THE OMAHA BAIfrY BEE : StWoAY , JUNE 9 , 1895. 11
THE GRAY RABBIT.
Rare Shooting with Bow and Arrow In the
Thickets of Indiana.
( Copyright , 1M3 , by Mniirlce Thominon. )
You remember , no doubt , what I told yoi
about the eklll with which certain birds am
tour-footed animals baffle the sportsman' :
vision and render themselves almost undl *
covcrable , even In comparatively open ground
ttlll , It may be somewhat unexpected whei
I say that a hare can perform this sain
trick In the snow , and that , too , wlthou
covering Itself up or really hiding Itself a
oil. U Is this trick ot the hare , or to us
the popular name , gray rabbit , which add
a keen delight to hunting It In winter , whei
a fresh fall of enow has \\hltencd the field
and woods.
Some years ago Will and I were spcndln
a part ot the winter season at an Isolate
farm house In Indiana. The building stoo
near the center of a Inrgo and somewha
neglected estate , where thickets ot brush
wood and pasture fields grown over wit
patches of blackberry briers afforded just th
sort of cover attractive to hares. Our ho ;
was a whole-souled man , who had but latel
purchased the place , and he was already be
nlnnlng vigorously to overhaul nnl clean 1
up ; Inde d , It was his operations as a tld
and progressive farmer that called our al
tcntlon to the almost Innumerable hare :
Kvcry thicket he destroyed disturbed thei
and they were seen scudding forth out c
brush tangles and brier clumps when tl :
laborers , \ent to work with scythe and a :
Of course we could not let slip such n chain
as this , so we went for our archery tackl
which was boxed up In a distant town.
Meantime a fall of about three Inches c
snow was followed by zero weather with
clear sky and a whistling northwest wlm
Nothing rould have suited us better than th
Btato of things ; for eomchow or other hai
ehootlng never goes off happily unless tl
weather Is cold , and yet It la very dlfflcu
They wrre jecn scudillng forth out of brt
tangles and bilar clumps.
to handle bows and arrows with accura
when your eyes are stinging , your cars si
and your fingers numb , to say nothing
your nose.
Wo were up and out before sunrise on t
first morning after our bows arrived , no mi
ter If the air was gray with frost crysta
Under our feet the snow crunched a
squeaked , as It always does when the th
mometer reminds It of Its duty , and t
farmer's cattle looked at us forlornly as
they blamed us for winter's pinching me ;
ness. But what we wanted to know v
whether or not the hares had run durl
th * night just past ; for It they had we slioi
bt sure to get some shooting , and our fl
move was toward the thickets to see If thi
were any fresh tracks In the snow.
A hare has four good feet , but Its trac
form a triangle , as If It were three-legs
nnd by this form the hunter never falls
know at a glance the footprints of "Br
Habblt" from those ot every other anlm
Wo soon found plenty of them on the m ;
Kin of a buttonwood thicket , and each of
had quickly chosen ono to follow.
You might Imagine It a very easy perfor
ance to track a hare In the snow and find
sitting , or rather crouching , in Us bed I
you have much to learn before you can
this simple thing. When a hare runs
nlono you may follow It In open grot
without much trouble. This , however ,
very rarely does. As a rule the track \
lead to other tracks and get all mixed
with them , so that you must be an exp
to keep right. At the same time , Instead
running In the open ground , as an acconu
dating hare should , , the frisky game choo
to go through every patch of briers and I
and around everyxtuft of old weeds and t
gled vines that It can find. Sometimes
tracks will suddenly como to an end. H
U the last one. You look In vain for
other.
But where Is your hare ? Surely ho m
bo at the end ot his run. With search
Bazo you cover every Inch of snow for ya
around. Not n track or a sign. It leas
as If the hare might have evaporated on
spot ; or mayhap he suddenly eproutedvl
and flew away ! But while you are sta
Ing there In bewilderment out bounds y
game from a neat form In a weed tuft :
scurries oft at racehorse speed , Ills wt
cotton ball tall bobbing and twlnkl ng as
eoea.
eoea.For shooting In the snowy season we
Bcarlet-teathered arrows which , when tl
strike Into the ground , look like tulips bloc
lug In the snow drifts and are consequer
very easy to find. A broad , heavy si
point Is best for hare-shooting and the si :
should be stout and made of tough , w
seasoned hickory. As a rule the game
rarely seen at long range , your shots
often being over thirty yards , usually I
than twenty.
Will and I had become very expert
tracking the hare and finding It In Us foi
but frequently enough It would see or h
us first. Sometimes the hare when It
startled out ot Us hiding place will :
fifteen or twenty yards and stop suddei
Bitting down upon Its haunches with Us I
cars erect and Us round black eyes w
open , This Is the moment for a beaut
shot ; but you must know how to do It.
you aim directly at the hare ten to one ;
will not hit U ; for when your bow recoils
hare makes a quick , short leap and your an
strikes where the game was but Is not.
