Page 2 Advertisements Column 3

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 121, 12 May 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

police officers I cleared a space for tiie holders of the guy-ropes. "'Hold hard!'. I commanded, with the manager at my side, and the men wound the guy-ropes about their bodies, and leaned back their full weight, till the wire rope scarcely vibrated. "Montelle was now ready to go on the wire. On the hotel roof and that of the Opera House opposite were the few guests who had received special invitations. Below was the expectant mass of humanity. Montelle showed himself on the temporary platform built at the edge of the roof, pole in hand. A cheer went up, which he acknowledged with a bow. His muscles were set and under perfect control. "'Hold hard! Hold hardj all together and steady !' he shouted to the men holding the guy-rope. " The men laid to their work, and scarcely a tremor was felt on the wire as Montelle, with a smile, "started across. He reached the opposite side, and returned smilingly as he had started, while the crowd howled iteelf hoarse. "The distance is pretty long,'.he said, 'and the grade on ihfc.side greater than on the other. This building is about two feet higher than the Opera House.' ".Then he started across again with the hoops round his feet. He walked well, but I saw the wire shake onco or twice. He returned as he .had come. Then with a frowning face, he called : "'Hold harder on those ropes over there, you men, or give them to- people who can do it !' "Several stalwart negroes aided the rope-men, and the wire scarcely trembled. "Then Montelle donned the sock over his head, did the blindfold act, took the empty wheelbarrow across and back, and finally crossed and returned without his balancing-pole. "Now was to /come the supreme effort, and as I bathed his head and shoulders and arms with cold water brought to the roof for the purpose, my hands came nearer shaking than ever they had before or have Bince. The invited guests smiled in admiration of the strong man, and Stella came and brushed his hair into shape, saying that she was ready. ; " For ten minutes Montelle rested, while the manager, mounted on a waggon in the street below, made a speech relative to the extraordinary performance about to take place, and exhorting the people to maintain absolute silence, no matter what bappenedv-*~-He -represented »- the danger, and the people understood it. Montelle looked over the edge, jbut at tke*«ight of him |he pMiplfi barrow, which was made of light hickory wood, the handles being bent almost to a circle to insure a firm hold. The double-flanged wheel, with its rubber-covamS groove, revolved through a dofffl? he end of a hook-shaped, wrifflpAp iron tongue projecting forwardLrrom the barrose, so that even if the wheel run I off »c wire-ropey at . could not faU,.- though both: ; acrobats fell. If woulabe caught on the cable by the hoTjfe7arid~thß~ono holding handles, he could Bustairi'himself in a hang-; ing position until aid' came to him. 'Presence of mind is the fequisite in an ' acrobat, . arid Stella had been tauehVat the first wavering of the Tjorrow^to drbp from'*k^r I seat onto the cable'andcling^HllTOdreached her •' « Montelle seemed'^fluide of steel as'he grasped the ; grips of the barrow:' Tie 'leaned -'over, and kissed Stella, as he said : : ' " « All ready now, my darling.' '• " And the movements of his arms arid legs were as irresistible as the stroke of a locomotive piston rod. The guests looked on in silent awe, as he placed' the rubber-grooved wheel on the cable and balanced his pole. -...■■' " A hum of ' excitement arose from below. . >« ' Silence !' shouted the manager. 'Hard on die guy-ropes!' "Silence was below, and three thousand up-turned faces, and the cable was taut. "'Beady, Stella?' "« Yes, father.' " The muscles of the man swelled out, and stood like steel, and his daughter sat like a carven image in her seat; '-„■ "Down the linen-covered cable they started. Both smiled at the slight jar of the, first guy-rope. The grade was steep, and my heart stood in my: throat as I watched them. The .second; guy -was passed, the thirdj the fourth, the fifth. Would they ever get to the middle, where the strain was less ? Montelle mode a feint, as though falling, and I nearly screamed. All about me the people were silent in their wanton curiosity; I, vrhd carried my life in my handsi -every day, shuddered as I saw them in the centre of the cable. • . ," On he went, the splendid fellow, arid the middle was passed. The coble never wavered. Up the incline, post, guy-rope knots, until the opposite ; platform rwas reached, and Montelle lauded, his daughter safely on the roof.. ' "Then a great shout went up from the people, and I sat back in a camp-stool and was glad. Half the ordeal wasover. The crowd shouted itself hoarse. " Montelle rested for five minutes, arid then, with Stella in' her seat in the barrow, started bock. The clouds above. were now thick — no sunlight — and that was in his favour.. r " Down he came and reached the middle, and started on the up grade towards the hotel roof . f All was silence. The very air was ■ silent. On ' he ■ come slowly, balancing himself • with scarcely a movement of his pole. Stella looked at me arid smiled. They had started up the grade, when suddenly the wire-rope trembled. I looked down and saw each, man at his guy, strain- . ing himself to the utmost. No fault there. I stooped down and took hold of the cable. It shook in my hand. I arose again with a dread anxiety at my heart. '•They were, fifty feet from the •roof, and the grade was steep. Montelle was trying to get over a'guyJ ropo^knot. He' went back two stops,, and started again, , liut the wheels stuck. Bock again he went and returned, but could not bring the %fcfeel over tjfe -"g^adejf ' I was 'within flfiy-'leet ofTinT, and T could not