Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-03
AGILE ACROBaTS.
How they Acquire suppleness of
Limb-A Life of Hardship.

HOW they Acquire suppieness OF
Limb-A Life of Hardship.
"There is little 10 tell YOU about contor-
tionists," said an ex.membeI OF that pro-
fession who was asked 10 furnish a chap
ter OF bis experience as performer to q
CHICAGO Newsreporter. ga good contor-
ZIONIST is paid about $25 week. 1t takes
him the greater parS of bis life to acquire
his skill; then, when he has all the points
in the business down tne, a few years
slip by and be is unable TO work. He be-
comes stiffened up, bis joints won't work
freely, and the performer is retired be-
cause he's worn out"
lis the work of contortionist so ex-
haustingT
"Oh, no. The work Is easy enough, but
it's the long preliminary training that
| kills. You see no one takes up the bust
ness OF performer as contortionist.
First he starts in as alum bier In the ring.
The younger he is the better, for when
the muscles are tender, training is easy.
Now, nine-tenths OF all the cOntortionists
in the country to. day commenced as mere
lads. They take part in brother acts
the big fellow, you know, gets a smaller
man than himself. holds him in the air.
aud the second man gets boy, and holds
him in the air from the top OF the big Eel
with that kind Of training the boy is
taught TO throw handsprIngs, somer-
saults, and pretty soon he becomes a
good tumbler.
"After awhile he gets too heavy to be
held up on the shoulders of another, so
he has to do the holding up hin self, and
another boy is obtained, and the first
youngster drifts into the second rank OF
performers. IL may be that his strength
n lnraa IN dor hn tn w fnh h,n
has been subjected, so that in few years
he is strong enough 10 hold up the other
Two, and in that case he is a leading per-
former. But it is a hard life Every dav
in the season he must perform in the
ring. He has to throw double somer-
sauits, leap over the backs Of horses.
and perform other feats which
soon break man up. All these
flying leaps are taken from a spring.
board. The performer runs down the
board for distance Of 90 or % leet a. fast
as he can till he strikes spring In the
plank, then he takes the leap. This is
the hardest work "A performer has to do.
The running and the leaping soon injure
his feet. His ankles are in danger OF
being spraiued, and II he hurts his knee
pan, which he may do at any time, he's
got to retire forever from that kind OF
work. But even should no accident be-
iCil MIN, IL . Oul5 VI lew 1edIS
when, with the best Of care, his feet and
ankles become stiff, they lose all the elias
tic spring, and your lumber must quit
and go into another line of business.
Two things are left for him to do. He
may become an object holder'-that is, n
man who stands on one side of the ring in
a circus and holds up paper hoop for the
performer on the horse to jump through.
You might think this Is an easy thing to
do. but it is not. Everything depends
on the keenness OF eye and the judy
ment OF the man who performs this
humble work. This hoop must be low
cred at precisely the right time, other
wise the act is not success. Only al
experienced ring performer can do
this properly, so your worn-out
tumbler either holds objects for
living, or he becomes what
you inquired about-a cOntortionist.
contortionist. as you we'll know, does all
his work on the ground. He is not re-
ouired to be particularly agile on bis feet.
His limbs and the muscles of bis body
must be elastic and timber, though-but
that is the physical condition of every
cumberland in a few weeks he learns to
90 through with mis- new performance.
He bends his body one way and the other,
to the surprise Of u great many who don't
know that IL has taken the IAN all his
life to acquire his art. Then when he is
fully master OF 1t he plays out. It's not
the business 1 would advise a lad to 60
intOV