The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-09
. BOOMERANG'S FLIGHTS.
WONDERFUL THINGS 1T DID EVEN IN
UNSKILLED HANDS.

There are boomerang, stories and BOOM
prang stories, but there is no boomerang story
DO wonderful as the boomerang Itself. Some
years ago people smiled when tales were told
VI a stick which. being thrown. would per-
form intricate evolutions and return to the
hand OF the thrower. These accounts were
olassed In the same category as perpetual mo-
ti6n. the philosophers stone and other cheer
fulemyths. One could hardly find q believer
IN them until q band OF Australian bushmen
came to this city and gave an exhibition.
The spectacle Of o curved stick travelling 100
feet parallel 10 the ground, then striking on
Ind rising fifty yards In the air and finally
Sweeplng back TO Its starting point in a circle.
the diameter Of which was not less than 100
yards. went far toward disoouraglng skepti-
feis1n.
Smith OF Brooklyn was an interested spec
tator and succeeded In buying one Of the
strange curved sticks. Through an inter
prefer the bushman who sold 1t explained
that It was o particularly trustworthy imple-
ment and could be depended upon for q re-
turn trip from anywhere. Very late that night
Smith tossed II gently In the air while going
across Broadway. There wasn't enough forco
In the toss to carry q biscuit FIVE yards, but
Che boomerang sailed Of jauntily and brought
dp broadside with q ~resounding whaok against
o, plate glass window which may have cost,
p6InaDS, pOOO. Du1lLu UOOh Lu0-uOOLuoEauk
home, put II In ar old trunk. we lighted IL
down. with some outworn political literature
and turned the key on It. He didn't want IL
cavorting around the place and raising the
deuce, he said, on Its own hook, as II was quite
capable OF doing. That was several years ago.
The boomerang lay In the trunk until last
September. when Smith. about to start on his
vacation. decided to take 1t along for an air
Ing. When he took 1t from the trunk 1t looked
the same as when he first got 1t. There was
no sign OF warping and all the infinitesimal
depressions and swellings along Its sides.
which are said to be responsible for the magi-
cal flight, were still there. as he could see by
glahcinG along 1t sidewise.
It went.with him to q house party on one of
the little lakes in the Southern Tier and was
openly jeered by the other members Of the
6afty as o fake. Smith was called THE Bush
mans Victim" when he told how much he
paid for 1t.
''.Boomerang?" cried Lieut.. Oscar King. who
was of the party. 'Poppycockl Goldbrick-
erang. I'd call It,"
Looks like an attenuated coat hanger" re-
marked McSofter. viewing It with contempt.
"or a distorted barrel stave." said young
Bixby. There may be such a thing as q
boomerang. but I'll bet money that isn't one."
In spite OF the ancient experience in Broad
way Smith felt .some doubts himself. So he
took 1t of into a vacant lot behind the cot
tage and experimental with It. At first It
behaved disgracefully-simply fooled and
futtered like a headless hen. Becoming en-
ragged after several fiat failures. Smith picked
the strange bit of wood from the ground
where it had stuck. point downward. and
hurled it angrily and without special intent.
Forth With the implement rose in a lofty curve.
oircled over the cottage and dived Town on
the opposite side. Smith heard q crash Of
branches. followed by a feminine shrek and
then the voice Of Lieut.. Oscar King raised In
wrath.
VINO threw that Internal machine at us2
Confound 1t. it nearly scalped me. I'll put
1t out OF mischief"
Hold on therel' shouted Smith, rushing
forward. Don't throw it away"
But it was too late. Rising up from under
the lakeside tree beneath whose spreading
shade he had been reading Kipling's latest
verses to one Of the girls Of the party. the
irate Lieutenant cast the interrupting stick
far out oyer the waves. Smith rushed for a
Smith 1u and G the d dis p usted am aa 1ns 9e Of Rfn e.
the boomeranE, after travelling straight out
the feet Of Mcsofter. who was engaged in re-
moving some brilliant-hued fshing 11ies from
Great Scott" he exclaimed. IT'S a sure
enough boomerang. isn't it? Here; let's have
..T AZ 5srb * it bS ;fhs3 e |je tFO sPr6 his hand an Ds and
''!. just Elau my DASHED d la iaS S0e cried Mcsofter. for
getting In his grief his former OCCUPATION. and
Whence he rose with a shrek Of agony and led
into, the house. leaving the BOOMERANG to the
Gender Ge5e b Of S y0HIng B Bsn9 ala, That l1tG y out ao &C.
and experimental until they got to some minor
extent the hang OF the thing. They found out.
thrown with the concave side forward and with
the point pretty well down. and that the great
er the whirl impaired to II by a Jerk Of the
wrist lust as it was leaving the hand. the more
extraordinary would its evolutions prove. They
the wind. Young Bixby in particular became
quite prohcientin the art of casting the weapon.
was able to bring it circling back to his immeo
date vicinity four times out Of five. The rest
and m fhep a eiTys came imper nTt e tbe l1 ives eG of I al bT tSayI.
PAGES. For the next two days the main in
traiian y wood. Nc" %csoRft ter wfhso' Believes saf e n he H can
do anything unit. he has tried and found he
own out Of q piece Of green wood. There was
no general lamentation when at the first trial
his model colllded with a large tree and broke
Meantime the real article continued Its flights
necessitsting much Climbing sl'9 and casting iss o.
sticks after 4. 1t was a hardy contriyance and
Tithstood all sorts of hard usage with no other
points. There came, a day when the crowd
went over to the neighboring links to play golf,
and young BiXby must needs take the BOONE
rang along In his golf bag, At the links they
encountered the plump and elderly Col. Pinn.
who is the moving spirit and mentor OF the
golf club. No sooner had he caught sight Of
the boomerang than he BOUNCED upon It,,
What u'you call that thing?" he demanded.
oh, that2"' said young Bixby. carelessly.
That's nothing but q boomerang that hap
pened TO be left In the bag"
G''BoomeranR? Boomerang?' said the Colo
mel, looking at it from all. sides, as II he sus-
Never saw one. Nothing in. the stories you
hear about 'em, OF course. All lies"
said young BiXby.
What does the thing do2'
,Thereupon young Bixby gave q long and
glowing, II somewhat confused. account OF the
syolutions of a healthy. Acknowledged
chausen feel, II he could have heard 1t. that he
WAS a calm and commonplace historian.
Colonel. that il this RIDICULOUS bit Of wood is
and come bac q Boshi Perfect boshl"
~ doesn't cost anything to try" suggested