The San Francisco call., 1907-06-16

3
ears. They are IN danger OF being
- clipped by the strangest OF all odd
weapons, the mysterious boomerang.
That an car IS only an ornament is
the consolation that Victor Hugo gives
TO one OF his heroes society's conso-
lation. II it lose its ears. Will have to
come from daraagc suits or the insur-
anoe companies. and the danger is no
remote one. Tor the very latest of all
of the fads Of smart society Is the
throwing OF the boomerang.
The black men Of Australia have
given men and women of fashion the
latest TOY. IN Esgland the sport is well
recognized 2s one Of the fashionable
things to BE done out OF doors. In
America the weapon Of the bushman
has not yet taken firm foothold. but
with nobility and royalty throwing the
australian mystery. with ell its va
garics and ever changing phenomena,
it wiz not be long before Americans
arc as busy as the English forming
boomerang clubs and learning the skill
OF the Australian savages.
The delight Of the savage In the
whirl and whir Of his weapon has
taken hold OF England. Tennis is al
most forgotten. and golf IS shaking
upon its own fields, which are covered
with boomerang tfrowers. Sir Ralph
Pain-Gailway is the leader OF the fad.
In his rare collections OF the weapons
OF ali times and peoples he greatly
prizes a number OF Australian boomer
angs. These were picked up IN the
Australian bush, the only place in the
world where tho. boomerang Is made
in its bafing perfection.
Sir Ralph was the first Englishman
TO throw the. boomerang. as a sport.
Men Of fashion joined him IN Ids pas
time, ard then the FAD ran like wild
FIRE through English society. There are
boomerang clubs and boomerang con-
tests, and a single dealer has an order
for 500 of the strange missiles. They
arc to be thrown by the fairest women
Of the empire and the strongest and
most notable men.
Little cares English society that no
one has been able to explain the
flight Of the boomerang. No explana-
ton is asked. All that IS sought is
skin in the throwing, and society IS
wondering that no one ever before dis
covered that TIE boomerang is so fas-
cinating and 50 clever a sporting pos
sibility.
While Chinese mobiles have sailed
their kites and While Americans with
irnpromptu millions have followed the
,goif bali the black fellows of Australia
have. all Dy themselves. enjoyed the
most fascinating Of all sports. viii
boomerang throwing now achieve the
same civilized popularity that : has
been accorded TO golf and archery?
The bow and arrow, the primitive
weapons OF every people except the
Australian savages, has long been
negatively popular sport But its
tamcness never permitted It the popu-
Iarity that has already come to the
boomerang.
The Australian aborigines have never
used the bow and arrow No one has
ever known Just why. Ths boomerang
and spear have been the weapons of
these blacks. Society has found the
answer. The boomerang is so much
more effective than the bow and arrow
and so much more fun. For even So
c,ety. with very limited knowledge CT
the boomerang. sees its endless posi-
biiities. and at meets OF the boomerang
clubs II may be the slender. white and
beautiful arm OF the society girl that
makes the prettiest throw, even
though It be In competition with the
knotted biceps Of some giant beef fed
.nobleman.
The mystery Of the boomerang has