The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-10-15
SHE FOOLED THE PROFESSOR.
The Circus Performer Forced Herself
Into His Glasses.

An incident occurred last winter in
a gymnasium for women not far from
Fifth avenue in New York. which has
not before been given to the public.
The laugh was on the professor, who
pridcd himself on his ability not only
| to teach ladies in high society the art
of healthful exercise, but at the same
time to keep undesirable people out ol
/ his classes.
| One day lady, about 2S years old,
attired in tailor-made costume Of
black, appeared at the gymnasium and
! asked to see the professor. She talked
to him with a strong English accent,
had such an aristocratic bearing, and
at the same time was so modest that
he cheerfully enrolled her name on his
books and agreed to give her lessons
daily.
| Her rosy cheeks and fine looks cap
tivated the professor, and in moment
of confidence to one of his assistants
he expressed the belief that she be-
longed to the English nobility. The
next day she said she would use some
pulleys. The professor told her she
should be careful not to overdo it. He
discoursed on the hygiene OF exercise.
and was pleased 10 find such an apt
pupil. One lady drew up to her chin
on the horizontal bar, and he pointed
to her, saying that it was quite Il feat,
and he hoped his new pupil, in the
course OF month, would be able to
accomplish as much. What followrd
was told to Mai and Eapress man bv
the professor:
"ln three or four days she did such
graceful and easy work with the pull
leys and rings ! suggested that she try
/ and do something on the horizontal
bar. if only to hang by her hands. To
my surprise she said if had no OBJ
lection she would just teach herself
and would promise not ta do ANYTHING
that would be violent or injurious. /
told her that she was novice, but her
request would certainly be granted
From the day l ceased to teach her
noticed she advanced rapidly; that
she could work the pulleys a long time
without seeming to become fatigued,
and to my great surprise saw her
draw up once to her chin. attributed
her rapid progress to health and
strength more than anything else.
One day, after she had been coming
for a week, l observed that the ladies
watched her performances. She did
nothing extraordinary, but what She
did was with such apparent ease and
grace that | thought must be born,
not acquired. Finally she had ad-
vanced at such a pace that she could
literally fly through the air in tho
hanging rings. Any one with sufficient
strength can do it, so her actions
aroused no suspicious.
"Shc wore an easy-iitting gymnasium
suit, and was not hampered in her
movements in any way. The denoue-
ment came one day after she had been
coming for a month. She came in one
day WHOM Il number of ladies were go
ing through their exercises. In her
street costume she l.lused at the hori-
zontal bar and attracted undivided
attention by drawing up to her chin
twenty times in rapid succession.
Then she went to her dressing-room
and in a few minutes appeared in
tights, and for twenty minutes or
moro the ladies and all of us wit
messed great performance. Well, l
have seen few men who could equal
her as a gymnast. | was completely
taken in. She was noted circus per-
former and was English"