The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-27

ment. and began 10 be more commonly
housed under wood roof, the gymnast
developed from a ''rOugh-and-Ieady"
into an elegant parsonage. Whereas
his predecessor n the "tenting" and
open-air times had been content 10 re-
ceive stray coppers, 20 trudge from
town 10 town with his traps" on his
back. 10 be buffeted by police and
paIochidl beadles, and lec.ured by self
sufficient justices, the modern arJiste-
what a pervading favor OF mOdeTnity
attaches 10 the word 'artiSte,"-re-
ceives untold gold. LeOtard q; the Al
hambra had ei00 a week, and only
few weeks ago SeVerus Schaffer
German performer, was paid ESQ
week there. And YET neither, IN h
degree, accomplished anything more
extraordinary than the tramping show
man with the donkey and the ladder.
making his way from fair to fair, from
races to races. Henry Johnson was
born before his time, so far as securing
plenty of money was concerned. Since
his youth, the gymnast has blOssomed
into yeritable per sonage." He is a
mass OF lace and six and spangle2,
whereas his brother was. perfOrce,f con-
tent with cotton tig,Ss and humble
fare. No matter what he might do, his
deeds obtained no dignity OF notice in
a single newspaper, and many of the
older gymnasts never saw their names
in prin.. They were philosOphically
resigned TO their relegation to an n
ferior social stratum. and If fate de-
creed that there should be no beef for
dinner, they made the best of bread.
Yet II must not be forge ten that
even In such long life as that Of Hen
ry johnson the gymnast and the circus
rider have not cast off their old rowing
habits altogether. Here, on the con-
tinent, and in America, the travelling
and tent-ng shOws-frOm Ba mum Il
Bailey's Notwithstanding to tour
from year to year. Ii is the music hall
which has permanently lifted the gym
mast 10 better sta US and helped him
TO high salary. We hear that stars
are overpaid, and are gradually becom-
ing more exOrhitant. The lines are I'M
doubtedly fallen to them in pleasant
places, but II is compe ition procu es
for either the singer of the acrobat the
"b.g money" he demands. When we
see the amounts expended in salaries
today we are tempted to marvel how in
generations past so much was procured
for so little. Nine y years ago David
Roberts, the great Royal Academ' clan.
exercised his brilliant art in Edinburgh
by painting all the scenery and proper
ties for Bannlster's rcus. He received
rs shiilings o week for doing this and
for taking small parts in pantomimes!
When the circus came to grief the flu
ture Royal Academician once more
went back 10 house painting. Scenic
artists and gymnasts have evolved"
considerably since then, but the fun
damental principles of the gymnast's
art have not evolved al all. Two years
ago an American troupe al the Empire
amazed beholders by scaling a perfect
~ smoOth-faced high canvas wall
without any foothold. Audiences were
enthusiastic. and rightly so. Still. the
same thing was done in a Drury Lane
harlequinade l0j years ago. Truly, the
symnast is for all time, and there is
as little new under the sun today as
in that far-distantl per cd when Henry
Johnson, the gymnast Of Grantham,
first saw the light of q troubled world.