Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-29
DAILY SHORT STORY
LOOPING THE LOOP.
fOriginaI.1

People has got used to my rid m
round the stage on my head on my
bike. and the manager tole me last
night that next week L was to git out
That set me To thinkinr. and I've just
hit on sumepin better. I'm -oin' To
shoot down an incline. up "A loop. cross
a break. I'D another incline and across
another break and off the stage
LA sakes, Nan; Yell break yer
neck
You bet I.won't."
The next week the billposters were
putting up banning pictures of Mile
Yvonne PascOnnu. recently from Paris.
double looping the loop. Tive perform
ance was TO take place at the same
theater where Fanny Anderson. alias
Nan Brennan. had been performing her
astonishing bicycle feats. which We're
now to he outdone by the airing Nile
Pasconnu.
The small boys looked ut the pic
lures and began TO save II feir pennies
for n gallery admission. Mem wondered
IL the feat weSe TO be dore without a
net: women declared the performance
vulgar. but wanted To see il. On
the night of'the first performances long
before the curtain rose Standing
Room Only" placards were put up. and
there was very little OF that. The audi
ence waited iInpatiently: while the 9th
er varieties were gone through with.
and when the last, the double looping
the loop by Mile. NvCEue Pasconnu
came round. the house was on the tip
toe OF expectation. The curtnin was
down for 4 quarter OF an hour. and be-
hind IL the moving OF frames and the
pounding Of hammers could be dis
tinctly heard. Then, after tire orches-
ira had exhausted itself. the curtain
was pulled up and revealed The struc-
ture ON which tie feat of the evening
was TO lie performed.
When NADER loiselle came ON the
stage. there WITS deafening applause
Fanny Anderson had worn her own
Irish red hair and white and rose COM
plexion without the freckles--b but
Mile. Yvonue PHsconnu's hair was n
raven black. anc. her complexion was
OF an olive tint. As she came tripping
forward in her tight costume not one
OF the audience Sc W in the little French
HlTl WIFI IL DTluSdi HOSt TIE lTiSH 4 all
ny Anderson with her nasal pug. Aft
er bowling 10 several rounds of ap-
plause mademoiselle approa ched Il sill
yer mounted bicycle. with al glittering
jewel in each end OF the handle bar.
leaning against q wing. and inspected it
carefully: then. going TO the foot of the
loop structure. she walked slowly up it,
testing it at different points. picking up
nutshell. bit G wood. IL piece OF
rope. and throwing them down on the
stage.
While this was going on a super took
the wheel off the stage. Mademoiselle
after walking through the loop and
looking up 1T each of the two breaks
or intervals. as if wondering if it would
be possible TO shoot them in safety. |
stood on Il platform high above the !
stage and made 1 farewell bow: then |
she disappeared through door, and |
the audience waited breathlessly. every |
eve fixed on n door above leading on TO |
the loop.
The orchestra had been playing dur |
ing the inspection. bot ceased as soon |
as madcmoiselle disappeared. During |
the three minutes that elapsed between |
her disappearance and the opening of |
the door leading on 10 the loop there |
was not a word spoken In the audience. |
Suddenly mademoiseile on her bicy-
Gle shot out and descended the first |
incline of the loop. The audience had
to see her figure rounded
down 10 the hazardous work; but.
though she moved so rapidly that they
could not follow her distinctly, she
70 Sfs
TO forces beyond her con-
troll was far safer than any effort on
her part.
When she had passed the first break
in safety there was a sigh OF relief in
the audience. The second break was
and the radius OF the loop less.
She passed 1t and in n twinkling shot
of the stage.
Then there were terrific burst of
applause and an encore. After a long
interval mademoiselle came out. bow
ed. disappeared and in n few minutes
again. seated on her wheel. burst into
view.
There was no diminution to the thrill
which had pervaded the audience at
the first trial. Again mademoiselle sat
her wheel as IL resigned TO whatever
her fate might be and committing her
self to- force. She safely passed the
first loop. and with slightly diminish
Ing speed came to the second. This
time the fore wheel struck against the
woodwork on the other side OF the
break and mademoiselle. head down,
fell to- the bottom OF the loop.
\ thrill OF horror ran through the
audience. Before the result of the &C
cident could he determined the curtain
was rung down. Women tainted. men
shuddered. while some left the theater
not caring TO hear the
that mademoiselle had
been killed outright. In few min
utes the manager stepped before the
curtain and announced that the wonder
n agility had fallen on her hands and
feet and was but slightly injured and
would repeat the performance the next