Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-10-17
A CHAT WITH BLONDIN.
He Cares Now More for Money Than
for Glory.

''If zey would pay me L would cross
Niagara again, but for re gloire, leu a
asset"
OF course only one man in the world
could have made that remark, and al
though IL is a distinction TO have done
what no other man Of woman born IL
all the ages has ever done, Jean Fran
co.'s Blondin seems to have in a meas
ure survived himself. When in his in
trepid prime he walked the narrow
path of hemp above the mad swlrling
waters so diZZily far beneath him, both
the American and Canadian shores
were black with beholders who watch
ed him with bated breath. Now when
lie returns to America after decades
and exhibits the even more startling
nerve of tripping blithely on the tight
Iope with 90 years on his back, a sparse
gathering of COney Island visitors look
with languid interest at the doughty
funambulist before the Sea Beach pa
yiliOn.
There is much of the same disson-
ance between the Blondin of to-day up
aloft on his aerial pathway and the
Blondin who treads the earth There,
clad in tights, and softened by the en-
chanting touches of distance, there is
something OF the quasi heroic about his
physique, despite his protuberant abdo-
men. Straight as crow Indian, mo-
tiOnleSs as tile statue of Memnon, lie
stands until the brayiny band on the pOr-
tice of the pavilion breaks into 4 tu-
multuOus strain. Then grasping his
long balancing pole he steps forth
hardly and with an elastic abandon on
the rope. The cords stand out on his
legs and arms, his hair has a sort of
wind swept look, and his straight ahead
gaze is as firm and confident rs the un-
blauching look of Fate.
His wonderful preservation, the
agility which invests his six and half
decades with the robust vigor of d
youth, tell of his moderate, carefully
regulated life. In the morning he
takes a breakfast of eggs and wine, or
something equally light, and then
touches nothing till after he has walked
in the evening, when lie takes hearty
dinner and fingers at the board with
full, content.
''Do you feel any weakening of your
powers!" was asked.
"NOne. There is nothing that L
have ever done which l cannot do
Gllltlll We'll lO-NldN, dlSNCItu
din in French. II am slightly heavier,
but l feel as active as | ever felt"
Have you never felt any trepidatlon
on the rope?"
'sNo. OF course there is a certain
tension of nerves, but l am Us cool as
could wish. l have never had any ac-
cident or been hurt. Once or twice
lost my chair. | did this at Niagara
Occasionally some of the gear or guy
ropes have given way, but / have never
been injured. The rope is always sub
jected TO a good test first. This one is
capable of standing 4 pressure of forty
tons, SO l am not likely to break il
down. Ny son superintends all of
these details now, and L can feel the
most perfect confidence in the safety of
everything"
"Wen, there must be some feat more
difficult than others, is there notI"
Balancing with the chair is the
most difficult so far as equilibrium goes
But the bicycle work Is the most dan
gerOus, as recovery III case of a slip
would be so difficult, if not ImPOs-
sible.''
"ITow do you tell when the chair is
lust balanced in the middle?''
II am not so particular about that
SO long as my center Of gravity is right.
1 tell that 10y my shoulders and my bal
Incing pole There is u sense of being
balanced which assures me it is as it
should be-"
''In carrying a person over on your
back, are you indifferent as TO who it
5, or doyOu have person who is train
sd or specially qualified to be carried?
| don't suppose you find many who
,ovet the trip"
''Oh, yes. There are plenty who are
willing to take 1t. L would as soon
carry one as another if he has nerve.
But when l feel anybody trembling or
any trace of vertigo, 1 advise
them not to go. Although their legs
are run through straps they could slip
out Of them If they were to get faint
and fall backward. The mast sways
and a person subject at all
to vertigo viii show il when he gets up
there. / generally carry over my son,
though his wife Is decidedly opposed to
his taking the trip. But il is perfectly
safe. i am not As dangerous rs Il bob
tail car rs u means OF transit"
when you crossed Niagara did you
lind the rush of the water below you
nerve trying thing?"
NO For a fortnight before l cross
ell used to go and look down and see
the waters sweep over; but / found that
they had no unpleasant effect on me
IL las been a little annoying here at
Coney Island when some friends have
taken me up into the tower and then
asked me If | felt the height. i would
aS lief walk a rope at one height as an
other. The difficulty is in stretching a
rope securely at such great height. -
Have you ever changed your method
at all?''
mo. My method is the outcome of
experience rather than theory. L be-
gan walking when a child. Thsre is
such thing as genius for rope walk
ing as there is for everything else.
think l have it" said BlOndin modest
ly. Now my son, though he can get
over rope, Is not rope walker. lie
Is n good all-round athlete, but he has
no decided talent for the profession,
and would rather go over a tight rope
on my back than on his feet -