Now the expert archer can foretell by
attitude of the hare just In what direct
It will jump , and ho alms accordingly , so
to have his arrow hit precisely at the rl
spot. It Is a nice calculation ; but you s
learn to make It with Intuitive exactness ,
the fowler docs In aiming ahead ot a fly
bird.
bird.One of the most difficult feats In archc
however. Is to hit a hare going at full spc
You might Imagine It no harder to do thar
shoot a swift bird on the wing ; but It Is.
running hare does not keep a level line
most ot the game birds do In flying ;
long high bounds disconcert you and prev
any accurate aim taking. Still we have of
killed hares when they were fairly splltt
the air at their sw first gait.
H Is very exciting exercise and you s
get warm , no matter how frigid may be
weather , especially when the game ls
plentiful as we found It on that crisp win
mornliiK. I recollect one Incident of
sport , a shot made by Will In the brui
corner of a wood. I caw him come tc
sharp halt , r.Uru a moment at a tuft ot
pokeberry weeds beside u half burled
cuylng lop , and then ratte his bow , draw i
aim. I kne.v ly some Indescribable expr
slon of his face that he was more excl
than he ought to be , but he shot with gr
care , and , as the event proved , made a I
lilt. What he bagged was a cock-pheas
or Krouse-whlch bo had chanced to see ly
la between ttie weeds and the old i
And so anxious was I to examine the bird
hat In walking- briskly along I almost
topped on a hare , which went away from me
t a mad rate. Will was quick as a flash ,
nd then and there made the most wonderful
hot which I meant to describe.
lie paw the hare going like a bounclnc
all , offering him what sportsmen call c
'quartering" ' shot. With a single compound
notion he whipped nn arrow from hi ;
lulver , net It on the string and drew lili
ow. At the highest point of a long Jumf
ho well sent missile caught the hare In tht
icd : and whirled It through a double
oinmersault. No matter how many pooi
hots the archer may make , one or two like
hat will always.be remembered.
We killed more than a dozen hares thai
morning , but wo probably shot a hundrei
Irnes to do U , the game was so wild am
an BO recklessly. It Is not the bag , how.
iver , which affords the archer his chief de
Ight , but rather the freedom , the action , tin
lursult. What can be so good as pure air
vigorous exercise and the ancient liberty o
he hunter ?
MAURICE THOMPSON.
A LAND ( IT I'AMJY.
low "jw enl Cut" Carried Unnntniitlnns. thi
l.lttlo ( irrok Hoy.
In the Greek quarter of New York , whlcl
stretches around Roosevelt street toward th
Kuat river , there dwelt with his kindred ;
certain boy by name Konstantlnos Koatan
zero.
zero.To
To the few Americans who succeeded I
finding their way through the network o
streets to the Kostanzero homo It scenic
strange that an urchin so weak and pun
should spring from a stock so fine , for th
father Kostanzero was ns tplendld a sped
men of the Greek Islander as one might fin
In a sail frtm Cyprus to Stamboul ; whll
the boy's mother must have been rarel
beautiful In her earlier days. Poor , littl
Konstantlnos , however , was a frail flowe
Indeed. Perhaps the "twice breathed airs
of the great city had withered his natun
constitution. Ills checks were haggard , h
shoulders unnaturally rounded , his who !
aspect , save , only as regarded his eye
spiritless and sickly.
But his eyes ! Those magnificent , dusV
orbs almost atoned for nil the rest of Koi
stantlnos' deficiencies. Especially would the
gleam and flash when his father or sotr
other Greek conversed of the country the
had left beyond the sea's. Had he know
better he mtght have given all his patrlo
Ism to the adopted land ; but being unab
to read or write , and In most ways ui
learned , he exhausted all his love of count !
upon the faraway Greece.
He know , In a vague , childish way , aboi
the old Greek heroes and the great dec <
they had done ; and he could croon most <
the old Romaic ballads which his mothi
loved to blng.
The Kostnnzere family kept a cafe , whi !
was much frequented of Greeks and Syrian
It stood In the dingiest of by-streets at
flaunted over a moldy front the soundli
title "Hotel Thermopylae. " The "hole
was only two stories high , and the cntl
ground floor was occupied by a largo eatlt
room and a small kitchen. It was the gre
joy of Konstantlnos' soul to sit In the eatlr
room and listen to the conversation of h
father's guests. Ho had become a go <
mixer of toumbakl for the narghllls , or bl
long-tubed pipes , which these vlslto
smoked after dinner ; and It was his lltt
duty to trot around from pipe bowl to plj
bowl bearing pieces of burning charcoal wl
which ho kept that eastern substitute f
tobacco alight. Then ho would chop up t !
Ittkouml or powdered sweetmeats "lumps
delight" we western children used to c :
them ) and distribute them among tl
smokers. Or , If anybody called for mastic
he was accustomed to carry them the ycllc
liquor on his tiny lacquer tray. During m
mcnts of leisure ho curled himself up In
corner and drank In the talk.
