Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-01-14
GA FIRE. IN THE REAR"

ONE OF THE LATEST JOKES. There
was fun as well as fighting down in the
neghborhood Of the Rio Grande, last
summer, says the New Orleans Plcay-
une and Yankee in that section, albeit
a tolerable shrewd specimen of the gen.
us, got ga fire in the rear' which rak-
ed down and demolished the best calcu-
lations ever made for n small fortune,
and at the same time raised laugh that
filled the adjoining chaparral for mile
in every direction.
Water was scarce during the heat OF
summer at Brazos Island, and liquor not
SO plentiful at times as the necessities of
the soourncrs required. 1t was at one
Of these thirsty seasons that our Yank
ee, by some hook or crook, got hold OF
barrel Of tolerabe fair cider, and with
this small stock in trade he at once " set
up'' business. To rake and scrape to-
gether parcel Of boards and old bits OF
canvass, enough to build small shanty.
was the work of but a short hour to
set his barrel upon couple Of skids in
the back part of The tent, to tap it, and
to commence retailing the cider at one
dime glass, occupied but short time
more.
Customers focked in by dozens, the
cider went off at rapid rate, and the
Yankee was making his " etarnal fortn'
at stride that would have elated John
Jacob Astor in his early days. Some oil
his patrons complained that dime a
glass for cider, which was not worth any
more than two dollars barrel at the out
side, was an outrageous price but the
times were hard, the retailers conscience
easy--he had all the cider in the mark
ct, and could not afford to sell any less.
This state of things went on for an
entire day, the Yankees quarters being
beset by throngs of patrons. On the
following morning, and before the cider
was yet half sold, they began to thin of
gradually, and by the middle of the af-
ternoon, it was only now and then that
a struggling stranger visited the shade
and cider of the retailer. What was
the matter? What had caused this sud.
den falling off of custom The reader
will soon see.
Towards night new face appeared
in the shanty and called for glass of ci
der. 1t was drawn, swallowed, and the
customer took out his purse and inquir
ed the price.
"One dime," coolly replied the Yam
kee.
One" snarled the customer
"why, | can get just as good cider here
at fre cents a glass"
"N-o-y-o-u-c-a-n-t," drawled out thu
Yankee. "Thcre amt pint of eide
'cept what Pvc got in that ere barril, thi
side of Orleans, Pm darned if Their
is"
81 know BETTER" CALCULATED the Gus
toner, tartly. Il bought glass of CT
der not two hours ago, and only paid
cents for it,"
"Pd like to know where you elfecte'
that small transaction queried the Yam
kee.
Right round here" was the answer
81 guess it was right round here
Right round ,ohcre, I'd like TO know /!
continued the cider vender.
b" Why, close here, somewhere-righ
just back of your place." returned tn
customer.
"Pll bet you tcw drinks you didn't
spoke up the Yankee, "and we'll 6
round and see."
Done p said the customer, and o
they started.
Sure enough, fright round here' the
found another cider establishment, in flu
blast. A second Yankee had rugged
small shade in The rear of the first Var
KEGS shanty, had tapped the other en-
Of the latter's barrel of cider through
board, and was retailing it at 5 cents
glass to a perfect rush of customers.