Samson was still dissatisfied, and I made the offer that if either he or his pupil, Cyclops, could repeat my performance with a dumb-bell which I had at hand, we would declare the result a draw, and he could keep his £1,000. The dumb-bell, which was then brought on to the stage, weighed 280lbs. With one hand I lifted it up, then laid down, and finally stood up with it. After that feat I fastened some chains round my arms, then took a dumb-bell weighing 220lbs., raised it to my chest and burst the chains before releasing it.
“I have had enough of this,” now exclaimed Samson. “It’s all humbug, I don’t call this fair play at all.”
The judges, however, were sufficiently satisfied, and Mr. Fleming asked for the £1,000. The reply was that it should be paid in the morning, but it remains to be added that I never received that £1,000. It was stated that Samson had taken his money away, and in the end I agreed to accept £350 from the management of the Aquarium in settlement of the challenge.
When we left the Aquarium after the contest the great crowd followed us cheering, and the four-wheeled cab into which we got, was lifted up by these enthusiasts. The crowd cheered us all the way to my rooms in Leicester-square; newspaper men poured in to interview me; and though I had then no intention of giving performances in public, I was induced to accept one of numerous offers, of £150 a week, made by a syndicate of the members of the Lyric Club, and I commenced an engagement at the Alhambra, giving Mr. Attila £30 a week to assist me.
I spent three months at the Alhambra, and three months in the provinces, and entered into engagements for some years to come.
The reader will probably ask if special means were adopted during this and succeeding engagements to maintain my strength. The answer is very simple: The performance itself provides the necessary amount of daily training. I eat, drink, smoke, and sleep quite in the ordinary way, taking care to observe in all things that guiding rule of moderation to which reference is made in the preceding chapter. I only practice, in order that grace and perfection may be attained, when some new feat is introduced. Personally it may be added, I find that the best time for a performance is about three hours after a meal.