Sometimes the smoke clouds In the ron
became EO dense that one coull not dlstlngu ;
faces , but Konstantlnos knew all the regul
guests by their voices. For Instance , o
Philip , the peddler , has a high , thin , quave
Ing accent ; and Mlles , the dealer In Orient
gcods , a fat , unctuous one. The man th
they called "Sword Cut" ( Konstantlnos ncv
knew Ills real name ) had clearly been
soldier , for he spoke- loudly and with d
clslon , as a sildler should. The boy's fath
had a calm , quiet voice , which never fall
to make Itself heard through the din , :
though , after the Italians , the Greeks a
about the noisiest people In the world.
But speaking In whatever manner th
listed , our little listener cared not so lei
as they talked of Greece ( or "Hellas , " as
hlnuelf called U ) , and discussed the pai
present or future of that lovely land.
Often while the guests were dlscussli
0
matters of trade of everyday life Ko
stantlnos would whisper as he lighted the
pipes : "Let us talk of our Greece , If y
please. " Then , perhaps , came a genl
reprimand from father or mother , but t
loud-voiced patrons of the cafe took Ko
stantlnos' part.
"Why may not the boy love Greece ? " th
asked , and the episode generally ended
seme stirring conversation about Alexand
the Great , or Marco Bozarrls , or even t
modern king , George. Konstantlnos w
never tired while thpy spoke on such sii
Jects.
One day Konstantlnos did not appear In t
cafe , and to the many anxious Inqulrl
Father Kostanzerc answered that a ve
wise American doctor had pronounced t
child to be In the early stages of decline.
"Ho bids us take him Into the air of t
country , " explained Mother Kostanzere , "t
how can wo do BO ? There Is the cafe to lo
after. "
The patrons of the establishment rose
ono man. Each desired to have the tei
porary care of the child conferred upon hi
That night , under the hovering clouds
toumbakl smoke , the question was debat
hotly. Finally the man that they call
"the sword cut" arose and vigorously ma
his claim. He pointed out that he alone h
no regular trade or business which mlg
suffer by his absence. Then he suggest
that the child be sent , In his charge , for
long summer holiday upon Staten Islai
"If you , good brothers , " ho concluded , "i
sire to do your part of the business , you c
subscribe money for our trip. "
After some1 demur , and much sly laughl
over the cunning combination of buslnc
with pleasure , which "tho sword-cut" h
mapped uut for himself , the proposltl
was received with acclamation. Just then
little , white-dressed figure appeared In t
rlfteci smoke of the doorway. It was tl
of Koustantlnos.
H "Good people. " said the boy , "I have hea
IU yo speak my name. Why Is It BO ? "
Father Kostanzere advanced , and llttl
his son In his stalwart arms , explained ;
tears In hla eyes : "These kind friends ha
decided to join mo In sending you and 't
sword-cut' for a lovely sea voyage togcth
so that your health may return and t
color to your cheeks. "
"A sea voyage ! " cried the child , clappl
his hands. "What ! are we going to Greece
There was silence , and the guests loot ,
at each other and smiled.
"Wo are surely going to Greece ? "
to Iterated Konstantlnos , Then , amid apprc
Ing nods , the man they called "the swoi
cut" whispered , "Walt a little , my sc
You will see for yourself. " And ho wink
knowingly at Knnstantlnos.
The boy now felt sure that a journey
Greece was to be his portion. His Ideas
distance were hazy tn the extreme ; and
he knew ot his native land's situation w
that It lay "over the sea. " He fell asle
, . singing a Romaic battle hymn , and slghl
jr for Greece.
y It was officially resolved among t
patrons of the cafe that to enlighten the b
as to his real destination would be cruel
the extreme. "He thinks he Is going
Greece. " quavered old Philip , the peddle ;
"then let him think so. It will do him go <
and , coon enough , he may know bettei
And so the matter was settled.
Two days later a slumbering small be
wrapped tn a Turkish carpet , was carrl
ig on board the Staten Island terry boat , jt
g. aa that ungainly vessel was about to tea' '
her moorings. When the carpet was removed
moved and the child propped Against the
front taffratl ot the boat , one saw that Kotv
stanttnos and his guardian had begun thcti
"voyage over seas to Greece. "
The light summer breezes from the baj
caressed the younger traveler's hair , am1
soon aroused htm from his sleep. He
started , raised himself In the "sword-cut's1
arms , and cast a quick , bewildered glance
over the sunlit waves of a bay as beautlfu
as any the wide world over.
Not since the day which brought him , ;
baby , to New York had ho left the shorci
of Manhattan Island ; and rarely had hi
strayed far from the noisome purlieus o
Roosevelt street. No wonder that the glorj
of the scene the silver sheet of water
spangled with sails , and dotted with boa
and bark the dappled green shores far be
yond the rich blue vault above no wonde
that It all dazzled eyes accustomed only t <
the endless gloom of the Greek quarter.
Hut suddenly It flashed across the soul o
Konstantlnos that he had teen all this won
drous vision of loveliness before seen It It
his bed at night , In his day-dreams , In thi
glowing word-pictures of his father's patrons
and In the songs of his beloved mother.
