The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-11

of the rope and traversed the rope on
bicycle. These we're all old tricks? AS
suredly; and that Ii why they were so re-
markable. They are the feats he used TO
perform thirty, forty years ago, and more.
Now he IS an old man OF 6S years, and ne
does them just as easily and as unhesi-
tatingly as ever. That is the most extras
/ ordinary fact Of all.
Among his almost countless medals and
other trophies that which Blondiu most
highly prizes bears this inscription: Pre-
seuted 20 Mons. L +. Blondiu by the citizens
Of Niagara Falls in appreciation of a feat
never before attempted by man, but by him
successfully performed on Aug. 10, 1859,
that OF carrying a man upon his back over
the fails OF Niagara on tight rope" The
medal, one might say, plays the keynote of
his life. Niagara has been everything to
him. Before he crossed that awful gorge
ne was great gymnast, but since then he
has been indisputably supreme. He has
crossed Niagara 300 times since then
but it was the first performance that made
hln what he is
How did you feel when you set out to
cross Niagara be was asked. "Were you
nervous, afraid.
''No, no! Pouf! No!n was his energetic
reply. II left that for those who watched
me. Some of them said He won't dare
TO try it Others said: The crazy fool of
a Frenchman must want to commit suicide
But crossed, and have crossed it 800 times
since then"
But it was really dangerous, wasn't it,"
es, TO be sure it was. The rope might
have snapped"
M. Blondin calls his pleasant home in
London Niagara Villa and one of the
most conspicuous objects in it is huge oil
painting, depicting, him in the act of cross
ing the falls, in the presence Of the Prince
or Wales and a great crowd.
BlOQdin u Of cOurEa Is a aSaurna1 n ma
Jean Francois GTavele is what he was
chrlsteneds His father was a Rymnast, and
he himself began rope walking at years
old. At "a he had a considerable reputa-
ton in the provincial towns and cities of
France. 1t was there that the famous Ravel
saw him, and was much impressed. He
sought the young mans acquaintance.
Come with me-" he said. Join my
company and go to America-to New York.
You will make your fortune"
agreed" was the reply; "In go with
We'll donel But first, what is your
names"
Jean Francois Gravele."
"Graveles Bah That will never do.
Such name would never do for the bill
board. We must change it. Ha! l seel
Blue eyes light hair; of course. You shall
call yourself Blondinn
So "Blondin" it was, and the young man
AAA00o hAOab ulb Al new L OK. Eight
years later he crossed Niagara. In all his
career he has never used a safety net. and
he has never fallen from his rope. He has
never had an accident of any kind, save
one, in which he merely scratched himself a
bit In one spot. They say the secret of
his success is in the powerful muscles of
his arms, which enable him to carry an
unusually heavy balancing pole. 1t is true
that be has prodigous muscles But when
ne Is asked II that is really the secret of his
success, he laughs and says: "No; l succeed
In keeping on the rope because | don't want
to fall" He contends moreover, that rope
walkers, like poets, are born, not made. He
was born rops-walker; but his children
were not, 80 none Of them will ever at
tempt it.
he has most interesting collection of
ne Espaper clippings about himself-poerns,
pictures, etc. In them he is called 'The
King OF the Tight-Rope," 1.-The Lord of the
Hempen Realm, The Emperor of Ma
Mia" etc One of the poeta in good old
fashioned style, tells of his Niagara feat:
The fearless Blondin walks. perchance into his
tomb,
His dauntless courage fails him not,
u EN- tho thy roaring torrents be his fatal lot
Heavenward he looks and inspiration draws,
Each heart beats high, he makes a moments
Rests at full length upon the fragile rope.
One cheer ten thousand voices send of earnest
hope.
Another apostrophizes "Mr Blondin," in
"a Noad," as follows:
Remarkable pussoni enterprisn Stranger
You probably Startd on to a railroad trac;
or praps curb stun; then you took to fensis:
& then you SCARED to rafters of moo houses
Remarkable pusson:
Ri merely Of talking of q walk, you clear
1000 dolers neerly every time.
Then the hier you get the Straiter you kin walk
this shows you amt at al like common foAx,
which cant walk mulch when they are Ele-
waited
Blondin never uses tobacco. 1t would
unsteady his nerves. But he does not alb
stain from wine. He has a garden, in which
he is fond of working. He has numerous
| pets, too, including the inmates OF large
| aviary. He is, moreover, fond of music,
| and spends much of his time at his piano.
81 am happy" be says, "in my garden my
workshop, and my house Of birds. YET 1
cannot keep away from the rope, either.
| Olds Yes; but l can waltz on a tight-rope as
well as ever. So l still go about perform
| ing. What fee do l Get2 Five hundred
dollars a night. What do l doc Every
thing. When ones life depends upon the
security Of rope, it is best TO put up that
rope oneself, is it not."