The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-24

twicei IL is an instructive feeling, an as
surance that comes as soon as we leave the
springbosrd. There are times when we are
deceived and land on our backs upon the
mattress, having made only one somer-
sault and a half. As rule we are more
prone to turn two clear somersaults and
start on the third before landing, than to go
only one and half. II is almost impossible
to turn three somersaults. There have
been several great leapers who have at
tempted the feat and lost their lives. Bob
Stickney used to be great leaper and l
have heard,that he was willilg to turn three
somersaults daily provided he be allowed
the use of a net made by himself.
ut is such a dangerous undertaking few
circus proprietors will permit the attempt.
After two somersaults a leaper loses his
center of gravity, so to speak, and has no
control whatever over his movements.
Usually the third tuck proves fatal and he
strikes on his head, swapping his neck.
The record shows that they all fell on their
heads and met almost instant death. / have
never had any ambition to do three somer-
saults and l generally say it is impossible,
because death almost invariably results
from the attempt IL were phenomenal
leaper and could 60 several feet higher than
/ do now, then might give three somer-
saults study, provided | had a netting to
land on. At a fair out west many years
ago a great circus leaper made big bet
that he could make TIN ee somersaults be-
fore landing. He made them but landed on
all tours. The money was offered him,
the committee deciding that be had actu-
ally cleared three somersaults. Well, lie
was ambitious and honest and declared that
he would not take the money until he landed
gracefully on his feet. He made second
leap, landed squarely on his head and died
instantly"
"Does the weather affect your ability to
leapT'
1--WE all hate rainy weather. Moisture
and often water gets upon the springboard
and then we slip and fall / cannot say,
though, that rainy or even cold weather
affects our muscles. After few leaps we
warm up and so cold or hot weather is pretty
much all the same. What general work
after the leaping do clowns have to do!
We go ON in the ground tumbling and are
expected to give life and dash to it. 1t is
hard work, but part OF our repertoire and
we go merrily through with il. The one
ring clown Of years ago did not do half the
work in the acrobatic line that the horse
play clown of to-day does with fifteen or
twenty clowns to assist him. One thing we
rarely ever do and that is ride bareback.
1t is difficult to cut antics on horse with
out falling off.
"How do weinvent horse play? oh, easy
son opens we practice and do nothing but
invent situations that we think will create
fun. When weapply for a position in a
circus we have our acts down to a fine
point and do them on exhibition for the
man who employs us. What are clowns
paidl A first-class clown commands a
salary of SIS per week. Many Of them
only receive $50 a week, and some $40 and
$35 Dan Rice used to receive the munifi-
coll of ma II in ba It,,xy
days of one ring circusses. He was an
exception, Of couase. The average clown
thea received from $50 to $50 per week,
Fine horseback riders, of course receive
higher salaries than clowns"
"Why is 1T that whenever a clown or
circus performer applies for place he is al
ways starW
prentice system. There are no beginners
in circus, because the law forbids chill
dren under a certain age appearing in pub
lie performances That law killed the ap-
prentice system and helped gymnasiuGls in
the large cities When a boy or girl is
preparing for the circus, he or she takes
private lessons in some gymnasium, either
from professor or old cir us man. When
the boy arrives at the age of sixteen he is,
generally speaking, a good acrobat or
gymnast, and applies frequently as a star.
AS a rule he has father or relative who is
Q star performer and the boy goes with him
as assistant If they do trapeze act the
boy will swing by his teeth and do other
tricks that heavy full-grown man could
not do so easily. BOYS are in demand, too.
when mid-air swinging trapeze acts are
done. He is not SO heavy and his father or
circus brother, somewhat stout, can catch
him when he flies through the air from
swinging bar. Young girls riding and
tumbling are seldom seen nowadays in cir
cuses. They are generally of age when
they appear in the arena"
DAVID WECHsLER.