This this was Greece !
When the spirit of a child sings the vole
Is but Its echo. Konstantlnoa uttered a grea
cry of joy and raised his thin arms to th
smiling heavens. Then , with the Inborn elo
quence of the Greek , he poured forth burn
Ing words of praise and thanks to the Al
mighty who had granted him the * boon o
beholding his "native land. "
As for him they called "the sword" h
could not s-e the sunlight for his tears.
* * * * * * *
Most of that summer the pair remains
upon Staten Island. "The sword-cut's" pow
crs were taxed to the utmost In hutnorln
Is ward's whims , without telling a false
oed , for our rough soldier had a stern sens
f honor. But Konstantlnos needed no clcei
ne after all. His keen Imagination trans
'ortned every locality from American t
Greek. Whenever they went for a sail , a
hey frequently did , they were bound to
Sclos" or "Detos" or "Ithaca" or even dls
ant "Crete. " They had traversed "Sparta
ml found a "Corinth" and nn "Athens.
n short , Konstantlnos drank In the Grccla
llualon to the full. But he drank In sonu
hlng else , far better for his health , and tin
was plenty of ozone. When ho finally bi
came homesMc ( as all boys , old or youni
ire sure to do , soon or lats ) , anyone coul
ee that that was the only sickness aboi
lilin , His holiday had cured our weakling.
That was a great and triumphant homi
coming to the "Cafe Thermopylae , " off Roosi
velt street. All , or nearly all "Little Greece
timed out to receive the travelers ; and Koi
stantlnos felt like another Ulysses.
That night , amid the familiar clouds <
oumbakl smoke , he told the long and varlt
story of his wanderings , appealing ever at
anon for confirmation to "The sword-cut
As for the latter worthy he had forced up :
ilm more toumbakl and mastlca than 1
could smoke or drink In a month. Ills pos
tlon In the Greek quarter was now firm
assured , and he need never think oforl
ng again.
When Konstantlnos finished his tala tin
drank his health , and U'Ca the health of h
health ; and last , but not least , the health
"Mother Greece , " otherwise Staten Island.
Konstantlnos Is older now , and he "knov
better. " Some day he expects to visit Gree >
the real Greece. Perhaps he may find
little disappointing after the raptures
the Imaginary one , which he discovered
happily In the bay ot New York.
1OVKits OF 1IOOKH.
I'uor Young Hoys niul How They Got to I
I'roniilonts.
"I wish there never was such a thing In tl
world as school. Confound It all ! Books
books , look at that strap full , and here Hi
McLean Invited us all to Great Falls on
picnic ! Hang It ! "
"Why , John , what's up this morning
asked his friend as they met on the way
school.
"Nothing's up ! Its all down ! I wl
the teachers had the smallpox and a yellc
Hag waved out of the High school door tl
minute ! "
"Seo here , John , you are In a temper no
Don't go to school 'till you feel better. W
knows but you or I may be president ser
day , but we'll have to love books and Ptu
to bo anything. "
John slammed himself down on the steps
the capltol , put his hand to his head , a :
his elbow on his knee , while the mo-nlng su
fhlno fell like gold on his dlscontenteJ fa <
His father was a man of wealth and stlrrl
business. John was expected to become
scholar , and to spend many years preparl
for some profession.
Charley Wilson , his chum and seat mat
WM a' student , without money , without Infl
ence. Ho ran errands during the vacatlo
for ofllclals at the capltol , and learned wli
studious things , as the birds learn to sin
Ho was fond of John , and had a great Inll
ence over him. Today he felt discouraged ,
Did you ever hear about the poor you
man who used to carry every book he cou
find to the field and study and read while
worked ? "
Of course I have. Father Is always te
Ing mo about poor young boys , and how th
got to be presidents ! "
"Now , John , you can't guess who this b
was ? He lived In a log house , among t
wolves , was too poor to go to school , but
last did walk nine miles a day to ono for
little while. Ho worked on a farm , stuJI
by firelight , ground the corn and fed t
horses , built the fires and cooked , and earn
31 cents a day ! "
"I say he was a fool ! " muttered John.
"You wait and see ! He split 400 rails 1
a woman who sold him cloth for a pair
trousars , 400 rolls to a yard , and she dyed
with walnut bark. He got to bo a lawy
and was sent to congress , to this very caplt
John. My grandfather worked In the t
library then , and you ought to hear him t
how this young man read books ! M
actually laughed he was so homely and drc
Great men , Daniel Webster and Henry Cl ;
were In Washington , then , and used to
with this funny awkward man and enj
hearing him talk.
"Just think , he came day after day to t
library of the supreme court for book , ' , a
would always pile them up In a bundle , ta
out of his coat pocket a big red banda
han'ke'chl f , spread It Cown on the tab'e , i
tlo all the books up In It ; then hang It
his walking stick , put It over his shouli :
and inarch home. Ho always brought tin
back the same way. My grandfather s ;
him ! And now who do you think he woe
"Somo crank , I suppose. "
John's friend rose up to his full height a
stood In front of the discontented comrai
and said In a triumphant tone , "It w
Abraham Lincoln , John. "
"Well , ho didn't have to go to the HI
school ! " MARGARET SPENCKR
Of TtiK r
A woman residing In a Now York flat
dered a piece of Ice from the grocery. 1
youth who brought It was a German. :
put It on the dumb waiter In the basemc
to bo hoisted up. She pulled away.
