Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-06-10

Il
he would have been dashed to pieces or
the rocks or tossed by the cataract int
the whirlpool below. No softer bed thar
the bosom of the Thames could have re
ceived the daring emulstor of Blondin''
bravery, and 80 many boats were plyiDs
about that there was little danger Of
drowning. Indeed, it is said that ont
noted gymnast always practiced his higf
aerial performances over large body O
water previous to appearing before hi
spectators in the theatre or circus.
A young English girl who attempted to
follow in Miss Young's illustrious foot
steps, choosing as the scene of her triumph
o place called Aston Park, in the environ
ments of Birmingham, fell from the rope
which was stretched ut dizzy height and
was killed.
Quite rs difficnlt feats as any on record
are accomplished by little dark-haired
German girl, only 81 years old, in Bar
NUNS circus. These consisted in stand
ing on one foot on q ladder extending
from the trapezs-bar to the pulley-rope
balancing on ball in the trspszs, sittins
in q chair poised on the bar, and, most
difficult of all and seldom appreciated by
her audience, in kneelipg On the trapess
bar without touching the ropes. The diff
ficulty in accomplishing this feat lies in
the shape and hard surface of the knee
joint, which offers no groove and yields tG
no pressure, but is round, unyielding and
treacherous. Another pretty act in the
same entertainment is that performed by
the Lawrence sisters and the sylph-hkt
little maiden whom they have taught tc
fly, and leap, and dive into their ont
stretched hands. This act was formerly
accomplished by the two Lawrence sisters
but the slighter sister having grown toe
heavy for the flying leaps, she performed
some simple, graceful trapeze map91vres
while the powerful, III q sh slender elder
sister catches the 1.-the little maiden who
swings 80 fsarlessly through the air.
There is q moment Of suspense as abe
poises herself for the spring, and no one
breathes after the peculiar penetrating
call ZIP" at which she frees her hands
from the bar and flies in pretty, graceful
curve over the net, until the resounGinl
clap announces that hands have clasped
hands and the danger is over. The ex'
quisite symmetry and grace of the elder
Lawrence woman, the pretty attitudes Of
the three scantily clothed and faultless
forms, the rhythmic grace Of their mo-
tiops, always in perfect accord with the
music, make this act popular and pleas
ing.
Another artist in the profession, Of
English birth and training, is the aerial
athlete Zszal, who is always smiling and al
her ease, whether jumping from the fourth
story of New York house into the fire.
mans net, or vaulting from the prosce-
mum arch of theatre 80 feet into the phi
below; whether tripping dsintily along
wire 80 feet from the floor with japanese
parasol over her head, or feeling her way
cautiously with pair of lunch baskets
on her feet, or when stuffed into the open
mouth of an iron cannon, with only the
top of her curly head In sight, to be fired
out with a roar 60 feet down into a net
she comes up beaming and serene, as fear
less as bird on the wing, and as calm a,
belle from her browning waltz.
Among men perhaps the most daring
gymnast of modern times was German
soldier, who performed various feats at thu
tip of the Strasburg Cathedral, 466 fee
abve the square. This tip has served as
base statue of the Virgin, and was q foo
and half in circumference, and at THU
altitude, where few could breathe and
none dared climb, he would stand on hi
head with his feet in the air, while the
people watched him through spyglasse'
from the square.
At the marriage of Queen Mary Hol
Iand:r performed unique acrobatic feat'
under the tower of st. Paui's, London
and in honor of the wedding OF Philip o
Spain to the English princess an acroba
slid down wire extending from the towel
of st. Paul's to the ground on bis stomach
without touching his hands. The man ii
reported to have died when he reached TIT
ground; bat another acrobat performed 8
similar feat on the access of Edward vi
with no apparent discomfort. Anothe
gymnast of renown was one ireland, WHIT
could leap over nine horses, the middle
one bearing Q soldier with uplifted sword
On one occasion he vaulted with a bount
over an swning-covered wagon.
The most noted trapeze performer of on
own times was Leotard, the originator O
the great flying trapeze act praciced wit
no safe guard, but at moderate elevation
in the Toulon gymnasium. But at hi
first production Of it in the Cirque Ma
poleon in Paris, he swupg his trspeze q
such height that if he had missed hi
clutch by but fraction of an inch b
would have fallen IS feet to the ground
Doubtless he would have put it sti
higher if the roof had not been in til
way. AS it was, the only way he had {
getting to his starting perch was by d.
scending q spiral staircase from lsnter
in the dome. A favorite trick of bis an
Victor Julien's was what is called III
drop-trick, in which one Of the perform
ers falls headlopg from the bar as il b
accident, and is caught by the foot of h
companion, who himself hangs by tt
feet from the trapeze. Leotsrd was kille
during one of his performances, and aft,
the fatal accident proprietors began to di
countenance The flying trapeze, and for
time the rising school of gymnasts WI
intended to transcend the feais of Ieotar
prac,iced on a fixed trapezs, single {
double, the horizontal bar, and hyin
ringa.
Hassan, the Arab, was a celebrate
gymnast, email dark. skinned wiry ma
in scarlet ftz, blue zouvave jacket, an
bsgay crimson trousers. His most Gel,
brated trick was vaulting over line I
mounted Dragons, turning somersaul
over their heads and drawn sabers.
Carl, another celebrity, walked on vii
on his hands from the gallery to the pls
form of theatre, his body poised in sue
way that the centre of CAVITY was d
rectly over the palm Of each hand as
rested on the wire. Lopgueman's specii
act was the ascent Of q rope from II
stage to the gallery. John Bellincke
sensational performance was on q fyin
rope stretched across the pit at an altitud
of 100 feet, and Blondin furnished u
climax with his rope walk across Ii
Niagara.
A comparison of noted gymnasts reveal
, clearly the fact that men are more DARN
, than women in this profession, and y,
owing TO the popularity Of women trape'
performers they are crowding men out ,
the best places. Contrary to all trad
. tions, women in this profession receive q
, most double the pay that mer receive an
, for far less daring. In the recent Mad
son Square season of Barnum's circus thel
, was only one man performing, and he ha
, wife whose popularity rather aided biz