The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-13

Long ago | had put the "P. A." OF
notice that whenever there was
chance for me to have an "interview'
with one of those remarkable "acro
batie' acts. he was to let me know.
I've always been crazy to ask a "tricl
cyclist' how they did it on one wheel
and question the wire walker abou
balancing high up in the air, and t,
have one of those nimble jointed, sup.
pie, snaky acrobats in pink tights anc
spangles. tell me Just how it hap
pened."
If you will wait long enough I've dis.
covered everything comes your way
SO my chance arrived yesterday wher
was told that the cleverest woman
who has been seen on the boards IL
Birmingham in many days in her par.
titular line was round at the Orpheum
this week.
L went.
/ found Queenie Dunedin. of the ia
nous Dunedin troupe of trick cyclists
wire walkers. acrobats and all round
athletes, waiting for me just after the
matinee yesterday.
Miss Dunedin is quite English-not a
'Londoner." but up-state-Middles
borough, Yorkshire, IL you please, and
proud of 1t.
She's clever too, let me tell you
off, the stage as well as "on.''
Bright. vivacious, pretty, young and
full of enthusiasm-she's like a raw OF
sunshine on a June day-and you're
oil =
with her because she tells you that life
means a whole lot to her and her worl,
is the best part of it all.
You'll know her when you go to see
the "act" by my description, I'm sure.
There's a man and three girls in the
"act."
She's not either of the two-but the
other one.
Now
Is she properly introduced?
Learning a profession in England. -
said Miss Dunedin, 'is very different
from learning it in America. There we
serve an apprenticeship and when your
governor has got through with you,
If you don't know a thing or two ii
lSH MS Iault.
Governor" I repeated, "and who is
he?"
why, that's the man you're ap-
prenticed to- said she laughing al
my seeming ignorance of the subject
That's where you Americans get the
slang phrase, My governor when a
fellow talks about his dad I've got
tho in ba
James L. Dunedin. He travels with us
and sees the performance from the
back of the theatre some time"
"You are not still under apprentice
ship?' l questioned.
mo" said Miss Dunedin, 'Tll tell
you the sad, sad story of my life il
you want me to-"
That's what I came for" told her
when | was kid about 10 years
old-Pm only "a now,"-she smiled he1
pretty smile. "Yes. "a, could pass
they tell me for 18 or 90, but I'm like
George Washington. + cannot tell a lie
My father died and left my mother
with seven little girls to take care of
OF course We had to hustle about a:
all the money we once had--and we
had lot. too-somehow got away from
us, and one day I heard that Mr.. Don
to train for acrobatic work. l applied
and was accepted. Before you could
say Jack Robinson the papers for sever
years apprenticeship were all drawr
up and signed and left with Mr. Don
egin. bound by a seven years contract
which meant hard work and much OF
1T before I could get any great amount
OF pay. OF course l was to be fed and
clothed and with a small salary /,
amounted to about rs cents of you,
money, which L got at the end of sew.
eral months. Fifty cents of this I sen,
home to my mother and you can i'm
a2ine the hilarious time 1 had on Tho
other 20. Not much. believe me-"
And when did the real stage work be-
gin?'' l asked.
Mr. Donegan had me riding bicycl,
i'll 20 minutes after | became his pupil,
said Miss Dunedin. ''Oh, he's a wonder
the greatest trainer and all round ath
lete ever knew, and as good as golt
to his people. Then, my acrobatic train
Ing began, and that is the hardest of all
Standing on your head and walking OF
your hands, legs f1ip-fopping and every
| muscle being developed at the same time
OF course, one gets into magnificent
physical condition. and with a good ttitol
there's no reason why anybody shouldn
be a good athlete, If they begin youns
enough
when YOU were learning the wir'
walking, for instance, were you no
afraid?" I questioned curiously.
Never bit." said Miss Dunedin. 'I
I was over afraid the jig would be III
good and proper. l am particularly un
afraid when I'm before my audience.
do things. risk things, dare things. whei
the music is playing and the lights ar
flashing and the people are applauding tha
7 wouldn't think of doing when I'm mere
| ly practicing.'
How is the wire walking taught?"
asked.