The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-04-26

forward 70 Retiirg marr,co, Ahu thss WV
hundred and t~enty-ave dollars . wetf
sss making the nest-esx grow.
n was one of the Feature Acts furnish.
I'd By tho Fersri Brothers 10 street fairs,
esrnivals and the Ike. and hsd stepped
| from construction boss TO performer ons
day by iskine the place OF an ipdisposec
athlete At an hours notice, and lesplng the
ssp.successfuliy on his bicycle without
apy previous rehearsal, wss Al onee put
on as regular performer with the com
psny.
aMy work did not seem so very terrible
to me. with the bands playing and with
the thousands Of happy spectators looking
on, It was rather pleasant than otherwise
10 climb to the top of tho high platform,
dressed 10 my gay costume, and at the
word, come hurtlIng down the steep run,
and then up and out through the air like >
bird.
\ "All that seemed 10 be required WAS to
be absolutely sure that the apparatus was
pot up strong and perfectly true, and that
tse gap was Of exactly the correct width.
Minc was precisely twenty-eight feet and
four inches. always superintended the
erection OF everything myself, and irued
very part up with the utmost care.
"Ia the act itself, It required only strong
hands and arms to keep the bicycle steady
and straight down the run, aud to lean
back little aud give strong up pull on
| he handle.bsr when we took of for the
Jump, 60 that the machine would surely
strike on the rear wheel on the other side
to prevent the shock which would throw
me headlong II the front. wheel should
strike first, or even at the same instant.
YAH summer long had enjoyed the
work, and | often wondered that they
,hould pay me go much for such simple
ding. Even when the performer who
.oopsd the-loop' on bicycle In another
cart Of the grounds fell and was crippled
for life, 1 ascribed 1t to the fact that bis
neslth Was not very good, and that be
sometimes resorted to stimulants to help
him through his act; and his misfortune
did not render me at all nervous regarding
ny own work.
at WAS the last day Of the carnival at
Grand Greek. We had had most success
ful week, and on the closing night 1t was
estimated that not less than fifteen thous-
and people crowded the grounds. The
ast OF my four rides for the day was
.cheduled for eleven O'Clock at night, and
sas to be the closing feature.
Promptly at five minutes OF eleven !
climbed to the platform, and my bicycle
WAS sent up to me by rope and pulley. 1t
was heavy, dark night, but the thous-
ands Of electric lights made the grounds
almost as light as day. Little lamps were
strung thickly all down the run, and the
skeleton framework Of my tower and
trestIes was outlined with them.
"A ftful, eddying wind had come up,
which roared dismslly through the tim
bers. 1t swayed the big framework some
what, but not enough to trouble me.
"Tne people had come crowding to my
portion Of the grounds, and as ! gazed
down at their upturnsd faces, massed so
thickly together below me, the sight was
weird one under the electric lights.
"Strsieht ahead Of me lay the narrow
run, with its broad stripe down the center
o aid me In steering, then the saucer as
1t was called, at the bottom, where the run
turned up toward the take-off,' then the
vide gap and the farther platform, with
it's even wider guiding stripe OF white.
81 gave the bic vcle quick examination,
stood up straight and made the little pos.
ing flourish which Is expected Of all sth-
Ietes, fixed my bicycle on the run, and
seated myself firmly. The official an.
nouncer below raised his hand. The band
stopped playing, and there was that
bresthless hush Of apprehension and cx-
pe ct alton which is so carefully worked up
for sensational acts.
IAN ready p shouted the announcer.
"Risht J" ! responded.
| "Go y
1.-THE snare-drummer Of the band struck
into the long roll with which he always
accompanied my fights. Instantly re-
moved the restraining foot which l had
kept upon the platform, placed II upon the
locked pedal, and shot rapidly down the
Incline.
"At that instant every electric light In
tn, city OF Grand Creek went out
ut WAS a darkness doubly dense AND
awful sfter the brilliancv Of the moment
before. Perfectly helpless, | was plung-
Ing down steep, nrrrow iDcline TOWARD
probable death. II the wheel swerved bui
little to the right or left should sweep
over the edge and be dashed to pieces on
the ground below.
"My bicycle, rushing down the incline,
travelled at the rate Of fity miles an hour
Sometimes now awake at night with q
gasp OF horror from having lived over
chose awful moments, but At the time nv
thoughts we're cool and collected.
at oil depends on you, Jack, my boy
told myself. You can't be smashed any
harder for keeping your head
81 knew that the wheel Was absolutely
straight for the jamp when | started, and
srA.ping the handles, bent every effort
toward keeping the wheel perfectly rigid
Down | rushed through the darkness, and
20 strange was the sensation that Il almost
seemed a. II the Wheel bad lift the run and
vas ssiiipg through the air. The ipsst
seemed doubly terrific. Even II kept th'
run, could hold tho wheel for the jump
and what then
"rhs saucer came slmost before ! e1
pected IL. In splts Of ms,elf ! must hav'
given . spasmodlc twist 10 the handles, fo
he wheel twisted 10 my hands and swerv