The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-08-31
- -isl..s Ils $500 - III - 2 7II-7l4 ,
SHE FOOLED THE PROFESSOR.
The Circus Performer Forced Her self
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
prided 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 of
his classes. !, 81 4-,4se ~
One day lady, about % 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 aristecratic 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. Is .lslzs}isi @
- Her rosy cheeks and fine looks cap
tivated the professor, and in a 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 to 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 a feat,
and he hoped his new pupil, in the
course of month, would be able to
accomplish as much. What fo1lowrd
was told to a Mall and EgpresS man by
the professor: .,s s4
"In 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 l had no OBJ
lection she would just teach herself
and would pro mise not to do anything
that would be violent or injurious. [
told her that she was novice, but her
request would certainly be granted.
From the day / ceased to teach her |
noticed she advanced rapidly; that
she could work the pulleys 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 week, 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 adj
vanced at such a pace that she could
literally fly through the air in the
hanging rings. Any one with sufficient
1 strength can do it, so her actions
aroused no suspicious.
"She wore an fitting gymnasium
suit, and was not hampered in her
movements in any way. The denoue-
ment came one day after she had been
coming for month. She came in one
day when number of ladies were go
ing through their exercises. In her
street costume she paused 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 few minutes appeared in
tights, "a for twenty minutes or
more the ladies and all of us wit
messed a great performance. Well,
have seen few men who could equal
her as gymnast. l was completely
taken in. She was noted circus per-
/ former and was English g-.as