The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-11-28
Maine =" Jumpers !"

= uicker than . jumping Ffenohman
is q phrase that is best unierstoo II
Northern Maine, There are more iuml
ers. there perhaps, than 10 any othe
section OF the country. Specialists ii
nerve phepomena have fried 10 explain
the wherefore OF this. bat. after oil. nt
one seems to understand, Practically sl
these unfortuuaies are French Csnadisns
and no one understands why this should
be so. either. The nervous exeitsbility oi
these people ranges 10 grades oil the way
from the case Of the man who jumps only
at a specially alarming sound to the nerve
tension Of the victim who leaps and howls
il door is shut with q little more EN-
phasis than usual.
A certain New Yorker who was in
Maine few weeks ago will never forget
what Jumper lie. He had never heard
OF one before. He was leaving hIs train
at WaterviIle. As he came out on the
platform OF the coach he met q lice OF
men 6ine on. OF the smoking car on the
opposite platform. All st once some one
in the rear bsrked With snsppy emphasis;
Hit em.
Like o fash q man wearing q knitted
cap and q Cardigan j,oket Hinged out
with bis right and struck the New Yorker
fairly in the breast. at the same time
whooping like a Comsnche. The New
York man staggered back, lost his foot
ing rolled down the steps OF the car and
landed on the station platform on bis hand
and knees. His silk hat rolled one way
and bis grip bounced the other. Az
soon % be could scramble up be ran into
the station. shouting. Keep that man OIL
Oas OF the train men followed him up,
carrying the hat and the baggage.
It's oil right, said the brakeman, grin
ming smlsbly and resssuringly. that's
only jumper.
Only .jumperl echoed the New York
man, with bis eyes and mouth open. On
ly jumperl And what the blooming
blsz,s is jumper Keep him away. lie
pretty nearly killed mep
He didn't mean TO hurt you. said the
other. Some one jumped him by yelling
II him. and be struck the nearest thing
10 resch. II happened to be you. He
couldn't help it.
Yon don't mean TO tell me that the
msu assaulted me witbou knowing what
he was doing2 demanded the stranger.
Just Tor The moment these Jumpers
ion't have the least idea what they are
.bout or where they are. said the train
nan. Some one yells snd they Jump
Il someone shouls Strike they strike.
Then they ought to be loked up ss
dangerous lunatics, said the tourist.
The best way, said the bystsnder,
would be to lock up some OF the men who
impose on those poor creatures by Jump
ng them st every opportunity. As 8
n atter OF fact. this hss been done sew eral
lines in Maine Men who have vsbton
, Jumped these unfortunstes to the 10
1ry OF some other person who chsnced
o be 10 reach have been brought before
be police court aud fned. 1. 10 under
TODD thst iumptr is wholly unable to
oDtrol bis mind and bis muscles,
Physicians who have examined men
object to this strange weakness cay that
o q measure it is hereditary. There
nust be first 9 constitutions predisposi
ioh before . man can become Q Jumper,
hen the weskness is aggravated by 70
'ested nerve spacks IL vsrious com mt
tiles In Maioe the Jumpers sre Looked
roo as "a. cts Tor oonstsnt Jest. and
'henever they spposr 10 public persons
Iilh perverted sense OF hnmor keep st
hem.