STARTED AS AN ACROBAT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 338, 30 January 1889, Page 5

STARTED AS AN ACROBAT.

"May I inquire what induced you to adopt this profession ?" , " Well, I was always fond of trying my Jjand at it from a youngster. And then I was thrown a good deal among- circus people. I guess you'll understand what that meant to a lad of my tastes. I got at last to the high trapeze work and wirewalking. Then it struck me there was an opening in the aeronaut line of business, and I calculated I'd try my luck at that. " " And where did you try your fii'3t * drop from the clouds ?' " " Ac San Franoisco, pretty nearly a year and a half ago. It was in the early part of 1887." " I suppose that caused no little excitement. Did the authorities try to stop you ?" "Coining down?" asked the Professor, with a quiet smile. "No. Going up." " Oh, yes. You see, -they didn't know it could be done- without long odds against my ever wanting a good square meal again. Their idea was that I should use a parachute in the first act and a coffin, -iir the second.. I knew a little more than they did, just then, for I had been practising in private, and had made a fairly accurate calculation of the chances. I went on with the performance, and got through it all right. The public was more disappointed than I was when I landed alive and well." " And how many times have you performed the feat since ?" *' Nine times in America. Last Saturday made my eleventh turn altogether."