The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-28

|
land safely on the first trial, he has but
little difficulty thenceforth; but if lie
| comes down sprawling and is narrowly
saved from hard fall, his timidity IS n
! creased tenfold and it is so much the
harder for him to learn at all.
Encouraging the Boys.
It takes a day to teach some boys TO
| turn somersault; il takes two months Oh
continuous, patient training with the me
| chanic to teach Others
| Much depends on the boy" Millette
| says, but much more on the trainer.
| II Is a trick of Minette's to appear to be
distressed when his boy fails in practlce
to sigh and say: That's too bad. Wen,
| signing again, try it once more. re
| SAYS ne can see the kid clench his TEEN
| and so in to win and when the boy does
succeed at length, Millette makes a sreai
show Of delight, and shakes his hand ana
fatVers him little. THE little fellow
| heaert swells" Millette says. "A little
| praise like that goes a long way with
sonle of them" This treatment leads
| some lads to success; but it is sometimes
found that sharp words ana switches act
| with greater effect. One way or another,
! almost every boy can be made into an
| acrobat save those who have peculiar
| disqualification called "a stiff backbone
Practice is never more than two hours
| a day; but it must be kept up day after
| cay 1t is a saying among acrobats that
| IAN acrobat must have his legs with
| him. WEAKNESS attacks the learner in
| the knees, and practice must then be
| aban Honed for the day, for the boy cam
not ~spring from the feet" when he is
g-weary," and to continue would be to
no purpose.
| scheme of training; it is considered a
waste of lime and strength The muscles
called into play grow and harden as the
| special work goes along and their
| strength is all that is required. As mat.
| ter of fact however, the physical deVei-
| oDment of a boy in training is symmetri-
cal; he gains strength in every part, and
| surely progresses toward the possession
of the splendid physical strength of his
master.
Little Chance of Accidents.
This is true of circus performers gener-
allv with the exception of contortionists,
whose lines are laid in hard places and
whose lives are short; but it is peculiarly
true of acrobats, for they dare not over
tax themselves, and they never need 10
diet, or rub themselves with some mystic
rious oil, as common tradition has II, 20
keep timber"
From the single somersault the appren
tice proceeds TO the double; and there he
stops so far as somersaults are concerned,
for, as Minette said, every acrobat knows
| IndL the DOuS Cdtl / NC GOilllOApSN dAtNA u
double turn" Then trick" after trick"
is taught as fast as the lad can master
them; and, at length, after some years of
hard training the apprentice becomes an
accomplished acrobat. Long before that
time comes he can be tossed about like
ball-'Its just like playing catch with
| him." AIillette said, without any cOnsid-
cradle danger if he keeps his wits and his
courage about him" He is not responsible
for accidents; if he is thrown from man
to man it is his right to be thrown truly
and caught fairly, and his responsibility
only to turn and recover himself. He is
taught to bother his head with nothing
else; and if he is wise he attends strictly
! to his own part, for his NEEDING would be
sure to result seriously. When there is a
miss" he must not try TO save himself;
his mates are altogether responsible for
| his safety, and are conscientious in this
| Obligation. They are bound by a code of
4 honor which they respect to save the kid
\ at whatever cost to themselves. They are
| .Iisgraced if they fail seriously; and they
| a aldom do. The boy may slip from the
| u3 1permost man OF 'pyramid' of three,
| an d fall head downward, but he is almost
inv -ariably caught by the angle and held
tit!ht before he touches the ground. He
knotvs that all this watchful care is about
| him. thus only can he do his part surely
| and feariessly.
In Tights and spnngIes.
| An mbtious lad finds the happiest day
1 of his life when he puts on his first suit
| of bri;Si lt-colcred silk fieshlings and be-
| spangled trunks to appear 'in the act"
| at last This he is permitted to do as
| soon as he can contribute a somersault
| or two; d)r the very bow and smile of
child will strengthen an act immensely.
| Then his education in grace or STYLE"
| as 1t is caA ed, is begun. This is of ex-
IRENE impoa lance; he is never called an
| artist unt1l he can do his work grace
| fully or as an acrobat said, meat and
NICE Skill jli only "cleverness;" grace
makes the arts t Smiles, gestures, and all
| are traditional, and are considered a parr
| of the profession lal equipment and not for
| use In private life. To turn your toes
| out and throw y our shoulders back" is
| the first thing IA learn. Then take a
side step, throw avour head back. smile
| and look about TIM arena; still smiling
wave your hand o the left and your
! hand 10 the right wake two quick steps
! TO the rear and bcRV, from the waist"
| Then 1t is point TO the mat and to
work." with never a Thought of the au-
dience; and when tho trick" Is over,
| extend both arms, sml e, nod the head,
and back away in quick short steps"
| Acrobats looking on AT others at work
| are interested, as a malta of course, in
| the tricks" but it is TIN style thar
| calls forth their signs of envy or their
sneers, for they appreciate the difficulty
| Of being graceful through laborious
| quarter-hour.
Accidents happen occasionally; and. the
event Is surely the fault ( the boy,
though, to be sure, 1t may lie with any
one OF the team. Slight misc alculation
OF distance, momentary distraction of at
tention, sudden loss Of courage a little
hurry In making ready to leap, may so
! result
An apprenticeship Of four or five years
| makes boy an acrobat; then h, can
command a good salary through the sea-
son. and possibly pick up many an engage
ment during the winter.
nay hair'' unused Van smythe, as he
carefully consigned his two renos,nir,.