Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-07-17
A NOV i'll CHALLENGE.
6LONDlN INVITED ToATEST OF ROPE
WALKING

BY Retired Woman Performer of SO
Years The Challenger 65-The Stakes
To BE ~, 900 or $40, 000-A Rash Leap
from Bridge in Philadelphia Eighty
Feet High for Four Dollars.
New YORK, July l1r-The following inter
eSting challenge was Issued Sunday night:
a challenge TO Blondin, the tight rope
walker, for s. on a side in paper to-day. | have
not been before the public for nearly eleven years.
having made money enough from my business 10
live comfortably for my lifetime; but having seen
so much talk IN the newspapers lately l would
like To wager 5000 or $1,000 that can do more
tricks on the tighr-rOpe than Blnndin or his chal-
leugrrS. Ii anybody accepting the challenge viii
put up deposit nj the offc, Of The New York
Clipper will cover it Immediately, the match to
come III in four weeks AFR signing contracts.
This is open TO the world lady or gentleman.
Nour1 truly. MABIETTA ZANFRET11.
Ianiretti is name that viii recall pleasant
memories in the minds of all old show goers.
For more than twenty five years Zaniretu
was known as a tight-rope performer. whose
beauty, skill, and daring attracted attention
throug hout America and Eurup,. A reporter
called upon her yesterday nj the house, where
she is known as Mrs Siegrist. She is a slight
woman of dark complexion, brilliant eyes,
and coal black wavy hair. Il anu in earnest
about this challenge she said, though |
fear Blundin will not dare to accept it. He
knows too well what | can do, and that |
can b at him. do not pretend that | can
do all that | used TO- for was born 50 years
and months ago, but know that | can still
astonish people My father and most of my
family We're public performers, most of them
acrohats My brother, Alexander Zantrett,
was circus clown who made a great sue
cess, and my youngest sister is Marie Va
| noni, now the wife of Albertini the London
composer We were all in Paris forty years
| ago, where my father, after getting too old TO
| perform at his best as an acrobat, received
| a government pension for posing 10 artists as
| a model From this it came about that |
| served as a model sometimes, though not
! often, for had already begun TO make good
| money for tight rope walking. The Rayrls
| brought me 10 America thirty four years
| ago. have performed everywhere On this
| continent and in Europe, and when | re
| tired ten years, ago, after season IN
! Havana | was very rich | have money
| enough now | have three boys, the Segrist
| brothers, who are now travelling AS aCr0bats
with Forepaugh Forepangh wanted me To
| Join his company last season, but declined
am an old woman, and two performances a
| dav is more than | care to undertake Be
sides the boy, have other children and
| want To leave them something as well a,
have a good time, good food and comfort
| while ! live. l1leneSs makaS one law. YOU
know, and like nv ease very much Rni
last winter prarIIcei a great deal on wire
strung IN the hail below. and | got on as
toni,hHgly- ! am still very active AMI q
few weeks viii put me IN condition Blondr
Is ~. isut lie Well be is man. and that
makes him about rs oli a ! am aud 1t would
he fair wager III like - make $1,000 out
of him