The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-09-15
ON A
TIGHT ROPE
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BY ALBERT W. ToLNAS.

s..AHA>&>>~ee<O >ee<~>>o~eo
a. .,r highest ambition at seventeen,
IL "a the linotype operator, was TO De
\ no ! professional acrobat. then
T. IA with nv parents on farm near
% !. manufacturing town Ct \. All my
Y s,o time was speat in vaul'lhs'
WING turning hardsrrings, ana
Y arising other teats OF strength ana
4 agility.
!. ~, rho Fourth of July travelling
! init rope performer, sisnor Lupihl Oh
Z rs-ona as the posters called him, vas
!. d,sn,ay his skill On rope above tie
4 .rfr that no%ed through tEe s1NA.
|. j arrived with two assistants On lhe
\ ,ernoon of July Cd, and a crowd OF
4 ms myself among them, met him at
I i. railroad station We saw a spare,
NV man, above the ordinary height
f,ht complexioned, with steely-blue
!. rs He looked us over inquirlngly.
BOYS said he, 4 need some young
allow to help me tomorrow. VINO
! -,rtc to he wheeled across the rope in
. barrow
AThe others hung back, but jumped
the chance. 4 do" | exclaimed,
mickly. He seemed pleased as he ran
lis eyes over me. | was OF medium
height, with good muscles.
"All right he said Come to the
Intel at seven and III tell you what's
nnted'
AT the stroke Of the hour | was on
hand, and he explained my duties.
nen he pulled ten-doilar bill from
lis pocket.
That's yours at nine tomorrow
tght if you do your work we'll, he
Md Now 60 home and sleep sound
H.
my parents were spending the
urth with cousins in a EeighbOriIg
nwn SO | was alone in the house.
vent to bed early, but until long after
midnight excitement kept me from
getting single wink
THE next day | was on hand bright
md early. helped stretch the rore
ktween two mill roofs, ran errands
nd made myself generally useful
When not busy hung about, watching
ny employer. He certainly was an
Tist In his line, man without braya-
~ either all nerves or none at all.
0eld not help thinking, too. that for
Italian he spoke English remarha-
ay we'll.
AT half past two a carriage took us
mm the hotel to the western mill.
We dressed in the loft The signor
nnned his tinsel-spangled tights.
lsured as clown in an old stovepipe
~ and white cotton suit, literally Ee-
pFlnkled with stars of red and green.
l@ same colors streaked my face. As |
y clambered through the scuttle, the !
d0Wds lining the bridges and banks
up shout, and the town band on
" other mill began playing The Star
sRngled Banner
Snarp at three o'clock the music /
a9pped The assistant on our roof ad-
.aeed to the edge. fired six blank cart
es from a self-cocking revolver,
- shouted this magniloquent an
.aacement through a megaphone:
Aadies and gentlemen, the cele-
ss'ea Signor Lupini will now illus
.se MS art, assisted by Rinoldo No
tne famous clown, recently Sc
~ .u from the London hippodrome,
es and gentlemen, at great trouble
" expense '
"u'sties and catcalls from the boys
sleeted this absurd reference to
qua felt rather foolish. Signor
an stepped briskly forward, bow
MS audience, and was soon
asnading along the spidery line
en the two cornices. Aided by a
balancing pole he stood on one
n knelt, lay down, walked across
au'oided and performed manv other
'eious feats. His perfect control
1--WE and muscle fascinated me.
~ ~ realize that his facility came
years OF toilsome practice. Here
e calling for me. l resolved to
49, rope the very next day be-
eeu the beams over the hay NOW
ns the signor's exhibition the ,
u was very quiet, and the band
80 play. II was only when he was