The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-11-14
CHAPTER vi.

taken place IN CnetWvnu street. john
Hanbury, ~twenty-siX years of age. of in
dependent fortune. had entered it with
Dora Ashton, aged twenty. to whom he
was privately engaged to be married.
Dora had never seen my 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 INC street entertainer. had enter
ed the street, prepared to perform. hoping
to win a few coppers from the lounger
He was a tall man with round shoulders
and restless eyes, was gestlculatlng Vlo-
lently and addressing loud speech, appar-
entity to the hrst-floor windows of the
houses opposite him in Chetwynd street.
The negro turned his face toward John
Hamburg and Dora Ashton. He had be-
side him, On the ground, two cubes of
stone, one the size of an iron half-hun-
drcdweight, the other somewhat bigger.
In his hand he held a small, square, thin
board.
Eyes, ladies and gentlemen" said he.
"like a great opera singer, | earn the
bread l put INTO my mouth with the
mouth l put it into. Here is my stock in
trade" patting his chin and cheek and
jaw. He made a hideous %grilnace. at
which there was a laugh mingled with a
cheer.
This laugh brought Mr.. Williams to
his door. and finally into the street. He
glanced at the negro and the crowd with
b%enignant liberation, then. turning his
eyes upward, he saw Leigh at the win
dow, whittier he 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 out to the ~hunchback.
"Come down, Mr.. Leigh, and see the fun.
A man who could afford to give good
American money for a dead Egyptian
prince would surely be interested in a
living African black, whom he could
see for nothing"
Leigh hesitated for a moment. then
called out, "All 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, yon have often heard of the
Rocky Mountains-there," pointing to the
stones. there they are"
what will he do with The stones
Jack?' whispered Dora, with some appre
hension Of danger.
Eat them,' answered Hamburg in {
whisper.
At this point Oscar Leigh opened the
side door of l. orbcs' bakery and stepped
into the street. John Hamburg, with
Dora Ashton on his arm. was standing
at the curb. About fifty people, men
women and children, We're now gathered
Leigh took UP his place by the landlord
without a word. ana stood leaning heavil,
on his stick. He fixed his quick, piercing
eyes on the negro.
The latter first took up the smalle
block, tossed it high into the air, and lie
1T fall on the road, saying, in n detian
voice, Eighteen pounds" Then h
took the larger block. and treating it il
the same way. said "T~wenty-four pounds
The two together %forty-two pounds"
Then Black Sam began a series o
tricks with the stones. Before starting
he placed on the ground a squaue piec
of white thin board. Then he balance,
a stone on the point of the first finge
OF each hand, and then jerked the Jesse
stone from the point Of his left foretinge
to the top of the larger stone. still bal
anced on the forefinger of his right hand
and kept both uprigh: on the point of hi
right foreinger for half Al minute.
The negro stopped carefully. seized tin
larger stone. threw it a few feet into tn
air, and caught and balanced it ON tn
top of the smaller one resting On hi
shoulder.
Something more wonderful thar tn
"a ntnptt,,c nf R1naI- "a, ,t tha% ~-x
ment attracted Leigh's attention. II
had caught sight of Dora Ashton. an
Leighs eyes We're fixed on the slende
form and pale olive face of the girl wit
an expression of amazemcnt. He locke,
like an animal that suddenly sees some
thing it dreads and from which it desire
to remain concealed. He seemed stupt
fed. stunned. dazed. All the scorn ha,
gone out of his face. lie leaned forwar
more heavily than formerly on his crook
ed stick. He appeared TO doubt the ev.
dence of his senses.
Black Sam ilfted his body a couple o
inches. resting his entire weight on hi
feet; then. passing his hands back. h
slid them under the lower cube and raj,
ed both hands from the ground. the lowe
cube resting on the palms. With bac
bent like a bow, he thrust out his hea(
holding the piece of board in his mont
parallel to the horizon: then he swung hi
body, first forward. then backward. an
with a prOdigiOus effort and violent thrus
of his arms and head between his leg,
threw the two cubes up int the all
Strengthened himself like a 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.
What is he doing now?' asked Dor;
81 cannot make out. What does he mea
by throwing himself down in that wa
and lying still: Is he i'll: Is he hurt
Go, see, help Lin, Jack. Look under L