Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-11-11
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VI.
Meanwhile two unusual things had
taken place in Chetwynd street. John
Hamburg, twenty-six years OF age. or IN
dependent fortune, had entered it with
Dora Ashton, aged twenty, to whom ne
was privately engaged to be married
Dora had never seen any of the poorer
parts of Chicago, and he. after much
expostulation and objection, consented to
escort her through Chetwynd street.
At the eastern end, William Sampson.
negro and street entertainer, had enter
ed the street, prepared to perform. hoping
to win few coppers from the loungers.
He was a tall man with round shoulders
and restless eyes, was gesticulatins yio-
lently and addressing loud speech, appar-
emily to the hrst-fioor windows Of the
houses opposite him il Chetwynd street.
The negro turned his face toward John
Hanbufy and Dora Ashton. He had be
side him, on the ground, two cubes OF
stone, one the size of an iron half-hun-
dredweight, the other somewhat bigger
In his hand he held q small, square, thin
board.
eyes, ladies and gentlemen" said he,
'rke a great opera singer, 1 earn the
bread / put into my mouth with the
mouth put it into. Here is my stock in
trade" patting his chin and cheek and
Jaw. He made n hideous grimace, at
which there was a laugh mingled with q
cheer.
This laugh brought Mr.. Williams to
his door, and finally into the street. He
glanced at the negro and the crowd with
benignant liberation, then, turning his
eyes upward, he saw Leigh at the win
dow, whittier lie had been attracted by
the noise of the crowd. The window
was open. and Leigh was leaning out and
watching the group below.
Williams called ont 10 the hunchback.
"Come down, Mr.. Leigh, and see the fun.
A man who could afford to give good
American money for dead Egyptian
prince would surely be interested in a
living African black, whom he could
see for nothing
Leigh hesitated for n moment, then
called out, "AIl right" and disappeared
from the window.
Meanwhile the athlete was continuing
his harangue.
II carry them stones there about with
me to prove to any man, who won't take
my word for It. that l am the strongest
jawed man in all the world. Ladies and
gentlemen, yop have often heard OF the
Rocky Mountains-there, pointing to the
stones, there they are"
what will he do with the stones
Jackf' whispered Dora, with some appre,
hension of danger.
Eat them" answered Hanbury in q
whisper.
At this point Oscar Leigh opened the
side door of I orbes' bakery and stepped
into the street. John Hanbury, with
Dora Ashton on his arm, was standing
at the curb. About fifty people. men
women and children. were now gathered
Leigh took up his place by the landlord
without a word. ana stood leaning heavily
on his stick. He fixed his quick, piercing
eyes on the negro.
The latter first took up the smaller
block, tossed it high into the air, and LEI
II fall on the road, saying, in deian
voice, Eighteen pounds" Then hs
took the larger block, and treating it IL
the same way. said "Twenty-four pounds
The two together forty-two pounds!'
Then Black Sam began a series Of
tricks with the stones. Before starting
he placed on the ground a square piece
of white thin board. Then he balanced
q stone on the point of the first fnge1
of each hand. and then jerked the LESSEE
stone from the point OF his left foretngel
to the top of the larger stone, still bal
anced on the foreinger Of his right hand
and kept both uprigh. on the point Of hi
right forefnger for half a minute.
The negro stopped carefully, seized thu
larger stone threw 1t a few feet into thu
air, and caught and balanced 1t on th'
top of the smaller one resting on hi
shoulder.
Something more wonderful than tn,
contortions Of Black Sam at that mo
ment attracted Leigh's attention. H.
had caught sight OF Dora Ashton, ant
Leigh's eyes were fixed on the slende
form and pale olive face Of the girl witt
an expression of amazement. He looket
like an animal that suddenly sees some
thing it dread, and from which 1t desire
to remain concealed. He seemed stups
fed, stunned, dazed. All the scorn hac
gone ont Of his face. He leaned forward
more heavily than formerly on his crook
ed stick He appeared to doubt the evi
dence Of his senses.
Black Sam lifted his body a couple o
inches, resting his entire weight on hi
feet; then, passing his hands back, b
slid them under the lower cube and rail-
ed both hands from the ground, the lowe
cube resting on the palms. With bac
bent like a bow, he thrust out his head
holding the piece Of board In his mout
parallel to the horizon; then he sVpng hi
body, first forward, then backward, an
with prodigious effort and violent thrus
of his arms and head between his legt
threw the two cubes up into the ali
Strengthened himself like flash, steppe
back a pace, and, still holding the piec
Of white board In his enormous mout
parallel to the horizon, caught the tw
cubes on it as they fell.
There was a loud cry of exultatioI
Hanbury forgot the girl by his side, fol
got everything but the black man and hi
feat.
'ewhat Is he doing nowT asked Dori
1 cannot make out What does he mea
BY throwing himself down in that wa
and lying still? Is he Ill? Is he hurt
Go, see, help him, Jack. Look under b
face on the ground! That is bloodr'
John Hanbury did not move. BE, tot
had seen something was wrong. He, to'
saw the swelling pool of bright scarit
blood under the black face Of the neSr
now lying at full length. Still he did nc
move. He had grown deadly pale an
cold and limp.
81 can't 60, Dora 1 am not well
always faint at the sight of blood" an
he staggered back, dragging her with hill
until he leaned against the blank wall q
~"' = bakery. His legs suddenly ber