"Gracious ! " she exclaimed ; "how hen
this Ice Is. The grocer must have given i
good weight. "
By great exertion she succeeded In gettl
the dumb waiter up. To her astonlshmc
she found the boy seated on the Ice. W
what breath she had left , she demanded :
"What did you-make mo pull you up hi
for ? "
"Why , " replied the boy. "I thought I
cake would bo too heavy for you to lift ,
came up to help you off with It. "
"Johnny , dear , " said his mother , who v
trying to Inculcate a lesson In Indust
"what do you suppose mamma would do
you If you should come to her some day a
tell her that you loved your studies ? "
"Lick me for telling a falsehood , " s ,
dear little Johnny , with the sweet fraukn
of youth.
The small boy was playing cowboy , mite
to his own satisfaction than that ot
nervous father.
"I am the Wild Wolf ot Bitter Creek , "
yelled.
"And this Is your night to howl , " said I
exasperated parent , appearing with a stn
And Willie howled.
Tommy I think I am better at call
than I am at studying.
Mamma Why do you think that , Tomir
Tommy Why , because I often miss i
lessons , but I never miss my meals ,
"I'm very much afraid , " his mother sa
"that this pie needs more shortentni
"Mamma , " said the boy In an audible i
dertone , "that Isn't what my piece need
"Isn't " "No'm. needs
lit" My piece leng
onlng. ' . Uu jj. . . . . . *
THE ART OF CIRCUS RIDING
Difficult an l Dangerous Work Even for thi
Best Performers ,
TRAINING MUST BEGIN IN 'cHUDHOOI
A Life of Appnrent Glitter mml Show , li
Itcnllty Ono of Much JlUt/Ulilp / niul
Innumerable Ac
Mown with Killer * .
< Cop > right , 1S9 > , by S. H. McClurc , MtnltcJ. )
NEW YORK , June C. There Is never
moment when a rider In the circus ring I
entirely free from danger. 01 course th
various feats become easy enough of nc
compllshment utter long prnctlce , but th
erformers can never be sure at what momen
.11 their sltlll and experience w.ll be set < i
aught through some failure ot the horse that
o \\hat Is expected of him. Suppose a hors
hies while the rider Is standing on his b.ic
ireparlng for n spring. The chances nro tee
o ono that a fall will result , niul yet ther
s no sure way ot knowing when n horse I
bout to shy. The most trilling thing ma
: auso him to do so ; a sudden crash of musli
ho fall of a program thrown carelessly Inl
he ring , a ray of sunshine striking hh
inexpcctedly In the eyes , the creaking of
r.lly , any one of a hundred tilings ; swervln
a few Inches to the right or left , a sudde
art forward , will be more than sufficient I
pset the delicately poised equilibrium.
Therefore , the art of fall.ng Is one of tl
most Important , anil It Is also one ot tl
most difficult of mastery among the clrci
Ider's accomplishments. It Is always ease
o recognize a veteran circus ilder In tl
way he falls. As soon as he sees that tl
JOHN o-nniEN , RING.
situation Is hopeless , that he must go dow
his hands shoot for his fchfjg like a ( la
and ho hugs himself up automatically Into
round ball , with nothing exposed that c ,
break , unless possibly iUbiv. , a , rib or two
some very exceptional case.'i Usually strlki
in this wny , with the mus'ctes ' all tense a
the body folded up tight and hard , the rlcl
escapes with a few brulics ajjd a good sha
Ing up. ,
HOW A MAX CAN GljOJE HIMSELF ,
"It's astonishing how many/things you c
think of , " bald Uo MoH , the famous bai
back rider. Jn a recent falk I hud with hi
"tn th'o Unit when you are In : the air falll
from your horse. You sep.Mve circus rldt
have seen ' 'go many alclilenls and had
hammered Into us so much ever since
were children- ' what weTireto do in su
cases that It all come.1 ! rushing through o
heads like a whirlwind.
"I remember the worst fall I ever had
distinctly as If It were last week , althou
really It was several years ago. It seei
queer , but It happened when I was slttl
astride my horse , walking 'round the rl
quietly after doing an act. All of a sudd
something made the horse- shy and before
knew It I was gone , lifted up in the air a
turning over , half from habit , I suppose , In
back somersault. I heard the rlngmasl
yell at me and realized that , unless I coi
get 'round In the turn so as to clear I
head , I would break my neck In strlkli
Between that and my reaching the grou
was only the small part of a second , but
seemed as If I had oceans of time to arg
out the whole situation. I wondered If t
horse would step on me , decided how I h
better roll to get away ; planned just how
would strike the ground with my shoulde
If I managed to save my head , and then
dug my chin down In my breast bone a
hustled on that turn.
