, 1888-10-26

ment of all who saw them. Matter-of-fac
Americans, whose knowledge of these things
was confined to books of travel, could
scarcely realize that it was reality and not
illusion that they were beholding when they
saw the apparently impossible feats per-
formed by the yellow skinned Japs. Jap
anese juggling, as a wonder, has had its day
in America, and it is no longer regarded
as extraordinary. The American iuggler
has studied the Jap's methods and has
learned of hin. But the Jap never stepped
beyond the lessons he had received from his
childhood, and twenty years hence his tricks
will not vary a jot from their present status.
Once that the American had the suggestion,
he learned soon to do everything the Jap
could do, and as well, and then drew upon
his own stock of originality for the improve
ments he has made.
Thus it was that years ago when tho cele-
brated DR.. Carver first introduced his novelty
in the way of exhibition rifle shooting c'snap
shooting" it is called by the experts, the peo-
pie opened their eyes with wonder and be-
lieved that Carver was blessed with a phe-
nomenal faculty not possessed by ordinary
men. And it was no wonder, either.
Shooting with extreme accuracy at a tar
get with plenty of time to aim and hitting
the bulls eye by a big majority was looked
upon as extremely meritorious, says the st.
Louis Post-Dispatch. But the ability to do
this was quite common. No one was ever
struck dumb at a splendid exhibition of tar
get shooting. But when a riheman would
catch with his bullet q small coin tossed in
the air with all the force a man could sum
mon; when he could stand some feet away
from an assistant and break glass balls as
fast as they could be thrown into the air;
when he would shatter potatoes in the same
fashion. wIap ba WOULD ,;Jo Iol;-J Io-za
man at full gallop and hit any object thrown
into the air from the hand of the man he
was following at an equal pace; when he
would pierce a pasteboard card or q playing
card that went Swimming away from the
hand-well might those who saw these things
for the first time believe that he was a marvel
and that he possessed some quality at vari-
ance with all the known possibilities of
craftsmanship.
Yet Carver did all these things, and did
them marvelously well, too. Shutting can
dies, knocking the bottom out of glass bottles
by sending the bullet through the cork hole
without injuring the neck of the bottle;
breaking a pipe stem in the mouth of a man
splitting apples on the heads of young girls
shooting with the gun reversed and through
a mirror; again, with the back to the object
n a mirror held before the face; in fact,
the whole long list of fancy shooting with its
innumerable varieties. All these were quite
interesting in a way, but there were many
exhibitors who had done as much, and while
to be admired, these feats were not to be
wondered at. But DR.. Carver's work was
sui generis. 1t was all his own and was
quite new. 1t was no wonder then that when
he went to Europe he played before the pro-
verbal crowned heads" and did a royal
business. But Carver was soon to be de-
prived Of the solitude of his celebrity.
William Cody came out Of the west and
duplicated his performances. 1t was found
that Cody Buffalo BIZ could be just as mar
velous and phenomenal in his way as could
be DR.. Carver, but then every one said that
there were two marvels. But fast on Buffalo
Bills heels came Stubs, who was as prof.
Client In this art as was Cody or Carver, and
after Stubbs came others. Then "snapn rifle
shooting lost its edge and no more excited
the wonder of the initiated. Amateurs de
cided to try their ham at it and many OF
them succeeded beyond their fondest antici-