"How was that for High?"

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 171, 18 February 1873, Page 7

"How was that for High?"

The Newliaven Palladium describes the performance of Miss Leona Dore, a Connecticut circus woman, who from being a humble performer under the tent has risen to remarkable experience as an aeronaut. She has lately been thrilling the people of the West by trapeze performances while suspended from a balloon. One of these entertainments at Indianopalis is thus set forth:—"The ballon was inflated, and at a quarter to eight was cut loose ; and the fine-formed Leona in circus clothes, dangling down from the trapeze bar, holding in her teeth a strap which encircled the waist of Tommy Hall, a companion for her firat voyage in the air, left terra firma. Everything was as still as death, and it was observed that Hall weakened a little, but the plucky " Queen of Antilles," Leona, was perfectly cool. Just as soon as they left the earth, Leona commenced spinning Hall round until it made him giddy. After this perfoi'mance, and when about 300 feet in the air, they commenced their high-falutin' performance, known in show language as the double trapeze. They performed all the difficult and hazardous feats at an altitude of about a mile, with the same reckless daring that characterises their performance under the pavilion, where, if they were to tumble, their fall would not exceed thirty feet. Up, up they went, until they were scarcely larger than a person's hand, and when looked at through a glass provided for the occasion, it was seen they had climbed upon their trapeze car, and were apparently enjoying a UU-d-Ute while resting from their exciting and perilous exercises. The balloon descended very rapidly, and landed about half a mile from their starting point, in an open field, and a party rode up in time to witness their alighting. Hall was silent and sober, while Leona, laughing, said to Warner : —" How was that for high ?"