The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-04-14
BL0ND|N At NIAGARA.
His Famous Walk on a Slack
Rope Over the Cataract.
WITH A MAN UPON HIS BACK.
The Sensations Of Henry N. coleord,
Who Was Perehed on the Aerobsts
Body, ss Described by Himself--Ths
Severed Guy Rope Incident.

old age In 1897, performed feats that
no other man has ever dared emulate.
There are few things I'm the way ~
daring that some one will not repeat.
but Blondln was the cleverest as well
as the most venturesome Of his pro-
fession. His feats were tasks too
great for the skill as well ns the cour-
age Of his imitators.
Blondn's great trip over Niagara
falls In 1859 was the most startling
sensation OF that time. thing talked
Of for n generation afte-ward. II was
witnessed by n crowd Df thousands.
The present king Of England, then
Prince OF Wales, saw Blondm while
on his tour through the United States.
He once declared that the sight OF
Blondln crossing the falls on II sway
ing rope made a greater impression
upon him than any incident Of his
journey.
Though Blondin crossed on the rope
several times, his greatest exploit was
when he carried over on his back an.
other man. TO the spectators, unused
TO the ncrobats feats, It seemed Inn
possible for him 20 keep his s~aylng
footing with the burden on his back.
Large sums were laid that he would
fail Blondin's own feeling. however.
was one OF complete confidence.
But the feelings OF the man on his
back! That man had never walked n
slack rope, had never been suspended
Ia such dreadful position before, and
he had to depend for his safety abso-
lutely on the movements Of another.
Many years afterward this man, Hen
~ VI. Colcord OF Chicago. gave an ac-
count OF his experience ia newspa-
per.
"You ask what 1t feels like 20 he
twelve hundred feet In midair over Il
ringing torrent" he said. Il cannot
describe It better than by saying that
the first sensation was an overwhelm-
ing one, in which II was hard TO sepa-
rate awe from fear. Then there came
what may best be termed an absolute
| cessation of all feeling Before start
/ Ing from the shore Blondin gave me
| that injunction which almost every
mother has given TO the boy at her
knee when giving him his first lesson
In life.
"I.ook up, Harry" he said.
"My arms were about his neck, while
my legs were slung in hooks Mt his
waist. out we went over that horrible
gulf. heard the roar of the water
below and the hum which ran through
the crowd Of 100000 spectators. AS
we cleared the brink the hum ceased.
There was not one person perhaps In
that vast throng who did not feel a
greater strain than was ours.
Unable TO resist, stole one glance
down at the black waters. 1t seemed
for an instant as If | were poised
above the entire universe. There was
feeling of immenslty such as ! had
never felt before and have never felt
since. Then looked up.
"Blondin walked on steadily, pauslnG
for one brief moment at each point
where the guy ropes Joined the main
cable. The line was n trifie steadler
at those places and gave him n chance
TO assure himself of his balance. There
was n wide space in the middle Of the
rope to which II had not been possible
TO attach guy lines.
at the last resting place before We
= reached this slender, swaylng span
Blondin said to me:
"'IIarry. you are no longer Colcord
you are Blondin. Until | clear this
place be part of me, mind, body and
soul. II sway, sway with me. Do
not attempt TO do any balancing your
self. II you do, we shall both go dowr
to our death
IL had dismounted while he wa'
talking to me and stood with one foo
on the line and both hands on hi
shoulders. | climbed back into my
perch. and Blondln started across th'
unstable part of Tie line. had clear
ed my mind of all feeling save one.
tried TO think that instead of beinl
2 poised In mldair. with nothing but I
p manila rope between me and destruc
ton. | was shut up with Blondin In
a.. confined space where the thought of I
: fall was farcical.
"Blondln swung TO the right ant
then TO the left. Each time ! wen
with him as though we were molde'
= into one piece with immovable parts.
+ IL knew afterward that the line be
u, meath his feet was swaylng horribl.
, and that to the people on the shore
: seemed that time and again our bodie
were parallel to the rushing Magyar
e rapids below. Blondin's marvelou
i skill. however. and the precision wit
k which he manipulated his pole brough
3 us each time TO the upright
L "The unprotected center was passed
all but a few feet. Blondin was no'
running Just as a boy runs in orde
the better to keep his balance whe
walking n railroad track. We wer
p nearing the point where the Joinln
!" place of the first guy line from III
, opposite shore offered us a moment
a breathing space. Blondin's foot wa
10 planted on the knot which Joined Il
C. lines.
At "My breath came naturally agall