The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-09-15

Chief He rested few minutes and
taoa molioned = me 10 make ready.
Among our parapheraaIia was =
strong. l.si.t whccl5arrow with = tire
2roc.ci to fit the rope. I BEGAN 10
feel little shahy; but there was No
! time TO iat.u.se this erlotIon. for nv
II employer exclaimed: All aboard NV
%, and remember, a stiff upper lin
! 4 sealed myself, facing forward my
! FEET dangling On each side Of the
wheel. Sisnor i.u.ini stopped srip2ed
&c handles.
Sit steady he said. Don't wink
che eye unless you wink the other at
ihe same time
He ran me few turns around the
sraveled surface, then ficked the
| wheel dexterously up on the rope and
headed straight for the edge
Keep perfectly STILL he adiurcd
me. and you're as safe as you'd be on
the street
For all my assumption of GOODNESS
| was frightened half out Of my wits.
| shut my eyes for moment. and
when | opened them we were fairly out
on the tremulous hemp
Don't look down. cautioned the
s:snGr. Face straight forward. Sit
tSht.
Hardly daring to breathe, I stiff
fened myself as if | were in a p,as+e~
cast. ! could see the narrow line lust
ahead buckle slightly at the approach
= the wheel. How long that two hun
Gred feet seemed,
Slowly, surely, we drew near the
roof. The tire jolted against the cor
nice. In two or three seconds we were
safely ON the gravel. Then the band
n'ared out ard the crowds set off ex-
Iiosiyes. My fricat was over, and I
ta.- p'nud as a peacock.
On the trip back my employer made
RE sit facing him, and | had a good
chance TO admire the easy. effortIess
play OF his Why muscles He was a
thorough symnast, a man of steel and
lrdia-rubber. After several o. her trips
during which occupied different posi-
lions on the barrow, we went back to
the hotel.
Promptly at eight we emerged again
through the scuttle. crowd bigger
than that of the afternoon had gather
ed, and roar Of applause greeted us
| say u.s. fer by this time I felt
myself to be almost as important as
Sisncr Lupini. My head was complete
ly turned
The evening performance possessed
certain novel features. Tin pans of
red fire stood on each cornice, and
along the hridge-rails had been sta
toned haif-dozen boys literally sup
piled with rockets and Roman candles.
The master Of ceremonies fred an
introducing yoliey with his revolver.
Light up, Jimmy he shouted to
his associate across the river, at the f..
same time touching a match to the
pan beside him. Jimmy cbeyed
flashing from the mill windows and re-
vealinS the human clusters on bridges I
and banks.
AS in the afternoon. Sicnor Lupini /
began with few featS rerfCrmed .
alone, the blaze Of fireworks making I
MS spangled tights glitter | waited !
mpatently for our dual performance,
.hlrstlng for some OF the applause.
Finally my turn came and the signor
wheeled me back and forth several
lines. So great was my confidence in
lin that l had forgotten my nervous
less.
AT last nine o'clock was near.
Now. my boy said my employer.
we'll wind up with something | don't
ry very often. l see you have got
,rit.'
He screwed to the barrow sides a
light strong chair of steel, its seat
ard in air. After helping me into
his, he passed be a longhandlel Fan
4 red fire. We were to close in a
!aZe of glory. Keep COOL, said he.
md We'll give 'em something to look
t.
He trundled me up to the cornice.
is assistant dropped lighted lucifer
lto the pan. and we moved out on the
Ope amid the crimson glare and the
'hizzing of rockets The crowd yelled
nd one Of the boys setting off fire
'orks from the lower bridge lost his
cad
"Whi-s-s-sh. A badly aimed rocket
lot not five feet over our heads. show
ring us with sparks A little lower
nd it would have dashed us from the
)pe. Signor Lupini drew a quick
reath. l cringed in my steel chair, |
ut still kept tight hold Of the pan
andle. r." sudden fright set my !
eth chat,c4 :. My employer noticed l
y trepidation. {