The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-04-22
The Origin of the Jumping Jack

Come with me to the park this fair
day, for I wish to show you certain
carriage and its occupant, and tell you
story.
In pleasant weather, the scene is
gay and grand, with multitudes hieing
thither for recreation amid country
sights, odors and surroundings. The
rich and the poor of all ages and
classes, afoot, on horseback and in
carriages, make living panorama OF
the shaded walks and graded drives.
But here comes the turnout" for
which we have been waiting; mag.
nificent span of dapple- grays, by far
the most powerful team we have seen /;
carriage to match, roomy and costly,
but OF gaudy a driver not in livery,
as many are, but looking just the man
for his work and such load as are
making merry withiD-every one of
them hunchback Yes, from the
crooked gentleman or the back seat,
to that little fellow up by the driver,
all are :. hunchbacks; well dressed,
happy-seeming, but with wistful
look, and, as they roll by, you see in
them the introduction to my little
story.
Something like twenty years ago, a
miserable brick house, in back alley,
was the home of Archibald Ramsey a
Sc tch carpenter. He worked down
town in a shop, making corniees,
mouldings, NANTES, and variety of
the more elaborate parts employed in
finishing houses. Every evening, he
took home peck etiuls, and often hand
fuls also, of bits and ends from the
shop.
These oddly.shaded fragments of
soft, sweetsmelling pine, furnished
amusement for poor little Alec, Mr..
Ramsey's hunchback boy and when
chey had served this purpose, they
were used as kindlings in the kitchen
stove.
There was houseful of little Ram
,evs, of whom Alec was the Oldest,
md wheI be was amused, so were the
others, thus giving The over-worked
n0ther time for other duties.
Alec was sixteen years old, and not
taller than an average boy of ten. He
was very much deformed, and had he
lived in an age and country of kings
seeking dwarfs and human oddities,
for court FOOLS" or testers" he
would have been prize to some troll
handed tyrant. His shoulders were
almost as high as his head. his arms
hung out, loose and dangling, and the
rest of his body was shrunken and
slsnder, TO most pi iaGle degree.
But whoever, with a tender heart,
looked into his great, questioning eyes,
and noted his broad, fair fol ehead, and
his clean, delicate hands, would soon
forget the sad shape in the nobility of
The face.
[ need not linger to speak of his
studies which, all unaided, he pushed
along with success; nor of his con-
stancy in the Sunday school, where
he was universal favorite. 1t is about
his play with the bits of pine from the
shop, wish to tell you.
Many drolI pile he built or the
kitchen floor; many funny thing he
whitfield out to amuse the little ones |;
many comical toy he made and gave
away to neighboring children Often
he said, and oftener thought, "What
can white that will sell?" For only
money seemed likely to bring him
the changed life for which he longed.
Once. when he sold for few pennies,
a queer little pine trinket, his father
stroked his silken hair and said:
"Ah, me puir bairnie, [ dinna ken
but we may make yoor fortoon WI
your knife.u How that little piece of
encouragement rang in his ears and