Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-07-18
MEN WITH QUEER NERVES.
The Jumpers or MaiRe-A Region II
which Some Startling Thugs

Iue jumpers Oh M81He-A Region In
which Some Startling Thugs
are Seen.
New York SUM-
In February last I was riding in a
sleigh from Shirley to Greenville, in
Maine. was a commercial traveller,
and my companion in the cutter, Mr..
Long, was an old schoolmate from
New York, now saw-mill owner of
Greenville. Riding just behind US
in a rude pung were two Canadian
Frencbmen, whom he had hired to
work in his mill. At the foot OF a
long hill I sprang from the sleigh to
warm my feet by walking, and as
leaped out, the broad seat, on the ex-
treme 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 French
men tumble backward out OF their
sleigh as Long had done. 1t was q
ludicrous mimickry, and I could not
understand it. We stopped their la
zy horse and laughed at them as
they came up, but they only pointed
at Long, muttered something in
mongrel French and shook their
heads seriously. One Of them had
struck on his head and sprained his
neck.
WELL said long. I'D no idea
those fellows were jumpers"
"Jumpers?' I asked: whats
jumpers?"
@Why, didn't you ever hear OF jum-
ping Frenchmen?"
"Never in my life."
sThese are jumping FrenchmeD.
They tumbled out Of that seat just
because they saw me tumble, and
they couldn't have helped it to save
their lives. This country is full OF
jumpers.
cant they control their conduct
in any way?'
~Oh, yes: in most ways. when they
are not jumped; but you Jump one OF
them and over he goes"
"Jump one Of them! Come, ex-
plain. You'll have to make your
joke palmer"
"No joke, 'pon honor BY jumping
one OF them, I mean surprising him.
Startle him In any way and you set
him going at once. I'll show you a
lot Of them when we get to Green
ville."
We were In the upper half OF Maine
Greenville Is at the lower end oi
Moosehead lake, which is the source
Of the Kenebeo river, and the center
OF a vast lumber region. It contains
some fifty houses, among which are
two large hotels, which are filled
with pleasure seekers in summer
More than half of the lumbermen
employed in the woods in winter,
learned from L., are Canadian French
or half breeds-unkempt, half clad
and 30 ignorant that not more thar
one In two hundred can read print Of
write his name. Most Of these b,
said, are jumpers.
"Now follow me into the dining
room," he added, as he hitched tn,
two horses In front Of small hotel
through the window of which W,
could see dozen red-shirted men q
supper. 1 followed him In. AS b.
entered the room he raised his hand.
suddenly above his head, pointet
his re-finger at the ceiling, and
said @Sh-hl" so as to be heard by all
The mon around the table instantl,
sprang up, pointed their fore-finger
at the ceiling, and every one sai'
~Sh-h" One knocked over his chair
and some crockery was broken b,
the Jog that the table received TIL
two Frenchmen who had followe'
their employer repeated the sam
gesture and said "Sh-hl" The me-
around the table flushed, and thel
turned pale as they resumed thei
seats. They recognized Long as b
salutod them in their peculiar French