Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-25
MIR. LEEPER'S WILD RIDE.
Two Hours AIoft on the Fan of n
RuzzinG Windmill

From the San Francisco Examiner.
After few more rnisTdventures in his
own inimitable style, the programs say,
the people of Fruitvale may ask Alsfnus
Gustavus Leeper to give regular perform
ancec He is also original in his method of
mixing up with trouble.
Not long ago Mr.. Leeper. alias Boots
built himself tall barn that was the pride
of Fruitvale. The builder also shingled the
structure at odd times, climbing to work
by means of a ladder inside the walls On
the day he completed the job Mr.. Leeper
thoughtlessly nailed shingles over the
opening above the ladder. thus shutting off
all means of escape Mr.. Leeper yelled for
help, but his folks We're away from home
and the neighbors thought he was celehrat-
ing the completion of the barn. The Fruit
vale Hook and Ladder Company finally
turned out and rescued Mr.. Leeper
While this incident doomed the indus
trious citizen as a public entertainer. it
was but a feeble show compared with his
windmill adventure yesterday afternoon.
The mill buZzes above a tank at the top of
forty-foot skeleton tower in the back
yard, pumping water for Mr.. Leeper's pig
cons and other live stock.
Il think the bearings need oil" said
Boots. with the wind in this direction
the fan is right over the tank where 1 can
climb up and oil the places"
Std"iiHS up the tower frame Win MS oil
can. Mr.. Laeper got astride of the fan or
tail, Of the windmill. He was busy oiling.
when the breeze shifted six points and
swung him clear of the tank roof T.
wind also freshened, and the lubricant in
the journals induced the mill to brace up
and spin at the rate of thirty knots an
hour.
"Help"" shrieked Mr. Leeper but the rat
Ting machinery drowned his voice
The wind shifted again. until the dfrec-
ton OF the fan from the time the oier
mounted 1t was entirely reversed. Instead
OF riding above the tank, Mr.. Leeper buck
ed and wriggled and swayed in md-air on
the razor-ba cked fam forty feet from the
ground. This was condition of deadly
peril. even for a man who had marooned
himself on barn. Mr.. Leepers hair and
Whiskers curled with terror. There was
nothing to do but to cling to the upper edge
OF the fan, ard this he did so fondly that
his finger nails made scars in the paint
The mill grew fractions and bucked like a
wild west broncho
IF only had my spurs on" walled the
dizzy man, or even a gunnysack for a
saddle, l might hold out till the breeze
shifts again."
and crowd Of neighbors. some of whom
wanted to bet on the finish.
Throw her out of gear and stop the
MILL, the daring rider beloved from his
bounding perch.
They tried it, but his weight on the fan
prevented the gear from working
Get a ladder. them hoRyled Mr.. Leeper.
Ihe ladder was useless, for the fan
swayed too much to offer a resting place
Tor the upper end. Two hours or more did
Mr.. Leeper ride his wild race against time,
waiting for the breeze to subside or haul to
another quarter. He made a verbal will,
dropping the words down between jolts.
praying alternately and saying things in a
whisper to the fiery. untamed windmill
At last the wind died away. and with the
aid of ropes the men hauled. the fan around
to where the exhausted performer could
tumble off to the tank. whence they low
cred him gently down and rubbed his joints
with witch hazel ~,
Alsinus Gustavus Leeper was somewhat
lame and tired last night, but he is soothed
by the reflection that he is the greatest
bareback rider Fruitvale has ever pro-
duced. - ~
This was worse job than riding the
barn.. said Boots. you see. had better
seat there. and the wind didn't bother me-
Two or three times I came near being
blown off the fan, and the way it bucked
loosened some of my teeth. Talk about
riding a man on a rail, I'll bet the sharp
est rail ever split feels like upholstered
plush compared to the edge ofmy wind
mill fam"