"Well , it was a close shave. They carrl
me out senseless and the doctor said r
neck was broken ; but It wasn't. It w
pretty badly wrenched , though , and I c :
rled my chin pressed against my body t
weeks afterwards. You can bo sure If
hadn't got up some fine speed on that tu
there would have been another dead clrc
rider. "
"Do you mean that a circus rider can ma
himself turn faster or slower after be Is
the air ? " I asked.
"Certainly I do ; that Is the most lmp <
tant part of somersault work. You si
HOSA
no matter how good ai.man | s , he can nei
leave his horse for a iturnowlth exactly i
right amount of spring.r ( Sometimes ho v
throw himself a little Xo htiard , and otl
times not hard enough ; IL-dnpends partly
how he feels , and partlyan the way I
horse Is going. Well ; ! whwi he finds hi
self In the air , say halb way around on I
turn , he feels that ls/-klltgood circus rid
do by a kind of Instinct ; whether he
turning too fast or not fast enough , so
to land right on the horse. Decides th
he can see most of the way round just wli <
the horse Is and by practice tell whetl
anything Is wrong. Now , suppose he waite
to slacken his speed a little , he simply II
his head straight up , or even a little ba
and that acts like putting on a brake. Tb
If he sees ho Is too slow , all be has to dote
to bend his head down on bis chest tn I
way I was telling you of , and his body v
shoot round twice as fast , like a blcy
going down hill. "
"And bow about swerving to ono ser
or the other , can you correct that , too ? "
"You can to a certain extent , but not
much. For Instance , It I fee I am go
to land too far Inside the horse I can thr
my body two or three Inches out by turn !
the shoulders In that direction. In I
same way I can throw my body In by tui
Ing my shoulders ID the other dlrectl
You can't count much on that , though , a
fl the horse's body hag swerved out fr
nder you , or has made you swerve In the
r by a sldoway jerk just as you jumped ,
icro Isn't much chance of your landlnp
ght. The best thing you can do then li
lit your horse and get away. "
"How do you mean hit your horse ? "
"Come down near to him to push off wilt
ne foot for a turn and land safe on UK
; round. If a circus rider can't hit hit
lorso at all he's pretty sure to get a nasty
ill. "
THE LONG , HARD TRAINING.
Pew people realize the Immense nmouni
f practice that Is necessary to moke an ac
ompll&lird circus rider. Nearly all thi
amcus ones have begun their work at i
cry early age. Lily and Rosle Meers np
eared In public on horseback when llttli
Iris of 7 and 8 , and from that time ot
licy kept practicing constantly , not enl ;
n riding , but more particularly In vnrlou
ymnastlc movements and exercises. OeMot
old me that when he was a boy of S goini
o school In Philadelphia tils father , win
vas also a circus performer , made 111"
pcnd four hours a day , two In the mornlni
, nd two In the afternoon , working at exer
: | &es for strengthening the legs and givlni
grace and suppleness to the body. At tha
lerlod In his training he was only allowci
Iftecn mlutcs a day on a horse , the grcate
part of the work being done on the grouiii
and being In no way more exciting , althougl
ather more varied , tlian ordinary excrcls
n a gymnasium. This work which all ac
compllshed circus riders have to go throug !
comes under the comprehensive name c
sldo practice , ' and Includes 'passing , ' 'cut
Ing , ' 'pirouettes , ' 'battlements' and varlou
other complicated movements. I had th
good fortune to see the Meers sisters at thcl
side practice' during their recent say 1
New York. "
"There is no doubt , " said Mrs. Meen
.heir mother , who iias been In the btislnm
'or ' two-score of years and should know who
she Is talking about , "that our society wome
should be Immensely benefited If they shoul
learn those same exercises that my girl
have to do to keep In practice for the rim
There , look at Marie ; Isn't that good'
The mother's pride was Justifiable , fc
Miss Marie did Indeed make a graceful ftp
ire as she stood literally poised on ono toe
"Marie did not begin to ride In public a
young as her sisters , " continued the mothei
'but she had grace of movement , an
strengthened her muscles by working for
lumber of years In the pantomime perfoi
nances that are so popular In Europe. Th
result was that , when she began practlcln
on a horse , at the age of 15 , she made ver
apld progress , and soon caught up wit
ler sisters. "
V CIRCUS RIDER'S 1'RIDE OF I'ROFEE
SION.
Here the father , Hubert Meers , joined I
: he conversation. He Is a queer lookln
Ittle man , very short and stumpy , and Ini
presses you as having but one possible Intel
est In life , the circus ring. In his day h
was a famous clown and acrobat , but no' '
ic only appears as ringmaster when hi
laughters ride.
