The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1846-12-19
ga Fire in the Rear.n
ONE OF THE LATEST JOKES

There was fun as well as fighting down il
the neighborhood of the Rio Grande last sum
mer, and a Yankee in thas section, albeit toll
cradle shrewd specimen of the genut, got Ga
fire in the rear" which rsk ed down and demol
ished the best calculations ever made for &
small for small fortune, and at the same time
raised laugh which filled the a6joing chappar
raj for mile in every direction.
Water was scarce during the heat of summer
at Brazos Island, and liqnor not so plentiful at
times as the necessities Of the sojourners re-
CURED. 1t was at one of these thirsty seasons
that our Yankee, by some look or crook, got
holt Of barrel of tolerably hard cider, and
with this small stock in trade he at once 'set
upn business. To rake and scrape together a
parcel of boards, and old bits of canvass, enough
to build small shanty, was the worg of but a
short hodr; to set his barrel upon couple of
skids in fhe back part Of the tent, to tap it,
and to commence retailing the cider at dime
glass, occupied but short time more.
Customers focked in by dozens, the cider
went off at a rapid rate, and the Yankee was
making his "eternal fortin" at stride that
would have elated John Jacob A stor in his
early days. Some of his patrons comdlained
that dime glass for cider which was not
worth more than Two dollars barrel at the
outside. was an outrageous price: but the
times were ha I'd and the retailers conscience
easy--he had all the cider in the market, and
could not afford to sell any cheaper.
This state OF things went on for an entire
day, the Yankees quarters being beset by
throngs of patrons. On the following morn
ing, aud before the cider was half sold, they be-
gan to thin off gradually, and by the middle of
the afternoon it was only now and then strug-
Cling stranger that visited the shade and cider
of the retailer. What was the matter? What
had caused this sudden falling off of custom .
The reader will soon see.
Towards night new face appeared in the
shanty and called for glass of cider. 1t was
drawn, swallowed and the customer took out
his purse and inquired the price.
"One dime," said the Yankee.
zone tchat?n retorted the customer.
"One dime" cody replied the Yankee.
GOne h-ll," snarled the customer. awhy,
can get Just as good cider here at .fve cents a
glass;
"N-o y-o-u CANT" drawlel the Yankee,
"There amt pint of cider 'cept what I've got
in that are barrel this side of Orleans, Pm darn
ed if there is"
81 know BETTER" calculated the customer,
tartly, 81 bought agass of cider not two hours
ago, and only paid FIVE cents for it."
aI'd like to know where you effected that
small Transaction" queried the Yankee.
sRight round here,' was the answer.
81 guess it was right round here.' Right
round utere, I'd like to know9" continued the
old vendor.
"why close up here, somewhere just back
of your placer returned the customer.
"I'll bet you tn drinks you didn't spoke up
the Yankee, Ssnd we'll 60 right round and see.'
sDone' said the customer, and off they started.
Sure enough "nght round here" they found
another cider establishment in full blast. A
second Yankee had ngged mall shade in the
rear Of The frat Yankee, shdnty, had tapped The
other end Of the latter's barrelof cider through a
board, and tcas retailing 1t at fUe cents glas' TO
O perfect rtsh Of cirstOHsOOs!-Re.