The World from New York, New York • Page 62

SUNDAY, JANU4RY 9, 1898. SHE HANGS BY HER IN MID-AIR. Charmion, Trapeze Artist, Performs Before the Sunday World's Camera, EHJOYS A LIFE OF DANGKR. HKRK are many young women who can fly I through space clinging to a trapeze, but there ntv few who can suspend themselves In dangeru.is and difficult positions long enough to be photographed. Charmion, the little trapeze artiste, lias accomplice.) ihls ditllcult feat, find has given a series of Inten'stlMK pictures for the Sunday World.

To svvlnK from one's toes Is quite an every-day affair, but to hang by the heels, and one heel at that, on a swiftly moving trapeze is quite another story. Examination of Charmlon's shoe proves conclusively that she uses none of the devices that many performers place In the heel to aid In getting a llrm grip, She hangs by the heel Itself, and Iho act Is a most noteworthy one. The "arm-roller" net Is the hardest and most trying known to aerial artists. It Is almost Impossible photograph It, as the body Is In constant motion. The Body Is twisted around the arm as the performer suspends herself by one hand.

The body rotates until the difficult poise Is obtained. Miss Charmion has the most fascinating way of tying her lltho body Into what she calls "a true lover's SOME CONSPICUOUS NOVELTIES IN MIDWINTER PARISIAN LINGERIE. CAMBRIC AND VALENCIENNES. Charmion Is young anil pretty, but nevertheless is an advocate of drops reform. She never wears corsets, thinks skirts are "horriil," and when compelled to he clothed In conventional Karl) sighs for the freedom of MISS ELISE MERCUR, ARCHITECT.

(From .1 photograph taken for the Sunday WorM.) knot." Flying through mld-alr holding on by her toea Iho young woman swings one foot free, double! herself up, wraps her arms about her legs and turns and smiles In winsome fashion at her audience, just as If it were the easiest thing In the world. her tights. She Is enthusiastic over her profession and thinks no sacrifice Is too great If It advances her In her art. Her dally routine of practice Is her recreation. Sh dresses as carefully for It as If preparing to face an FOR A PLUMP FIGURE.

A DAINTY PARISIAN HOUSE-GOWN. uultunco. It Is then that she appears Hko a happy hlld, Hinging blithely as she swings on high, or descending to turn a Cow handsprings or back flomer- xaultH, pannes to extemporize a little dance, It Is all fun and frolic to her. She refuses to acknowledge that the life la onu of hardship. But Charmion not yet twenty, and the world eated her very kindly.

JANUARY LINGERIE. ANUARY IB a month which never falls to reawaken tho Interest In pretty underwear which may have been dormant since the summer min- snino panned away. Tills year the combinations of cambric and laco which tho Importers are exhibiting are more than usually artistic, ae Is Indicated by the Illustrations on this page, Three garments have been selected from a partlcu larly beautiful display made a few days since by a specialist In unique underwear, and those are representative of the season's styles, One of the daintiest pieces is a chcmlsu of fine cambric with a deep yoko of Valenciennes lace. Tho flufflnoss ot this Is balanced by the smooth plainness of the un der-bodlce, which will not be affected by slcndet women. Tho latter garment Is made up of vertical alternating lines of laco and linen, The dimity hotisorobe, also pictured In tho Illustra.

lion is ono of tho most graceful In cut that has appeared this year. It IB an exact model of ono recently mude for a famous Parisian society woman. tho Pennsylvania. State 8u. PITTSBURG'S WOMAN ARCHITECT.

YOUNO woman who draws plans for large bullrt- IY Ings, oversees tho work of builders and gets as much money for her efforts as a man Is Miss Ellso Mercur, of Plttsburg. She comes from a. prominent Pennsylvania family, being niece of former Chief Justice Merou promo Court, Miss Mercur distinction of being the only woman architect of MiicSilnonco In tho country. She designed tho at tho Atlanta Expo- orklng on a (00,000 addition Female Seminary. She planned St.

Paul's Jtplscopal Church, Plttsburg; St. Martin's Episcopal Church at Johnsonburg, and altlon, and Is at pn to the Washington also designed tho children's building at tho now I'Hts- burg City poor farm. To a representative of The World Miss Mercur said she "broke Into" tho architectural business by flrst work, overseeing and Inspecting the laying ot foundations, erecting buildings, It Is her custom when employed on a building to engage living quarters In tho Immediate vicinity and stay there during the progress of the work, As soon as the workmen on the building begin their labors Miss Mercur Is on hand and personally sees almost every nail driven Into tho structure. In this way she acquires practical knowledge possessed by few male architects. Miss Mercur Is a specialist on heating, plumbing and ventilation.

On this subject she delivered a lecture before the Pratt Institute In Brooklyn last winter. 8he frequently lectures before the Civic, Twentieth Century and other women's clubs of Plttsburg, trying to make women realize the Importance of ventilation. If the women understand this science, she says, they will teach It to the men. Miss Mercur has offices In the Times nulldlng, Plttsburg, and employs three draughtsmen. She snlil: "I seemed to take naturally to the business.

With my brothers I was educated abroad. After my father had lost a fortune and died I decided I would not be a burden on my brothers, and struck out for myself. I have all tho work I can do. For doing men's work I always Insist upon getting men's prices. I never accept an assignment for less than 6 per cent.

I never have any trouble. Contractors who have worked under mo know that I won't stand any 'monkeying' and do not try to fool mo with poor material, careless work, While I am willing to do what Is right, I generally make them live up to the specifications, any work done Improperly has to bo gone over agnln. Women, you know, arc harder to please than men, and this Is tho reason, I think, I find contractors exerting themselves to please me. They know I will not pass their work unless It Is done properly." Miss Clara Meade, of Chicago, has the contract for tho erection of tho female seminary 'addition at Washington. She personally directs the work of her men on tho building.

It Is an odd sight to see Miss Mercur and Miss Meade on tho top of tho building, one superintending and the other overseeing. In most of tho larger cities women arc rapidly be- coming'Interested In tho study of architecture, and Miss Mercur Is probably a pioneer In a lino where many will soon follow her. Any architect will admit MRS. MARIE BUCKMAK, EGYPTOLOGIST. (See article on opposite page.) becoming a draughtsman or draughtswoman.

had always a taste for mathematics and liked draw- Ing so well that after being in the ofllce of a prominent Plttsburg architect' for a year she was promoted to tho position of foreman. She then went out on that his profession Is ono particularly well suited to wcmen, In that it affords scope, for clever mental work and hides the disagreeable sides of life. And any clever woman Is very naturally attracted by the Idea of planning buildings that shall bo a memorial to her name. OHARMION, THE GIRL TRAPEZE ARTIST, PERFORMS HER MOST WONDERFUL FEATS' FOR THE SUNDAY WORLD, IN REPOSE-OBSERVE HI'R MUSCLES. SUPPORTING HER WWQBT BY QNB HEEL,.