor9 On! No, thank YOU sir; we have to
keep level head for our business, and we know
full well that ''swelled" head with gentlemen
is the result of drinking wine, spirits or beer
Mile. Zoe is a trim built young woman weigh
ing 145 pounds, and like all her sisters, possess
es the bright eyes and springy step indicative OF
health. She has been eleven years in the pro-
tesslon, first as trapeze performer and now as
an artist on the mdair rings" A few years
ago she met with an accident in Western town,
and fractured her right knee through q fall from
the trapeze. Since then she has confined herself
to the mid air rings requiring the use of the
arms principally Next to what she calls the
shoulder dislocation trck'-that is, turning a
double somersault while holding the rings-herl
most difficult feat is swinging by the teeth And
yet she has not so far, had occasion for dent
lists services.
"But don't you feel timorous before perform
ing these feats and utter prayer for safetyp
asked the reporter.
''Oh never have any fear" said Mile. zoe sI
say my prayers both morning and night"
And trust to the strength of your armW
"And the strength of the rope" she answered,
(which sometimes fails. My first accident was
when was fifteen years old, when rope parted
and fell on some chairs, breaking two ribs.
My corset did not save me-"
And do you ladies wear corsetS while per-
formingW asked the reporter
'Oh, yes; we would not look good figure
without"
Every female gymnast by the way, is careful
of her appearance. They all hate matinees, be-
well as by an artificial light Mile Zoe is
native of Binghampton, N, Y, and began her
exercises when she was a schoolgirl She had
"vaulting ambition, and could take a fence
better than many school-boy.
The remuneration these performers receive
varies from 500 to 5000 week. The best of
them, and of course the few, can command the
latter sum. But it must be remembered that for
several months in the year they are idle. Many
also have to support mother or younger broth
ers and sisters The latter is the case with one
well-known gymnast, who is the niece of q
United States senator. Her father in his later
days was financially unfortunate, and, dying
poor left boy and girl to be provided for by
his eldest daughter. Her uncle told her she was
disgracing her family by becoming circus per-
former, but she did not regard it in the same
light. She said she was able to take care of
herself, the remuneration was good, and her
brother and sister had to be supported. They
have now grown up, but still she continues in
the profession because she has a liking for it
and it gives her independence
Nine Zarah is heavy weight brunette, whe
uOcS udIiiis ledbS VI UdlduCluS Oh The SWdylu&
trapeze. One of her Facts" is swift descent
on sloping wire while she holds by her teeth
But she particularly prides herself on ascending
a rope hand over hand, feat she defes any other
woman to initiate Not many men, and cer-
tainly very few women, have such a musculaf
arm capable of doing the hand over hand work.
She has been ten years in the profession, having
begun with Turin. She is married to Spaniard
named Ceballos and they have one boy, now
about ten years old. Nine Zarah is of Scottish
birth, her maiden name having been Zarah
Fergus and she came to this country when quite
child. Her husband trained her for about a
year. She is an excellent circus rider, but gave
up the practice because she could not keep q
horse of her own. With strange horses circus
riding is dangerous work. Nine. Zarah is quite
linguist speaking Spanish like native and
French quite fluently. she also converses in the
Malay tongue and in Hindostanee. She has been
all the world and received innumeratlo
presents.
Nine Zuilal is a small but wel-built woman
She is a high wire eyolutlonist," what Mr. Bar
mum, when gay yeung man, used to call
tight-rope dancer. She performs some wonder
full feats on the high wire, such as walking across
with her feet encascd In baskets, walking over
blindfolded and with sack over her; but her
most daring deed is riding across bicycle.
She was born in Sydney, Australia and was
trained by her husband, Mr. George Loyall
She has been in tho profession thirteen years,
has travelled considerably, and is proud of deco
rations from the Emperor of Brazil, the King
Of Siam and the Mikado of Japan. She has
plenty of nerve and is quite in love with her
''work." She has had one accident. Some
years ago, in Indiana her.balance pole broke and
she fell from the wire. After ten days, how
ever. she was again performing. She has ono
girl. nine years old, who is trick bicycle rider
mile. la Fevre" seen in an ordinary black
dress, looks little body not able to say 'boo tt
goose, but when in costume her development
of arm and limb is surprising, and her achieve
ments on the zenith floating ring remarkable.
She is a Californian, widow and
the mother of q fourteen yearold girl.
Mile. la Fevre was so unfortunate three
years ago, in indianapolis, as to fall with
trapeze Her great trick is the rapid descent Of
a rope, face downward holding only by one leg.
Like all female gymnasts she is she says, al
ways obliyiouS of her audiences. All these per-
formers are obliged to concentrate their Whole
attention upon their work, and applause or dis
approval is quite lost upon them for the TINA