, 1888-05-15
TRAPEZR PERFORMERS.
SUPERSTITION AMONG THE LIMB AND
LIFE RiSKlNG CLASS.

LIFE RisKlNe CLASS.
A hit of Sentiment INDUCED In Just Be
fore the Performance-Danger Dreaded
Is More Than Half InvIted-Japanese
JuggIers-
The Vaidi sisters are two pretty English
girls who do some very good trapeze work.
One of them performs a dive. head fore
most, from the very top of the prosce-
mum arch. a dizzy height, into a net sus-
pended just above the heads of the spec
tators in the parquet. That is one of the
most thrillingly effective feats ever shown
here In public, but, in point Of fact, is
very little If any moro dangerous thar n
number of things that they do together
on the trapeze before that finale. So long
as the performer comes down into the net
there need be no fear. There is more
danger In the breaking of a tightly
strained guy wire at a critical moment,
by which the trapeze might DO violently
jerked out of place and the performer
thrown of, away outside of the net, to
fall upon the backs of the orchestra chairs
and be picked up a mass Of broken bones
and mangled flesh, perhaps dead. To
guard against this as far as possible the
greatest care is exercised in the stretch
ing Of the wire and rope guys, which is
all gone oVe and examined before each
performance. This, with the stretching
of the net, takes several minutes.
A BIT OF SENTIMENT.
While these things are being lone the
two sisters stand waiting in the first en-
trance, on the prompt" side of the stage,
with big cloaks draped about their scant-
lily clad forms, and their mother close be-
hind them When the signal is given
that all Is ready, the mother draws off
their cloaks. Then the two girls embrace
and kiss each others hands. After that
they dart out on the stage, and a moment
later they are up in the air riskng their
necks. If that little bit of sentimental
business were done In public, it would be
understood as a tawdry conceit for effect,
like many other things In which gym
nasts and acrobats indulge, with a view
to impressing the spectators. But it
is not. The embracing and kissing
are all done Sin the wings" where
it is only by accident that a person near
the footlights in the parquet on the oppo-
site side of the stage may perchance see
1t. The general disposition to ascribe to
superstition of some sort the motive i'm
pelling people to do somewhat unusual
things naturally suggests that as a reason
for the Vaidi girls demonstration. But
upon inquiry it is learned hat this is
prompted by simple affection, nothing
more. Each knows that it is well within
the range of possibilities that the slipping
of her hand, the failure by q hairs breadth
of the others grasp or q break of the ap-
paratus may cause her sisters plunge to
death. or that that fate may be her own,
within the next few minutes. With that
feeling In mind, the hand clasps, embraces
and kisses between the girls are simply a
tenderer demonstration of the impulse
that prompts comrades, when going into
battle, to shake hands silently. 1t may
DO for the last time, and they know it.
There is little superstition among the
limb and life venturing classes of public
performers. far less han exists among
people in the histrionic profession
Whether it is that the vigorous life of the
former develops a more healthful and con-
sequently sounder philosophy, or that
their training has drilled them into a
higher confidence In themselves and ap-
probation of tho possibilities of human
control over what weaker natures deem
fate and luck, need not be discussed here.
The fact Is enough for present considera-
ton OF course there are exceptions to
this, as to every other rule, but even
when they do occur they are not violent.
o,J aor,ono1l- Ia.ro ~, pro44ry.foIr ~
son back of the seeming superstition al,
legged Matte jackson. for instance, will
not ride in the circus ring on Good Fri
day. She avows a fear that some acct
lent will happen to her If she does, as one
did once upon a time when she broke the
rule. or perhaps before she made it. But
the fact is that she has a vague idea that
1t isn't right. And several other well
known riders have the same notion.
A DANGER DREADED.
1t indeed appears that the dread of hav-
ing a superstition is more rife among
circus people than any superstition is, for
the excellent reason that they know o
danger dreaded is more than half invited.
A man whose nerves are to the slightest
degree unstrung by expectancy of accident
is likely to realize his expectation when
attempting some feat that demands all the
strength, skill, GOODNESS and nerve that he
possesses. Very often a riders perform
ance is made timid and measurably in
effective simply by a groom's report te
him that his horse 'does not seem to b
feeling all right" There is no superstition
about that, but a consciousness that if the
horse Is not AL right" and up to good re-
membrance and observance of his training,
the breaking of his riders leg, or perhaps
his neck. may be the consequence.
1t may hardly be fair to classify as
superstitious the practice of carrying po-
tatoes or horse chestnuts In the pockets
as fetiches against rheumatism. If 1t is
30. hen there is a good deal of that sort
of superstition among show folk, but they
vehemently affirm that 1t Is prompted by
knowledge of the proved medicinal virtues
of these articles.
Japanese show people nave superstition
enough for not only their own share, but
for all the others. Each Of their troupes
of jugglers and acrobats includes In. its
membership one grave, earnest. bald
headed old heather supposedly accus.
toned to t~ussling with devils who would
foE. - A.. wu1-1r - Al. -1uf,z-.