"There is something too , sir , " he said , 1
a soft , deferential tone , "In being born of
circus family. Now , In my case , I bega
doing the RIsley business at the age of I
with my father , who was a great perfonne :
The 'Risley business' Is where a little cha
holds himsflf out stiff and Is tossed aroun
In all kinds of ways on the feet of a ma
who lies on his back. That's what m
[ ather used to do to me. Then I began rli
Ing when I was 10 years old , and as f ;
back as 1855 the people In Birmingham ga >
me this gold medal for turning 200 bac
somersaults In succession. No , I didn't tut
them on a horse , but on the ground , whlc
was quite hard enough. H took me twenl
minutes to finish them. "
"What's the most difficult feat you ev
saw done on a horse ? " I Inquired.
Mr. Meers scratched his bandy head at
said , after some reflection : "I think tl
hardest thing was what a man did In Englai
a few years ago , that Is a triple act on
galloping horse , consisting of a round-all ,
Hip-flap and two somersaults. Nobody cou
ever beat that. "
It was charming to see the enthuslas
with which the children of the old clrci
rider ( there were six of them in all , groupi
around attentive ) , listened to their father
description. Each one of them plainly fc
that there was nothing on this earth
worthy of their admiration as the skill ot
man who could actually do a round-all ,
flip-flap , and two somersaults In. the way d
Ecribsd. The two youngest ( laughters stopp
sewing white satin covers on their slstei
riding slippers and listened open-mouthed.
"It's a great life , this being a clrc
rider , " continued Mr. Meers. "We trav
all over the world , see all the grand citi
and flue people and always get lots of a
plause. That's something worth living for
can tell you , applause. You ought to s
my girl Ltllle take a little run across tl
ring and jump clean over two horses. Yt
sir , that's what she can do , and she 1st
a big girl , either. It's nerve , sir , ai
knowing how , more than muscle. Thei
feel of her arm , It Isn't so very hard , n
different from any other woman's , but s !
can jump over the horses just the sain
and they can't. "
At this the mother and all the six daug
ters laughed heartily. They Impressed or
Indeed , as being a happy family.
HORN IN A CIRCUS RING.
Perhaps ono of the best authorities i
circus riding Is John O'llrlen , who has bo
for years and" Is still equestrian director
the Itarnum show. Mr. O'Brien has t
proud distinction of be.ng the only man llvli
actually born Tn ft circus ring , such havli
been his remarkable experience In Relckso
Wales , where his mother was In the mid
of a daring horseback act when young Jo )
made his mundane debut with a great Hour' :
ot trumpets from the band unit a fluttering
hearts among the ladles. He has probab
trained more women .nto circus riders thi
any other master of the sawdust. I
recognizes grace and style as being the chl
requisites for a good rider.
"If a girl has these , ' he said , "I will gun
antee to make a circus rider out of her evi
as late as 1C If she will work hard at
Why , two years ago I started a marrl
woman of 19 tn the business , and she h
Euccesdcd so well that she Is now doing
regular act with the show. She had a sped
advantage , though , for she had been a co
tortlonlst and dancer before working on
horse.
"Tho first thing I teach them Is to learn
balance and to get the quick movement for
recover. Of course there Is no danger of
beginner's falling , because we always use t
mechanical apparatus to save them. Lots
them get rattled when they make their fli
appearance In publ o they are too anxloi
want to do too much , and bo make mlstaki
The foundation of a good rider Is to km
how to fall and to be able to 'make for t
feet , ' as wo call It. H takes months a
months ot practice to learn that and cv
then accidents often happen. You see ,
horse's back gets slippery after he begins
sweat , and when a rider's pumps 1m
touched the sand and got damp they a
liable to slip off like a piece ot glass. "
IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCUS RIDING
I asked Mr. O'Brien If there had been inu
progress In c rctis riding during his tin
much advance In the difficulty of feats p
formed.
"Undoubtedly there has , " ho replied ,
have an old circus program dating abt
twenty-five jears ago , which reads like th
'Levy J. North , the champion rider of I
world , will actually stand on one foot a
rldo three times around the ring without
rein. ' Of course today any beginner at clrc
riding would do a tr ck like that , which v
then considered very wonderful. "
"Has any rider dared to try a doul
sommersault on a horse's back ? "
"I don't think so , and I am very sure
one has ever succeeded. You know , a sin
bommersault on a horse's back Is no joke , a
was done for the first time by the mcr
accident. The rider was the great-grai
father of our present champion , De Mott , a
when he did It he Intended to throw
sommersault so as to Uml on the ground , I
he made a wrong calculation and struck '
horse's back on his knees. After that he i
the same thing on purpose and finally s
ceeded In landing or , his feet. The only p
sble ! way of doing a double sommersa
mounted would be for the rider to stand w
back on the horse facing the tall and tl :
do what wo call a double backward ba
You know , a back fcommersault U alwi
easier than a forward one. Hut even so
should hate to be the man to try a double
a horse. " CLEVELAND MOFFETT
t'O.V.V U It 1.11,1 TIKH.
A Colorado mine owner has been sued
$200,000 for breach of promise. The size
a man's bank account appears to be w !
given value to his word ,
Miss Mary McTague disappeared from I
homo In Newark , N. J. , la t week to avc
marrlago with the man to whom she v
engaged. The young woman seemed to hi
a peculiar dread ot marriage.
