Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-10-13
OVER NIAGARA ON A WIRE.
How It Feels to Be Carried Across on n
 Rope Makers Hack.

Rope Walkers Back.
 At the end of a month of practice on cluthe>line strung between the roofs of two trucment>, said Clifford Calverly, the young Niagara rope walker. II could dress and undress on wire. Then it was that determined to cross Niagara
 ''I visited the falls and had my wire stretched across the gorge, distance of about ,OnO feet. The first day crossed without incident. The second day ran most of the way and did it in 6 minutes and 2S seconds
 While l was on the wire m accident happened To one of the guy ropes, and was prcciptatcd forward. Fortunately l did not lose my head, ard caught by my knees and toes as 1 fell forward. Every one thought l stumbled purposely, and since then have often taken the dive and caught by my toes
 ''I tried once more, running the whole distance, and did it in minutes 5l l-5 sec ouds- I believe am the only man who has run across the falls.
 As was so successful determined to cross at night. had not gone 10 feet when q sudden squall struck me, and almost lost my balance, but kept on. l hurried my steps and had reached the half way point when suddenly, without a moments warning, the electric lights went out, Ordinarily would not have minded the darkness, but with constantly veering gale now in my face and now at one side, I found it the most difficult thing in the 1 world to keep my balance, and, to add to my discomfort, the rope began to sway. 'Sometimes l would have to lie down and hold on with both hands with tine pole i balanced under my chest. Between the , flaws of wind l would get up and creep for | ward few feet. would hear the people shouting on the banks, They had given me l lp dead.
 1 Ut took all my nerve to keep from being ! frightened. Even if I was blown off the l wire determined to let them see that was ! no coward. So, sitting down on the wire i with the pole well balanced across my knees, I took advantage of a Hull in the storm and lit cigarette. A moment later i n shout of joy went mp from my friends and the multitude gathered on the farther bahK It gave me renewed courage, and again faced the wind and made my way on through the darkness until at last I reached the shorr and was safe"
 William Beck. a young man who once crossed high wire on young Calverly s back, related his experience As follows;
 ''l was induced 10 accompany Calverly ! because was assured there was no danger and one of the boys bet me S1uO that did not have the nerve.
 Without noticing that ! was nervous, ! Calverly said Come, and drawing my two hands over his shoulders, be lifted me to his back Convuls!vely claSped my legs around his waist and tried to beg hin, to lec me down. but ny toSgce was dry and ! -c-used 10 speak
 'Another moment an6 wc wc-c oE- [-ol below the wire always seemed steady, but now discovered that it sagged from side to side and up and down. I held Calverly so closely about the neck that he was almost strangled.
 Hook up he gurg;ed. But could not. The green earth far, far below seemed to have a fascination for me that I could not resist I longed to plunge downward.
 We reached the center of the wire and I was bathed in precipitation. I could hear the plaudits of the masses, like the roar of
 "'Go back pleaded.
 "'lm afraid to turn with you on the wire You are too nervous, was the cool response.
 '''Then don't stand there doing nothing I almost shrieked, and the tears began to tricklc down my cheeks On he went, un- til at last the pole opposite to the one we i started from was reached, and we started back. What Calverly did on the wire or | how long We took to cross do not know, for I lay my head on his, closed my eyes | and remembered nothing more until he called to me 10 get down. I did so, but he l had to hold me, or I would have dashed head foremost from the little platform. For half an hour l sat there with my | feet dangling over the edge, then mustered l enough courage to climb down. l won my bet, but would not cross a high wire on | any mans back again for a thousand times l the amount of the wager."-EXchanRe.