The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-04
TRAPEZE PERFORM RS.
SUPERSTITION AMONG THE LIMB AND
LIFE RlSKlNG GLASS.


Jug.lef-.
The vaidi sisters are two pretty English
girls who do some very good trapeze work
one of them performs dive. head fore
most. from tie very top of the prosce
mum arch. dizzy height. into net sus
pended lust above the heads OF the spec
,ators in the parquet That IS one OF the
most thrilllngly effective feats ever shown
here IN public. but. in point OF TACT Is
very little If any more dangerous than a
number OF things that they do together
on the trapczc before that finale - long
a. 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 trapezc might be violently
icrked ont Of place and the performer
thrown OF. away outside of the net, to
fall upon the backs Of the orchestra chairs
aud be- picked up mass Of broken bones
and maneled 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 over and examined before each
performance This. with the stretching
OF the net, takes several minutes.
A BIr OF SENTIMENT.
While these things are being done the
two sisters stand waiting in the first en-.
trance, on the prompt" side of the stage
with big cloaks draped about their scant-
ilv clad forms, and their mother close be.
hind them When the signal is given
that all is ready. the mother draws OIL
their cloaks Then the two girls embrace
and kiss each others hands After that
they dart out ON the stage, aud moment
later they are up I'm the air risking their
nccks If that little bit of sentimental
business were done in public, it would be
understood as tawdry conceit for effect,
l.ar many other things in which gym
na,fs and acrobats indulge with view
to imprcssng the spectators But It
is not The embracing and kissing
mr., all done in the wings, where
u is only by accident that a person near
the footlghts in the parquet on the oppo
site side of the stage may pcrchance see
T. The general disposition 10 ascribe to
superstiiion OF some sort the motive i'm
pellng people TO do somewhat unusual
Things naturally suggests that ~ reason
for the Vaidi girls demonstration But
upon inquiry il IS learned that 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 hairs breadth
Of thc others grasp or break OF the ap
paratus may cause her sisters plunge &c
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
fpnderer demonstration OF the impulse
that prompts comrades. when going into
battle TO shake hands silently 1t may
be- for the last time. and they know 1t.
There IS little superstition among the
limb and life yenturing classes Of public
performers far less than exists among
people IN the histrionic profession
Whether Ii Is that the vigorous life Of the
former develops n more healthful and con
sequently sounder philosophy or that
their training has drilled them into
HIGHER confidence in themselves and ap
probation Of the 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.
aud generally have some pretty fair rea-
son back Of the seeming superstition al
lered Matte Jackson, for instance, Will
not ride in the circus ring on Good FRI
dav She avows fear that some acct
dent sill happen to her if she does as one
did once upon time when she broke the
rule. or perhaps before she made 1t. Bat
the fact is that she has a vague idea that
it isn't right And several other well
known riders have the same notion.
DANGER DREADED
It indeed appears that the dread Of hay
ing n superstition Is more rife among
circus people than any superstition IS, Tor
the excellent reason that they know
danger dreaded is more than half invited
A man whose nerves are 10 the slightest
degree unstrung by expectancy OF accident
f. likely to realize his expectation when
attempting some feat that demands all the
strength. skill, coolness and nerve that he
possesses Very often riders perform
ance is made timd and measurabIy in
eIectiye simply by grooms report TO
linn that his horse does not seem to be
feeling all right There is no superstition
ubout that. but consciousness that II the
horse is not all 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
It may hardly be fair to classify as
superstitious the practice of carrying pc
tatocs or horse chestnuts in the pockets
a. fetiches against rheumatism II 1t Is
So then there is good deal of that sort
Of superstition among show folk. but they
vehemently affirm that it is prompted by
knowledge Of the proved medicinal virtues
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