The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-08
For The Children.
SLIPPERY SANS STUNTS.

OF a cndQ. All the WOTUS Qt'SCTiDlIS
him seemed to begin with S, by the
way, as well as Sans name. They
called him Slippery Sam, for he was
fond of twisting his body into all man
ner. of shapes, standing on his head,
curling his legs in the air and bending
his arms forward or back until you'd
never suppose that he had a single bone
or joint like anyone else.
Sam took notions too. Sometimes he'd
make believe he was a trapeZe perform
er: He. had a trapeze rugged up in the
shed and when he was dressed in bril-
liant red sweater and short gymnasium
trousers he looked very imposing, in
deed, as re hung by his feet, or, rest
ing his chin on the edge of the swing.
outstretched his arms and waved his
feet in the air.
Joe generally was his audience. Joe
was Sans small brother. He admired
Sam greatly and tried to initiate him.
But Joe was quite a little chap yet,
and. he welad ; have to grow several
inches before he could hope to emulate
all Sans contortions.
1--WE got a new idea said Sam to
'o 'w 1af n WHATS; exclaimed Joe Joe
was always eager to see Sans new
tricks.
Come after school and you'll see,
nodded Sam, mysteriously.
Sam was a pretty bright boy with his
lessons. though he liked gymnastics
best. AS for Joe, his head was so full
teacher that London was the. capital of
the United States, and in the history
class he got up and explained that Gen.
Washington, before the battle of Wa
terloo, in his address to his soldiers,
said, Boys, America expects every man
to do his duty!
And then Miss Jones' the history
teacher, told him, grimly, he'd better
sit down.
What are you going to do, Sam?'' he
asked anxicusly, as he mot that young
man IN his famous red sweater, travel
ing to the woodshed
call the boys and you'll see'' said
Sam. The programme will be Figure
gymnastics. fantast1cr y
It sounded like something very fine,
1noeed. so Joe called all the boys of the
hve minutes and they were all glad to
come. There were a lot of fellows In
the vicinity who were always ready to
apP Eli Sam new tricks.
they found that Sam had a curtain fas
tened up across one end, and Christie
pher, the black boy, who worked in the
stable was waiting to draw it. He stood
when he drew 1t, divided the curtain.
and showed the stage which Sam had
nXed up for his performance.
Wnen the audience was seated a hoarse
Are you ready?''
oh, yes, he's ready!' shouted the bows
in chorus. - -
Then Christopher pulled the string. and
the curtain divided, and Sam stepped to
the front. He gave a few preliminary
blasts on an old tin horn which he kept
for such occasions, for Sam was orches-
ira as Well as performer, and then said:
gentlemen, this performance you are
about to see this evening Is called Fig
use Gymnastics Fantasies - applause
from the audience)
/ when | go behind the curtain Chris
t0Dh4r min to oy,1
he draws it again you will see me in a.
certain attitude. l shall make a figure
explained Sam solemnly, land you are
to guess what figure it iS!''
Great and long continued applause in
the midst of which Sam bowed gracefully
and stepped behind the curtain again,
and Christopher dropped it.
Then the audience waited in breath
less silence until after what seemed an
hour Christopher, grinning all over his
broad, black face, slowly drew the cur
tain aside; There stood Sam, straight
upright, his arms dropped at his sides,
and his heels together.
The audience waited, expecting to see
Sam do something funny. But Sam didn't
one minute Christopher dropped the cur
tain again.
Then the boys gave a howl. What was
it? What was it?" Why ventured
a fellow in the back row presently, THAT
was 'oner -
Then-"So it vast" they all shouted.
lone! one! one"' And a laugh from Sam
at the back of the stage told them they
were right.
Before the second figure Sam called Joe
behind the curtain, much to Joe's delight
and when Christopher drew the curtain
again, the two boys were discovered Joe
stretched along the ground in somewhat
of a bumped condition, while Sam was
curded above him in an attitude more
familiarly Sans.
When the curtain fell the audience call
cd Inv hot % txryOt fuvn fxNni
Joe ran in front of the curtain after
that Did you not see me?'' he cried
in delight. THAT was two"
When the curtain was drawn again
Sam was seen with his body in a curled
position, and his arm in a second curl
over his head.
That's three, three! three! shouted
the boys.
The next figure, of course, was the
figure t. And when Christopher drew the
curtain Sam was seen with his arms
bent up in peculiar way, that every one
recognized as intended to make 4.
-Four! four!' they cried out.
When the curtain was drawn aside for
the next figure, one of Sans arms shot
OUT behind him in a queer style that
made every one giggle. That's five!
flyer!
Fife it was certainly And the audi
ence, now entering into the fun of the
thing, waited impatiently for the next
figure.
They had had much experience with
Slippery Sans stunts" but they laugh
ed heartily when the curtain was drawn
again Sam was in a funny attitude, his
legs curled around in a wonderful atti-
sumo, and his whole figure describing in
a most grotesque way, the figure 6.
Six! ski" they called out.
Seven turned out just as funny. Sam
stood on his head in this figure also. He
was balanced in half upright way and
one foot put forward showed the cross
of the figure Z.
Christopher grinned broadly when he
pulled the curtain back. Sans crooked
leg caught in the side of it and the boys
gave a shout of laughter when Chris
tophe1 had to come to the front and I'M
catch the curtain from Sans leg, for
Sam was too good a figure to get out
of position to do it himself.
The figure was surprise. When
Christopher jerked the curtain it was
wonderful how splendidly that curtain
went up and down. Sam, stood (on his
feet this time, with his legs straddled
apart, while his arms cuAed in the air
showed the upper part.
The last figure was g. In this Sam was
discovered on his head again, with his
legs curled around. The figure 9 was
to be seen and the boys called out:
Nine! nine! Three cheers! Hip, hip,
And this time Sam turned a double
somersault and ended by standing on his
feet and making a low bow to the audi
ence He said.
Il thank you very much. gentlemen,
for your appreciation of my beautiful fig
ures fantastic gymnastic.''
That was considered very fine speech,
PARTICULARS the being called gentlemen
The boys called back: 1T was great.
1t was fine.'' and Sam bowed again.
mo other fellow but Sam could have
done it, they said, as they darted out
of the door.
mo one but Sam would have thought
of iti' cried Halbert Morris.
..Hurrah for Slippery Sans stunts.'