Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-10-01

Harvest Time For AcrObatS.


AAN NAiNN IL JUST as Spectacular as
the bicycle loop, and is not SO danger.
Gus that is, its originators hope no(.
Dummies stuffed with sand have done
it successfully, out it has not yet been
tried by real man. The only Ques.
ton is, can the topper hold his grip.
can his arms withstand tho very strong
tendency OF his body to fly or into
Space In n day or two some daring
youth will know from his own exper.
icucc,
Despite the popularity of the loop.
tho managers OF no up-to- date county
fair are wholly satisfied unless they
have provided wire performer, They
know that the rural population never
grows weary OF watching man high
in the air, with only a thin wire be.
tween him and the hard earth cast ms
outer garments to tho winds burst
forth in tights and then take SUR.
prlsing chances with his life,
This is called In professional circles
ia straight act" to distinguish II from
those like looping the loop and para
chute lcaping. which require no unus.
ual skin, but plenty OF recklessness.
They are known as trust to God" acts
ut takes u long time to become
good wire walker" said the performer
at well known seaside resort near by,
II began in circus when | was eight.
and have boon at Il for 20 years, I've
had some falls, OF course, but | seom
to have developed kind of instinct
that warns me when there Is liability
Of an accident had that feeling enc
day not long ago, and II was lucky
lid.
Tho wire looked all right | had
tested It as | always do, but for some
reason | got the idea that II wasn't Just
as II should be, Az | stood with my
balancing polo ready to start out,l had
u feeling that something was going to
happen, There were lot OF electric
light wires uear mine, and didn't liku
Thorn either,
We'll, when got about halfway
out, the wire suddenly saggel couple
of feet, II threw me on my balance.
but was ready for Il and as won,
down ! caught IL with ono hand, |
was reaching out for one of those cleo
trio wires with the other when IL camo
20 me that IL did that | would make
n circuit, 80 | ierkod my hand down to
my side, pulled myself up on tho
wire again and had no trouble ahom
getting back But II hadn't boon
ready for something. wouldn't be
here to tell you about II,
Tho principal danger Is IN letune
your mind get away from your work,
which gets sort of easy after you've
been doing II every lay for good
while, You may DO 100 feet IN tho mir,
but whom you are used to II You have
n feeling that you could almost jump
down
you may get to thinking about
your cir, or what YOU are going to 10
to.morrw, or how you're going To make
the manager give you $500 week next
season Thoao are the times whom
there's the most danger of no next
season for You, because any llttlo sliu
VIII send you down. II IL necessary TO
keep your mind on every move you
make. This liz one reason why don't
like storms when I'm on the wire.
You remember the blow we had
early in the week? Well, was wcrlt
ing when that came up. From the
wirothcreB n Ano Wow You know. II
reaches as far rs the hill In Prospect
park and away out to sea. could see
the whole of MS ugly looking cloud
las ever looked at, II wasn't black
exactly, there were different colors IN
Ut but all Of Il sudden II grew 80 dark
that | could hardly nee the wire. The
people down below began to run 10
cover, and had kind of feeling
that ! was up on the wire bucking tho
storm alone.
~ was out on the middle of tho wire
when II got so dark. began to waltz
along for the platform but said to
myself, 'Now's the time you must be
careful, SO kept my eyes on the wire.
hoping that wind wouldn't jump Mt
mo before | was off.
We'll, had just mado tho platform
and laid down my pole when gust
swooped IN that broke ropes loose ana
sent them flying into the air and tim
Der tumbllng down. ! got 1t all up
there, and had to lie down and hold on
with my hands and feet to keep from
sailing off.
But I've been out on the wiro In
some heavy winds. have to fight
them. | brace myself and lean against
them, and | toll you that sometimes
after tussle like this, when relax on
coming off the wire, I'm 80 weak for
minute or two that | can hardly walk
u don't like lightning, either. One
day out In Now Brunswick II struck
within 80 feet Of where was doing my
net. The fash and report were enough
10 knock man down, but when I'm on
the wire my whole instinct Is TO keep
1t under me / was Jared when the
bolt struck hut | utnn't forget the wire.
It was raining SO hard that couldn't
see what was doing. 80 | sat down
and waited til the lightning moved
off little and tho rain eased up.
What I'm most afraid OF In these