Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-07-30
Western Annoyances.


Judge j., who has recently returned
from tour in the West, says a New York
paper, relates an anecdote illustrating the
horrors to which travellers in that region
are exposed. In his passage to one Of
the rivers, he fell in company with talk
alive lady and gentleman. to whom he
was relating some of his sufferings from
mosquitoes.
Husband" said the lady to the gem
tleman owning that title, you had better
tell the gentleman about the man we meS
in Iowa"
The hint was sufficient, and the hus@
band" proceeded to say that, in their
travels farther west, they made the acs
quaintance of a stalwart, relicking West
ern Hoosier, one of the genus who could
whip his weight in wild CATS" but who
possessed fund of Of quiet humorl, On
one occasion, they had stopped at hotel
in the interior. not of the most inviting
appearance. They were shown to their
rooms, the hoosier at one end of long
hall. About midnight the drowsy couple
were startled by a report Of fire arms,
proceeding from the end of the hall occu-
pied by their travelling companion. Both
started up in the bed and began to specu-
late upon the probable cause Of the I'M
timely alarm, when they heard rushing
Of feet and confusion of voices in the hall.
On going to the door, the gentleman
found the whole household, headed by
the landlord, rushing in the direction of
the report. His curiosity led him to join
this midnight procession, and he arrived
with the rest at the boosters door. The
landlord tried the latch, but found the
door fast, whereupon, in loud voice, he
demanded admission.
" What do you want?" roared voice
within.
want to come in" replied the land
lord.
Cant do it," was the response with
in. It's my room, and I'm in bed-can't
come in"
Let me imp shouted the landlord in a
louder tone. at the same time shaking the
door violently, or I'll break the door
DOWN.
Hold onp rejoined the voice within;
E" TIL open the door"
The door was soon open, when in rush
ed the whole party, expecting to see the
whole floor covered with blood. What
was their surprise to see everything in
its proper place, and the hoosier calm
and unconcerned. A revolver was lying
carelessly on the bed.
"Who fred the pistol?' demanded the
landlord.
" | did" was the reply.
=" Why?" asked the landlord.
The hoosier stepped to the bed, and
throwing open the covering, said, Look
here; do you see that?"
The attention of the party was at once
directed to the point indicated, and there
over the whole surface of the sheet, bed
bugs were scampering in every direction,
like flock ofsheop frightened by dog.
The landlord was chagrined and puzzled,
and looked to his ledger Tor an explana-
ton.
"These," began the hoosier, straighten-
ing himself up to his full height, and jes-
ticulating with right hand in grandilo-
quent style, these are my friends!
have settled an armistic with them, and we
are on friendly terms; but on the window
sill there, outside, you will find two in
fernal big fellows that I couldn't do any
thing with, and so l just put bullet
through EN-. But it's all right now-it's
understood between me ard my friends
here, and we shall get along well enough
now"
1t is needless to add, that the landlord
retired to his own bed visibly crest-fallen,
while the spectators enjoyed hearty
laugh.