The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-08-08
Hercules-Jack and the Bull.

Hercules-Jack and the Bull.
We extract the following from a story
in st. Nicholas about plump but un-
lucky boy whose thirst for glory drove
him to try to initiate Hercules. After
deep thought, and many funny expert
ences, he proceeded as follows:
Jack now at length determined upon
an encounter with the bull. But he
first went down the lane and took a
private look at the creature from behind
stone wall. He seemed so little for
midable as he peacefully grazed in the
meadow, that Jack promised himself an
easy task in his subjugation.
In playing the part of Hercules, it
was desirable, of course, to look as
much like that hero as possible, and ac-
cordingly, one fine afternoon, Jack
slipped off to the barn with big bun
die under his arm, and there proceeded
to dress himself as nearly as he could
like the picture in the old mythology.
AS Hercules had bare legs and arms
In the picture, Jack first tucked up his
own trousers and sleeves, and tied them
securely to his waist and shoulders !;
then for the lions skin, which the hero
wore, Jack fastened about his shoulders
a bright red sheepskin mat which he
borrowed from the hall in the house.
Next throwing off his hat, tossing his
hair about like the picture, Jack seized
his club and strobe up and down the
barn floor, feeling so brave and confident
that it may be doubted if Hercules him
self ever felt more so.
Thus equipped, Jack at length
marched of down the lane, accompanied
by three or four of his comrades whom
he had let into the secret. Precisely
what he was going to do, or how he
was going to do it, he evidently had no
clear notion; but in this he was only
like great many other heroes, after all.
However, the first thing was to seek his
prey. On he went down the lane, his
bare legs blue with the cold, the sheep
skin tapping up and down on his back,
and the big club-too heavy to carry
dragged along behind.
Arrived at the bottom of the lane,
the boys stationed themselves upon the
wall, while Jack jumped over into the
pasture where the bull was. He didn't
walk quite so proudly and erect here as
in the lane he took shorter steps !;
there was, perhaps, less occasion for
striding now that he was near at hand.
However he advanced slowly and eau
tiously toward the distant herd of
cattle. Now and then he turr cd around
in deliberative way. His pace grew
steadily slower. At length, when he
was still some yards distant, the bull
unexpectedly lifted his head to brush
away fly, and brought Jack to sud-
den standstill. Rejecting, however,
that Hercules would probably not have
acted in this way, Jack plucked up
courage and marched boldly up very
near to the unsuspecting bull. Jack
had read somewhere that the most saw
age beast cannot endure the gaze of the
human eye, and he therefore resolved
to overawe the bull first with his eve,
and then complete his subjugation at
his leisure.
= With this intent, he planted himself
about yard distant from the bull, and,
putting his arm akimbo, glared fiercely
at him. The unconscious animal con-
tinued peacefully his grazing. No
doubt, if he could have known who
Jack was, and wha: was his errand, or if
he had understood that when small
boy goes about bareheaded with his
trousers tucked up and the parlor-mat
tied to his back, that means Hercules,
and that Hercules was hero, and that
Jack meant to be another hero, and had
now fixed his small blue eyes upon him
with the intent of striking terror to his
heart-no doubt, / say, if the bull could
have understood all this, lie would have
been terribly frightened, and would
have shaken in every limb; and par.
ticularly, if he had only cast his eye
upon that club, and understood it was
intended for him, am sure he would
have run away as fast as his legs could
carry him. AS it was, the stupid Great.
ure kept on quietly grazing and paying
no more attention to Jack than if he
had been post.
This was too humiliating for a here
to endure. The boys from the top oi
the wall shouted:
Don't be afraid; give it to him
Punch him in the ribs Stare him on,
of countenance Knock his horns off
Twist his tail
Jack advanced little nearer; h,
coughed, he fiourished his club. Pres
emily, melted by the cries of the boys
he picked mp stone and threw it at tn,
passive animal.
The bull lifted his head, and for the
first time looked attentively at Jack
who Immediately struck an attitude ant
glared at him. To his establishment
the bull did not quail in the least; OF
the contrary, as if suddenly sppreciat
ing Jacks hostile purpose, he glaret
back so angrily and fiercely that Jacl
became very much discounted and be
gan slowly to retire. The bull tossed