The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-09

DOuy Will SilOOC TOunQ Twice as fast. like q
bicycle going down hill''
"And how about swerying to one side or
the other, can you correct that, too?"
~ GU can to certain extent, but not so
much. For instance, if | see [ am going
to land too far inside the horse | can throw
my body two or three inches out by turn
ing the shoulders in that direction. In the
same way can throw my body in by turn
ing my shoulders in the other direction.
You can't count much on that though,
and If the horses body has swerved out
from under you, or has made you swerve
In the air by a sideway jerk just as you
jumped, there isn't much chance of your
landing right The best thing you can do
then is 10 hit your horse and get away"
'How do you mean hit your horse?''
Come down near to him to push off
with one foot for turn and land safe on
the ground. If a circus rider can't hit his
horse at all he's pretty sure to get nasty
fall"
Few people realize the immense amount
OF practice that is necessary to make an
| accomplished circus rider. Nearly all the
very early age. Lily and Rosie Meers ap-
peared in public on horseback when little
girls OF and 8, and from that time on
they kept practlcing constantly, not only
IN riding, but more particularly in various
gymnastlc movements and exercises.
De Mott told me that when he was a
boy OF going to school in Philadelphia
his father, who was also circus performer,
made him spend four hours a day, two
hours In the morning and two in the after
noon, working at exercises for strengthen
Ing the legs and giving grace and supple
ness to the body. At that period in his
training, he was only allowed fifteen min
utes day on horse, the greater part of
the work being done on the ground and
M oil t1rrh
rather more varied, than ordinary exercise
in gymnasium. This work, which all
accomplished circus riders have to go
through comes under the comprehensive
name of "side practice" and includes pass
ing" Cutting" ''pirouettes, ''battle-
ments" and other duplicated movements.
L had the good fortune to see the Meers
sisters at their side practice during their
recent stay in New York.
There is no doubt" said Mrs. Meers,
their mother, who has been in the bust
ness for two score of years and should
know what she is talking about, "that our
society women would be immensely bene-
fitted if they would learn these same exer-
clses that my girls have to do to keep in
practice for the ring. There, look at Mar, lie
isn't that goodp"
The mothers pride was justifable, for
Miss Marie did indeed make a graceful
figure as she stood literally poised on one
toe.
Marie did not begin to ride in public as
young as her sisters" continued the
mother, "but she had learned grace of
movement and strengthened her muscles
by working for a number of years in the
pantomlme performances that are SO pop
ular in Europe. The result was that when
she began practicing on horse at the age
OF Is she made very rapid progress and
soon caught up with her sisters"
Hor fhaf ot1 a- 1ar -. Il -,
the conversation. He is queer looking
little man, very short and stumpy, and
impresses you as having but one possible
interest IN life, the circus ring. In his day
he was famous clown and acrobat, but
now he only appears as ringmaster when
his daughters ride.
"There's something too, sir" he said, in
soft deferential tone, sin being born Of a
circus family. Now, in my case, began
doing the Risley business at the age of 5,
with my father, who was great per-
former. The 'Risley business is where a
little chap holds himself out stiff and his
tossed around in all kinds of ways on the
feet of man who lies on his back. That's
what my father used to do to me. Then 1
began riding when / was 10 years old, and
as far back In 1856 the people in Birming-
ham gave me this gold medal for turning
200 back somersaults in succession. No,
didn't turn them on horse, but on the
ground, which was quite hard enough. 1t
took me twenty minutes to finish them"
whats the most difficult feat YOU ever
saw done on horse?" inquired.
Mr.. Meers scratched his sandy head and
said, after some reflection: II think the
hardest thing was what man did in
England few years ago, that is a triple
act on galloping horse, consisting Of a
round-all, a fiip-fap and two somersaults
Nobody could ever beat that
If was CHARMING tn coo tho a o,,,
with which the children of the old circus
rider (there were six of them in all grouped
around attentive), listened to their fathers
description. Each one of them plainly
felt that there was nothing on this earth
so worthy of their admiration as the skill
OF man who could actually do round
ALL hlp-fap and two somersaults in the
way described. The two youngest daugh-
tiers stopped sewing white satin covers on
their sisters riding slippers, and listened
open-mouthed.
:" It's a great life, this being a circus
rider" continued Mr.. Meers. I" We travel
all over the world, see all the grand cities
and tine people, and always get lots OF ap
plause. That's something worth living
for, can tell you, applause. You ought
to see my little girl Lille take little run
across the ring and jump clean over two
horses. Yes, sir, that's what she can do.
and she isn't big girl either. It's nerve,
SIT, ana knowing now, more than muscle.
There, feel of her arm. it isn't SO very
hard, not different from any other
woman's, but she can jump over the
horses just the same. and they can't"
AT this the mother and all the six
daughters laughed heartily. They i'm
pressed one indeed as being a happy
family.
Perhaps one of the best authorities on
circus riding is John O'Brien, who has
been for years and is still equestrian direc-
tor in the Barnum show. Mr.. O'Brien
has the proud distinction of being the
only man living actually born in a
circus ring, such having been his
remarkable experience in Reickson,
Wales, where his mother was in the
midst of daring horseback act when
young John made his mundane debut with
great flourish of trumpets from the band
and fiuttering of hearts among the
ladies. He has probably trained more
women into circus riders than any other
master of the sawdust He recognizes
grace and style as being the chief requisites
for good rider.
eli a girl mas these" he said, 81 will
guarantee to make circus-rider out of
her even as late as 16 if she will work hard
at it. Why, two years ago / started a
married woman of 10 in the business and
she has succeeded SO well that she is now
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