The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-01
Grandpa Nelson, mt the Head of This
Remarkable Family, Is Now
Sixty Years of Age.
TWELVE MEMBERS OF FAMILY
THEY ARE NOT ON A DIET. ByT EAT
AND DRINK EVERYTHING.
Young Members of the Family study
Common Branches While on the
Road-Grnndpa Nelson Talks.

The most interesting family of acrobats
in all the world is the Nelson family. which
appeared in astonishing performances on
! the stage at the Grand last week There
are twelve of the Nelson's, and they are all
closely related TO each other The oldest
of them, Grandpa" Nelson is sfxty-think
of an acrobat sixty years old,~and the
youngest, Rosina, is but little over four
and between these two extremes are men
and women and boys and girls of all ages
Grandpa Nelson-they all call him grand
pals the pioneer of the new school of
acrobatics.N Up to the time that he APP
peared on the scene with his advanced
ideas the business of professional acrobat
! could hold out but meager attractions to
anybody: the training methods were harsh
and cruel and the majority of the trainers
brutal In the face of such obstacles il is
no wonder that the skill of performers did
not, as compared to the feats of to-day
pass the limit of mediocrity 1t is doubtful,
too. if the very best performers of twenty
five years ago could secure engagements
now with any shrewd managers. for under
the new rules of training inaugurated by
Grandpa Nelson there have sprung into ex-
istence a host of acrobats and gymnasts
accomplishing more than their old-time
rivals ever imagined
Some of the early ways by which early
trainers sought to instill an admiration of
their art into pupils were starvation, the
dark room and the whip. 1t is hardly
necessary to remark that none but the most
robust survived this treatment, and even
of the latter none was conspicuous for en-
thusiasm over the profession to which he
had been apprenticed. OF course any ink
ling of cruelty to young performers was
kept from the public, and most of all that
part of it which witnessed the youthful
acrobat's stage exhibitions. But the chid's
master always stood in the wings watching
for any slip, and no matter how trivial the
slip might be chastisement was always sure
to follow. The child acrobat of to-day, es-
pecially here in America, is we'll protected
against treatment of this kind. At the first
hint of ill usage, even during those years
of training that are necessarily hidden
from the public knowledge. the different
humane societies for the protection of chill
dren step in and rescue the little ones from
any possible tyranny
TRAINED IN ENGLAND.
Grandpa Nelson's. children and Grandpa
Nelson's children's children, all of whom
were destined for professional acrobats'
began their training in the gymnasium OF
their homestead in England. Most train
ers believe that the age in which serious
systematic training should begin is about
twelve but Grandpa Nelson thinks that
child is not too young at four If the
little one is thoroughly healthful. His
children were all started in their training
when but mere tots such as Rosina is now,
and all have grown up strong and robust
men and women. He says that If, after
few months of primary work, the childs
health should suffer, the pupil grow, pale
and languid, instead of robust and muscu-
lar. training should cease at once. But if
the pupil passes this testful period sue
cessfully there is no more danger. and it
is then safe to proceed in teaching the
child the most difficult feats.
In an interview on the stage at the
Grand the other afternoon Grandpa Nelson
told some of the interesting secrets of his
profession while awaiting the time for
himself and his big family TO perform.
you've got to train these children when
their bones are soft and plable," he said.
81 could make an acrobat out of that stage
hand"-and he pointed to a young man who
was shifting scene-"but he would be
spotted as an amateur. for his legs
was on his head and his back would have
| no give. He might learn horizontal bar
act at his present age. or a trapeze or a
| slackwire turn, but he could never be
nodded into a real acrobat The real aero
| bat is like the real violinist-he's made
while he's young and timber. Do my folks
like the work? They love 1t, and that's
the honest truth. They can't help liking
/ drt0L hal Lipo
water. Acrobatics is in their blood
naturally enough, since there have been
four generations of acrobatic Nelson's. And
want to tell you that acrobatics is a good
| thing for everybody. All children should
! have some of it, all mon and women ought
to keep .limbered up If you people that
work with your heads would give your legs
q chance once in while you'd be far bet
ter for it, Look at me-over sixty years
and fresh and frisky as a two-year-old,
and never sick day in all my life.
| NOT ON A DIET
I'm some places where We have per-
! formed newspaper writer's, drawing upon
| their own imaginations. have published lit
tie stories about US in which they have told
the public that we are very careful re-
| garding what we eat and drink-that we
|
rubbish. pure and simple. We eat Just
what we want TO eat, and lots of it. We
are not grand opera tenors. and nothing
makes me so tired to have people ask
me what sort of scheduled foods and LIQUIDS
/ form daily repasts. From myself down
| to little Rosina there We are the champion
| eaters as well the champion acrooats"-
and a merry twinkle came into GRANDPA
| Nelson's eyes-"and don't know but what
Rosina is the biggest eater OF US all. And
drink-welI. I'll tell you the truth. We
drink whatever and whenever we want to.
and. while none of US are tippiers, o. course.
we men OF the family d.nk our beer and
wine and smoke our big black cigars with
out thought as TO any pos ible harm that
may come OF such indulgences
THE children get their learning in the
mornings. We older folks of the family
compel them to study without sruffing their
young heads too full of useless knowledge
| We don't want them TO be great scholars
but we do want each OF them to acquire
good commonplace education. and we
keep them busy at their reading. writing.