Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02

IN
the subject thought may fancy that the spin
ming of a square block of wood upon the rim OF
a twirling umbrella is feat easily accom-
plished. But let me tell you that it takes
hours of daily practice for months and months
together before it is done easily as it appears
to be. The simple spinning of top, the caus-
ing of bevy of butterflies to futter grace
fully in the air. lowering over a vase of fow-
ers, now alighting for moment to rest and
now soaring high above the fan, and the roll
ing Of egg on the edge of a closed fan are
tricks that take more study, more application
and more patience than many a successful
lawyer has ever given to the building up of his
practice.
In this article propose telling Won what kind
Of study you need to become a juggIer. III you
follow my directions you may learn how the
tricks are performed. but cannot guarantee
that You will ever be an expert artist. That
depends upon your natural aptitude TO that
kind of work. A clumsy man, slow i'll his
movements and sluggish in thought. can never
be a stage performer. The successful juggIer
is quick a flash, steady as a rock, and he
measures distances and positions as accurately
with his eyes as a chemist weighs out pOlsons
on his scales.
HOW HE BEGAN.
Let me first tell you how / began nv stage
career. / am an Italian and my profession is
that Of a chemist. / have drug store in Turin
at the present time. / have always had love
for juggling. / used to practice the tricks for
my own amusement. When the ShonosSi
Royal Japanese troupe of jugglers visited Italy
i was interested in their exhipitonsand when
was offered the post of manager accepted it.
Here had an opportunity TO acquire still
more knowledge of the business and after two
years of managerial work / became a per-
former. When went to London six years ago
II mo lima ant SOxr -Iax1, I
debted for much of nv success. Omene is n
native of STEAMBOAT. Turkey, and is the widow
OF an English officer killed in the siege of Alex
andria. Our real names! That will hardly in
terest the public. So far any wouid-be Jug
gler who reads what / write is concerned we
are lank Hoe and Omene. jugglers. Is that
not enough? That is sufficient about ourselves
Now come with ME into "a jugcler's practice
room. On. yes luegiers spend part Of the
day IN practice. no matter how advanced they
may be. 1t will not do to let the muscles grow
stiff or the nerves lose their strength.
AJUGGLERs PRACTICE ROOM
That slender cord suspended from the cell
ing? That is the most useful appliance the
juggler has in practicing the umbrella feats
This Is how il is used. Do you see that shelf
in the corner filed with rubber balls square
blocks of wood, plates and round-bodied bot
ties? Did you notice that little ring in the
center of the plates and blocksl No? That
IL an oversight. for without attaching the cord
TO that ring and suspending the object IN the
air the difficulty of learning these tricks would
be multiplied score of times.
Why? / will tell you. The cord is long. as
you have seen The plate hangs so low that if
you are not careful you will strike your head
against IL in walking across the floor After
the plate Is suspended the juggler opens his
long, thick -handled Japanese umbrella. and
STOPPING beneath the plate so that il rests on
the rim of the umbrella. he begins to twirl the
handle, at first slowly and then more RAPIDLY.
but all the time evenly. AS the umbrella hies
around the plate begins to revoive on its rim
After il has acquired this motion the iucgier
gradually straighten his back until a little coil
OF slack cord circles around the protruding
point of the umbrella. This is not learned in
one day or q week even a month, and hun
dreds OF times In this practice the plate tips off
OF topples over. Now. do yon see the use of
the cord? II keeps the plate from falling to
the floor. without cord the learner would
spend more than half his time bending over
and picking 1t up. Practice under these cir
eumstances would be punishme mt and the cost
of broken china would eat a large hole into a
small fortune.
TIE UMBRELLA TRICKS.
But yo1 do not begin learning this feat with
plate or a block of wood You first use the
rubber ball and then take up the other articles
IN turn After q while you become expert /
throw the bail into the air and catch il on the
revolving umbrella. i toss the block of wood
high above the top OF the curtain and as il
comes down the umbrella sends il spinning
end on end, until it looks like the fy wheel of
sIoeomotiye and makes whirring sound like