Grumpklns Spoonamore , how are :
going to vote on the silver quest loot Bpooi
more ( with some hesitation ) I think 1 shall
not vote at all , Grumpklni I'm all right on
the question myself , but I I expect to bo
paired off at high noon next Wednesday with
a free-silver girl.
The engagement of Miss ndlth Rockefeller
and Mr. HareM McCormlck was announced
In New York last week. Miss Edith Rocke
feller Is frequently spoken of as one of the
two wealthiest heiresses In America. Tlio
other Is her sister , Miss Alta Rockefeller.
They are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John
1) . Rockefeller of No. 4 West Fifty-fourth
street. H Is estimated that they will each
come Into $35,000,000.
La Grange , III. h.ul a double wedding , a
family reunion and a meeting of Baptist
ministers all In one night and In the same
house. Last Wednesday night two young
Baptist ministers wedded two daughters of
a clergyman of that sect In the presence of
brothers of the bride who arc divines of the
same denomination. The brides were Arrieta
Anita Morrlll and Jennie S. Morrlll and the
respective grooms arc Rev. Homer Martlcn
Oooko and Rov. Jiillen Avery Herrlck. Tha
father of the brides , Rev. 1) . T. Morrlll.
cousin to Senator Morrlll of Vermont , was
ono ot the best known Baptist preachers la
northern Illluols.
While on the Kr.tM ct Pythias trip to
Wnihlngton onrampmcnt last yc r Tom Me- .
Collough , deputy postmaster of Anderson ,
I ml. , refuted a cigar and ns the result the
box , VtJilch was afterward emptied , was
thrown over to him and carelessly ho began
to wrlto on the lid with his pencil. Ho
wrote his name and address among other
things and at last he thoughtlessly throw the
box out of the car window. Ho got a letter
two weeks after he returned home In which
n young lady , the writer , stated that she hail
found the box and saw his name on It , She
had thought It a good chance to have some
fun , and wrolo to him. The correspondence
has been going on ever sine ? and the result
Is that ho went to Mount Union , Pa , , last
night , announcing that when he returned ho
would not bo alone. Tlio romance has at *
traded a great deal of attention.
IN OUR
Furniture and
N.W. Cor
16th anil
Djujlas
Sts ,
On Monday morning we place on sale-
an immense stock of furniture that we
bought from the SHERIFF at
:
40e on the Dollar ,
Call and examine goods whether you
wish to purchase or not.
THESE
75 Solid Oak Bed Room Sets
cheval 20x24 bevel edged Mirror , square or $12.75
90 Bed Room Sets , hard wood , EQ QQ
20x24 bevel Mirror CptCJ
75 Solid Oak 6-foot Extension < RQ ffl |
Tables Polish finish CPCJJ \ /
25 Dozen Solid Oak Cane Seat 60e
Dining Chairs
25 Solid Oak Sideboards- $9.00
Large bevel mirror .
60e
150 Ladies' Sewing Rockers . .
50 Cheffoniers , solid oak $4.98 ,
5 drawers , .
5O Bed Lounges , crush plush QJQ flfl
Oak frame * pO\J\J
18e yard
60 Rolls Oil Cloth
nnnizn CZDDCZID 1DCZJDGD
Not an Experiment.
The use of R.ipans Tabules for
headaches , dyspepsia and other
stomach disorders is not an experi
ment but an assured success.
They will do all that we say they
will.
Tabuln : Bold by drugglita , or by man
If tb nrlce ( U ) ccnti a box ) li tent to Th HI-
pans Chemical Company , No. 10 tpruc ! it. . N. T.
LAFAYETTE
Lake Mlanetoaka , Bllun ,
Season of 1895 bnslns
Juun iii'iKt. IKA1)INH
St'MMKU HOTKL OV
TUB WEST , livery room
[ UCUH the l.iko. Health
ful location. All modern
comforts , dully concerts
. . .
line hcc'nory , In Bt of llBliluc and halllnir Ono lioiir from HI I'.iul 111) ) nilmitcH from Mlinic.'inulln. . Frn
.
Miient trains , AdctreBKK V 11ULUOMUK , Ureat .Northern IlulUIiif. HT. 1'AUL , MlUNK.-iill'A , until
JunuJU , alierthat at Hotel.
IDOO-S !
Hull Terrier Puppies , $0.00 to $10.00 each.
I IIK I'uppifs , $0.00 each.
Water Spaniels. $1.00 each.
Hluok and Tan Tcrier , $8.00 each.
One full-Kfown Tan Terrier , weighing only 3 11
$20.00.
Geisler's Bird Store , 101 N 16th St. , Omaha.
TRYA
* - orrl
EXACT SIZE PERFECTS
fff TUB MERCANFILE IS TIIB FAVORITE TEH CENT CIGAR.
Vet sale by all Flrat Class Dealers. Muuufacturcd by the
F. R. RICE MERCANTILE CIGAR CO. ,
factory.No , 804j St. Loulfl ,