The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-26
WILD RIDE ON A WINDMILL FAN.
1t Was Performance for Which Mr.
Leeper Does Not Wish an Encore.


After few more misadventures in
his own inimitable style, as the pro-
grammes say, the people of Fruitvale
may ask Alsinus Gustavus Leeper to
give regular performances. He is so
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 Fruitvae. The builder
also shngled 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 thought
lessly nailed shingles over the opening
above the ladder, thus shutting off all
means of escape. Nh. Ieeper yelled for
help, but his folks We're away from
home and the neighbors thought he
was celebrating the completion of the
barn. The Fruitvale hook and ladder
company finally turned out and rescued
Mr.. Leeper.
While this incident doomed the in
dustrious citizen as a public entertain
err, it was but a feeble show compared
with his windmill adventure yesterday
afternoon The mill buzzes above
tank at the top of 40foot skeleton
tower in the back yard pumping water
for Mr.. Leeper's pigeons and other live
stock.
Il think the bearings need oil, said
Boots. With the wind in this direc-
ton the fan is right over the tank
where l can climb up and oil the
places"
Crawling up the tower frame with
his oil can, Mr.. Leeper got astride of
the fan, or tail, of the Windmill. He
was busy oiling when the breeze shift
ed six points and swung him clear of
the tank roof. The wind also freshened
and the lubricant in the journals in
duced the mill to brace up and spin at
n 70 f,fO
Help" shrieked Mr.. Leeper, but the
rafting machinery drowned his voice.
The wind shifted again until the ii
rection of the fan from the time the
oiler mounted it was entirely reversed.
Instead of riding above the tank Mr..
Keeper bucked and Wriggled and sway
ed in midair on the razor backed fan,
40 feet from the ground. This was
condition of deadly peril, even for a
man who had marooned himself on a
barn. Mr. Leeper's hair and Whiskers
curled with terror. There was nothing
to do but cling to the upper edge of the
fan, and this he did so fondly that his
finger nails made scars in the paint.
The mill grew fractions and, bucked
like wild west broncho
IF l only had my spurs on walled
the dizzy man. " or even a gunny sack
for a saddle, l might hold on till the
breeze shifts again"
Meanwhile his cries had attra cted the
family and a crowd of reighbors, 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 then" howled Mr..
Leeper.
The ladder was useless, for the fan
sWayed too much to offer a resting
place for the upper end. Two hours or
. more did Mr. Leeper ride his wild race
against time. waiting for the breeze to
made a verbal will, dropping the words
down between jolts, praying alternate
ly and saying things in 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 lowered him gently down
and rubbed his joints with witch hazel.
Alsinus Gustavus Leeper was some
what lame and tired last night, but he
is soothed by the reflection that he is
the greatest bareback rider Fruitvale
has ever produced.
This was a worse job than riding
the barn" said Boots. you see, l had
a 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 sharpest rail ever
split feels like upholstered plush COM
pared to the edge of my windmill fan"
San Francisco Examiner.