Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-12-19
WALKING THE ROPE.
Blondin Writes About Himself and
His Risky Profession.
The Apparatus Used by the Famous Rope
Walker-How He Feels While Perform.
ing His Tricks-Sensations OF
Raw Assistants.

From Blondln's paper in Lippincotts Md0a-
zins it can be learned that a rope-walker is
like poet, born ana not made. myself,
he says, began to toddle along a rope when
was only four years old, and in my eighth
year gave special exhibition on the high
rope before the King at Turin. 1t is a usual
thing, no doubt, for the apprentices IN a
circus to be taught rope-walking among
their other lessons, but only few of them
ever get beyond the rudiments of the art
The usual system of teaching is to make the
pupil walk along a narrow board the width
of which is daily decreased until it is barely
thicker than an ordinary rope. Posturing
and the assumption of graceful attitudes
are taught IN this manner and finally the
pupil is introduced to the rope itself.
The apparatus which a leading rope
walker uses appears in the public eyes to be
simple enough, but In reality it has to be
constructed and arranged with the greatest
of care. The rope generally use is formed
with a flexible core of steel wire, covered
with the best Manila hemp, and is about an
inch and three-quarters in diameter. 1t is
several hundred yards in length, and the
cost may be $500. The rope is coiled
from either end on two large wind
lasses, and when supported by two
high poles the windlasses are turned until
viz AOPO 10 tACbShC0 pSAlSCbly C1uO. ~
takes me, as a rule, several days to adjust
this simple apparatus to perfection-a fact
which caused me 10 abandon my perform
ances at Staten Island, where it was neces-
sary to remove the rope after each exhibit
tion AT the top of each pole is small plat
form, for the purpose of resting; and on
one of these platforms / usually place tenn
porary dressing room, where l can make
necessary changes in my attire. l may
mention here that the suit of armor In
which first appear Is of great weight and
exquisite workmanship, the gauntlets hav-
ing once belonged to the celebrated tenor,
Mario AS a rule, my other costumes are of
the least possible weight, while the shoes
are ordinary pair of fine leather ones,
with soft sOles. 1t is, l think, popular
error to suppose that a rope-walker's feet
are exceptionally large or muscular Mine,
l am told, are rather below than above the
ordinary size.
The balancing-pole, suppose, fairy comes
within the classification of apparatus. In
my own case it is made of ash is about
twenty-six feet long, and weighs some forty
or fifty pounds. 1t is made in three pieces,
so as to be easily taken apart and to occupy
! but little space when l am travelling. Nat
urally, my journeys into every quarter of
the civilized world have taught me to re-
duce my baggage to the smallest possible
dimensions; but, as it is, l am forced to
carry great deal, and when l visited Aus
1 traha years ago l remember carried over
| sixty tons of baggage with me.
] am often asked as to my sensations when
walking the rope; but if by that is meant
whether l feel fear or nervousness, must
answer decidedly in the negative. When
! walking l look some eighteen or twenty feet
ahead of me, aud whistle softly or hum a
snatch OF a song, as the humor may seize
me. l also invariably keep time in my step
/ to the music the band is playing, and 1
| find that helps me wonderfully in preserv-
Hng my balance. With my own weight and
that of the balancing pole, there must be
about 230 pounds bearing on the rope, which
naturally gives considerably, this sagging
| being one of the chief difficulties we have
TO encounter in keeping our balance. /
prefer TO perform in the open air; for IN a
hall or theater, even of the largest dimen-
slons, the vitiated air found at the elevation
at which my rope is always stretched is
most unpleasant to breathe.
Nowadays l never practice, and even my
most difficult tricks, such as turning SON.
| ersault over a chair placed in the middle OF
the rope and landing with my feet on the
other side of it, are usually performed with
out premeditation, just as the whim SEXES
me. This enables me without effort
TO vary my programmes at every per-
formance, and prevents them from
| becoming mouotonous to me. / could
| remain year, or even longer, without
ever setting foot on rope and then go on
and tread 1t as safely as though had been
in constant practice AS an illustration of
the slight amount of practce require for
new trick, may mention my bicycle act.
Some years ago, when bicycles We're some
| - IL,
utilize one in my performance, and accord
| ingly had one constructed according to my
directions, with groove in the wheels to fit
the rope, but otherwise of ordinary fashion.
ordered it TO be sent to me some time be-
fore the performance, SO that could try it,
but it came just as i was making ready to
appear. was as pleased as child with a
new toy, and, mounting it at once, / re-
hearsed successfully in view of large
audience, who probably thought had been
practicing for months,
never take any stimulant before walk
ing the rope, and take no special pains to
keep myself in good condition. My attend
ant rubs me down carefully when nv
journey is ended, and then / take some
light refreshment, Otherwise ! only live
piainiy and regularly, merely avoiding eat
ing a heavy meal shortly before perform
ance. Finally, l may say that prefer ex-
hibitmg without net stretched below me.
l think 1t would make me so nervous as al
most to lead to the accident against which
it IS intended as safeguard.
If / myself do not feel nervous, am
afraid the many persons have carried on
my back across the rope haze ielt u trihe
peHturbed, save when they have been pro
fessional assistants. In reality there is
nothing in the world for them TO be afraid
of All they have to do is to sit perfectly
still, refrain from cutchinG me toe tightly
: around the neck, and leave the rest TO me
When ] am carrying any one over for the
first time, / chat TO him continuously on
any different subjects 1 can think about
and try in this manner TO relieve his
anxiety. and / always caution him agains,
looking downward when IN mid air. Some
how, though, he never seems quite happy
and always detect gasp of relief when
the end of the rope and the platform are
reached. More than once the Etotim mas
deEoutiy exclaimed: tsNever again -