The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07
MEN WITH GREER NERVES.
The Jumpers OF Maine-A Region In which
some Startling Things are seen.


In February last | was riding in sleigh
from Shirley to Greenvillc. In Maine. / was II
commercial traveller. aud my companion in
the cutter. Mr.. Long was an old schoolmate from
New York, now a sawmill owner OF Greenvillo.
Riding lust behind us in rude pung were two
Canadian Frcnchmcn. whom he had hired TO
work in his mill. st the loot OF u long hill
sprung from tho sleigh to warm my Feet by
liking. and MS lcnpcd out. thr board seat. on
the extreme end OF which my friend sat. tipped
up and he fell out into the deep snow He
jumped up and laughed just then saw
the Fronchmen tumble backward out OF their
sleigh exactly ms Long had done. II was a
ludcrous mimickry, and l could not under
stand 1t. We stopped thOir lazy horse and
laughed at them ~ they came up. but they only
pointed at Long muttered someth ing in mongrcl
French and shook their heads seriously. One
Of them had struck on his head and sprained
his W neSE,. .,,,, ~, no ,,o. ,hoso ,o,,ows
Jumpers - asked: what's Jumpers p
why. didn't you ever hear OF jumping
Never in my liis,"
These are jumping FrGnchmen, Theytnm.
tumble. mud they couldn't have helped II to sn1,ye
their lives This country Is full Of jumpers"
Can't they control their conduct in any
"Oh. yes in most ways. when they nre not
jump.d; but you Jump one OF them and over he
lump one Of them Come explain. You'll
them q Mean zen IGGST BY Rm 0sR c R RhS ~
| any way and you set him going at once. III
show you lot Of them when we get to Green
We were in the upper half Of Maine. Green
! vile is NJ tho lower end OF MQosehead lake,
| which is the source Of the Kennebec river. and
the centre ~ a vast lumber region. IL contains
some htty houses. ainong which are TWO large
in in sumner m More than haif d the nmbermen
employed in the woods IN winter. learned
from L.. arc Canadian French. or hall breeds
unkempt. half ciad. and 80 ignorant that not
more than one In two hundred can rend print
or write his name Most Of these he said. IRE
Now follow me into the dining room" he
added, rs he hltched the two horses In front oil
asmsll hote. through ne window ot which we
followed him In. A j. entered the room he
raised his hands suddenly above his head
"Sh-hws So as TO Be- heard by all. The men
around the table instantly sprang up. pointed
sad o !ne SS over mi nj. CHAIR chair c
some oroc.cry WIS broken hy the Jog that ,h'
table received. The two Frenchmen who mac
restSre and .f The nen around our
table nushed. and then turned pale as they re-
salnted them in their peculiar French-Indiar
pAtois but they were surly and indisposed Il
'""Awcf." said Long. they're Jumpers"
"Whnt did they do that for?" asked.
They couldn't have helped II II their live
wanted to Investigate this strange phenom
enon. IL. indeed, il was genuine. but l was t
start next morning Tor Bangor.
Il have never seen any Of these queer crea
lures down along me coast. sadd.
NO" said Long" they are confined 10 Cannd
and the fronuer-mnnly in tue NUMBERING re-
glon. There are thousands OF jumpers u
Maine. BY the way, You are coming hafk, u
April. just make stay OF n fortnight and IT
show you more jumpers than you Gun count
ana more odd aud exciting tricks than you eN,
dreamed Of jumpers come in out Of the wood
In the spring. aud they will be loaflng aroun
here In April. drinking whsHey and spendin
thor winters earnlngs'
there nearly II month. What he told mo IL
fact. Jumping Frenrhnien are as thick as dog'
| ana they are not much more intelligent. Jumr
ing or, shouting; or movlnG suddenly VINE
4 | startled. 10 peculiar to most OF them. nav
seen rs many as twenty-five jumpers all t.
= gether. Touch one OF them when Ne, was n
= expecting IL. on tho neck. or even on the han,
A and he would cry out. trembe. turn pale, IN
a catch his breath and his crying out would
pretty certain to start the others.
e There are many different kinds OF jumper
n Some. when started. Hereby strike pl
:, directly In front Of them. hitting whatever IL I
the way. A. made It my BUS ness to watc
y these men ! saw good d'h o! tlls hittlhl
q most NJ II harmless as they generally struc
on.y the air They liNe to tease one nnothe
or jump one another. us II Is called there. Tn
r there 10 gathering Of them they warily watc
. 70 avoid jump. O,easi9naliy a man whe
] laughing IL jumped ftlfi ny u SNtiItU NOISE &
r a chip hitting him on the back Then he inl
. away whatever he has in his hands. ! SAW on
\ pouring some milk into his cuffec. shoute
! To him " Hing IL" and he flung the pitch,
: across the room, smashing Il AGAINST The wal
gong hung behind door. hut Il had not bee
I, used Tor years on account of it, startling etfe
o on jumpers, One day a stranger tapped It,.
r man whom WAS trying 10 talk with struck ain
: lcssly into the air. and another Knocked frcn
n into the great fireplace.
- Any Of these jumpers can be made TO strll
n anybody that stands near enough. 10y shoutn
q to him. II 4 him." Long tells me that seven wei
% knocked down in n second. the general assau
/, being induced by clumsy waiter dropping
i tray. i saw one fellow who sueezcS whcneyl
= anybody else sneczcs, or even whom anyhoC
l. INDUCES in II simulated sneeZe. His nervoi
q system seems 10 be easily imposed on. ! sd
II another who. though he does not know wol
/ Of English. will repent any short scnten
n spoken 10 him suddenly.
il =" Good morning how a. do?" I said 10 him.
L Good morning how IL doY" he repeated a
n ter me. with excellent articulation.
u MRS JENKS'S FAMILY HISTORY