Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-31
A Tixht-rope Walkers Talk.
THE FAMOUS BLoNDM TELLS OF HIS HxPI1IENt
AND SENSATIONS IN MD AIR.


AND SENSATIONS IN MD AIR.
Blondin, the veteran rope-walker, has an in
teresting paper in Lippincott's Magazine upon
his experiences. He says that . rope-walker,
like q poet, is born not made. He began 10
toddle along a rope when only four years old,
and in his eighth year gave an exhibition on
the tight-rope before the king at Turin The
usual system Of teaching is to make the pupil
walk along narrow board the width Of which
Is daily decreased until it is barely thicker than
an ordinary rope. Posturing and the assump-
ton OF graceful attitudes are taught in this
manner, and finally the pupil is introduced to
the rope itself. He continues: '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-uuarters in di-
ameter. 1t is several hundred yards in length,
and the cost may be $500. The rope is cooled
from either end on two large windlasses, and
when supported by two high poles the wind
lasses are turned until the rope is stretched
perfectly taut. 1t takes me, as a rule several
days to adjust this simple apparatus to perfec-
non-a fact which caused me to abandon my
performances at Staten Island, where it was
necessary to remove the rope after each ex-
hibition. At the top of each pole is a small
platform, Tor the purpose Of resting, and on
one OF these platforms I usually place q
temporary dressing-room, where 1 can make
necessary changes in my attire. may mention
pear Is OF great weight and exquisite workman.
ship, the gauntlets having once belonged to
the celebrated tenor, Mario. As a rule, nv
other costumes are of the least possible weight
while the shoes are an ordinary pair of fine
leather ones, with soft soles. 1t is, think, a
popular error to suppose that a rope-walker's
feet are exceptionally large or muscular Mine
am told, are rather below than above the or.
binary size.
The balancing-pole, I suppose, fairly comes
within the classification of apparatus In my
own case 1t is made of ash, is about 26 feet
long, and weighs some 40 or 50 pounds. It i,
made In three pieces, so as to be easily taker
apart and to occupy but little space when l am
travelling.
He declares that he is never nervous whe1
walking on the rope, and adds when walk
ing look some 18 or 20 feet ahead of me- and
whistle softly or hum a snatch of song, as the
humor may seize me. l also invariably keer
time in my step to the music the band is plav.
ing, and l find that helps me wonderfully IN
preserving my balance. With my own weight
and that Of the balancing pole, there must be
about 23O pounds bearing on the rope which
naturally gives considerably, this sagging beine
one OF the chief difficulties we have to en-
counter in keeping our balance. prefer tc
perform in the open air; for in hall or thea.
ter, even of the largest dimensions. the vitiateG
air found at the elevation at which my rope il
| always stretched is most unpleasant to breathe
Nowadays l never practice, and even nv
most difficult tricks-such as turning a somer.
sault over chair placed in the middle of the
rope and landing with my feet on the Other
side OF lt-are usually performed without pre-.
meditation, just as the within seizes me. fhi.
enables me without effort to vary my program.
at every performance, and prevents them from
becoming monotonous to me. could remain
a year, or even longer, without ever SETTING
foot on rope, and then go on and tread it al
safely as though had been in constant prac.
tlce. As an illustration of the slight amount
OF practice l require for a new trick, 1 NAV
mention my bicycle trick. Some years ago
when bicycles were somewhat of a novelty. il
struck me that could utilize one in nv DER.
formance, and accordingly had one constructed
according to my directions, with a groove in
the wheels to fit the rope, but otherwise of or.
binary fashion. l ordered it to be sent to me
some time before the performance, SO that
could try it, but it came just as 1 was making
ready to appear. I was as pleased as a child
with new toy, and, mounting at once, 1 re-
hearsed successfully in view of a large audi
ence, who probably thought 1 had been prac.
ticing for months"
He never takes any stimulant before walking
the rope and avoids eating a heavy mea1
shortly before performance. He does moi
like net stretched below him, and he believe,
that would make him so nervous as to almos,
lead to the accident which it was intended tc
prevent.