The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-03-21

CIAO ~ w as a luOSb tllA uSluR OI0s LAClI
antics were a source of delight to thou
sands of children, and they were natural
to an almost incredible extent. All of
the Marzettis and Martinettis are dead.
Great as were the Ravels and great
as was the furore which their coming
never failed to excite, their star sensa-
ton was made by one Of their pupils,
who was only 6years old. In the paint
room at Niblo's at the time of which
write there was employed man named
Hazlam. He managed to exc out a liv-
ing, but nothing more. One day, while
Gabriel Ravel was watching the artists
at work, a little boy of about entered,
and going up to Hazlam engaged him
Familiarity in conversation. Gabriel was
struck by the phenomenal beauty Of the
child's face no less than by the SYM
metry and sturdiness Of his frame and
the air of confidence which seemed to be
natural to him. He learned that the boy
was Hazlam's son, and it was not long
before the arrangements had been made
whereby he was to become an apprentice
to Gabriel. The little fellow was treated
with the greatest kindness and consid-
Grafton, but his athletic training went
steadily forward Gradually the beauti-
full little body began to develop, and the
pupil was so apt and daring and withal
SO careful that Gabriel freely predicted
that his debut would create a veritable
sensation. And it did.
A Celebrated Prodigy.
This child had been called young
America" and there are many persons
living who will remember what pub
lie idol he became. The feat with which
"Young America startled New York
was called the triple flying trapeze. I"
Three swings were suspended from the
ceiling Of the immense theater. One
was over the edge of the family circle,
the next was about in the middle Of the
house, and the third was we'll over to-
ward line drawn upward from the
proscenium arch. The child was taken
up into the gallery, where the first
swing was hauled backward its entire
length by an attendant "Young Amer
lea" grasped the bar and sailed off into
space. At exactly the point where the
trapeze would begin its backward trip
he let go and flew to the next, describ-
ing somersault on the way. The mo-
mentum set the second swing in motion,
and he reached the third in the same
manner. AS this one swung far over the
stage he let go, and running down to-
ward the audience he bowed to the most
enthusiastic applause have ever listen
ed to. There were no nets in those days,
and platform was run from the dress
circle to the stage. On this were heavy
hair mattresses made expressly for this
purpose, but they might just as we'll
not have been there, for young Amer
lea" never had fall or an accident of
any kind.
After time, as he grew larger, he
ceased to create the former sensation.
But the Ravels stuck to their portion of
the contract and educated him finely.
Had he been at all shrewd, inasmuch
as he had been formally adopted by
Gabriel Ravel, he might have easily es-
tablished his claim to portion Of his
large estate. But he made no effort to
do so, | believe He is still alive and
makes living by working in burlesque
and pantomime productions. He has
beaten a drum in front of a country cir
Gus, this child who was so worshiped in
New York at one time that when he
went to the gallery each night an officer
had to be sent along to protect him from
the proffered caresses of the scores of
society women who used to go up to
Mount Rascal for the sole purpose of
stealing a kiss from the little fellow.
One woman, who was worth millions.
came to me with a serious proposition
to pay me $500 to engineer her adop-
ton Of the youngster.
1t may seem strange to most persons
who never saw young America" that
city should go wild over child just
because he happened to perform diff
cult and dangerous feat particularly
well, and it would be extraordinary if
this were his sole recommendation. But
it was not. The little chap was per-
feet Adonis. Clad i'll his tight fitting
trunks, his silk fleshings and high kid
boots, with his merry and fearless eyes
and magnificent complexion and wavy
hair showing off the noble head to the
best advantage, he was the handsomest
picture my eyes have ever looked upon.
And it was his beauty, not his prowess
which made women, especially childless
ones, adore him.
At the Old Niblo.
Although the Ravels, when they were
at Niblo's, gave aremarkable entertain
ment for all of which, by the way, only
80 cents was charged, the public i'll
those days wanted more, and they got
it. The performance was preceded
nightly by farce, presented by a COM
pany which in many respects was the
most remarkable ever put together for a
similar purpose. Among the best known
of the members were the famous Tom
Placide, l.. r. Shewell, J. G. Burnett,
E. Lamb, w. Gomersal, the great Ma
poleon Mary Wells, Mrs Gomersal,
Emma Taylor, sister of our Mary, and