Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-03-16

body responded.
$50 [ conclude," said the victim :
'<but I am opposed to its going any
further, at my personal expense
Gentlemen, my name is Dodge, profess
sor Of yocal music, from Boston,
M massachusetts,. There is my valise-
open, examine it; if you find anything
there, to excite suspicion as to my lden-
tity, fry me in aquafortis, and swallow
me straight?"
The prime mover of the muss drove
his fists into the open valise, and seiz-
ed roll Of hand-biIls; jerking. them
open, he began to read~-"Grand Con-
,;ert.'
Here the lookers-on began to settle
away into their seats, and before the
fellow had got much further in his in
vestigation, he found his arduous sup
,oorters mizzled, and he alone in his
glory.
It was r0tAer evident now that there
was some mistake. Some laughed IL
their sleeves, others Uttered and baW-
law-ed right out, and the inQuisitor
left, in rising rage, to find the man that
had very apparently been running a
s01c on him but brief investigation re-
suited in the discovery that the informer
was non est c0noc-at-jJu3-he had slop-
ed from the cars when they reached
HaVre dc Grace, about the very mo-
! mcut he was wanted.
The conductor OF the train inquired
Of poor Dodge if his friend Covert
wasn't the man that had been getting
up this trick, and Dodge, smelling
rat, presumed to say that he had not
the slightest idea of the inventor Of the
Joke The conductor aughed; every
body laughed; even the victim, Dodge,
| laughed, and vowed it was really
capital joke But the eviltgenius swore
in round, unvarnished oaths, as big
ard weighty rs ffty-six's, that if the
fellows hide ever fell under his mani
puIations, it would not be worth two
cents to hold c0rnshUcks.
Dodge kept dark couldn't out-chaIk
him in that way.
lie and Covert gave concerts in Will
mington, and then took the steamboat
fer Philadelphia.
Shortly after the steamboat got out
into the Deleware river, and was paw
ing away for the Quaker City, Dodge,
with d face Of most melancholy and
care-stricken anxiety, sought the Cap
tain.
"Captain," said he, in voice Of deep
excitement, "Captain have you Sc
cure empty room on this beat ?"
"a secure empty room." the Cap
tain responded.
Have you? And two good stout
men-men you can depend upon ~
"Why, i'll the name Of goodness,
what's the matter % quoth the Cap
tain
'sILush!'' said Dodge, shutting one
eye, and putting up his finger. "Hush! |
don't let hi02 hear us-he,s stark mad |
lost ak his fortune in specUIa,ion-
gone mad, sir-bcIongs in BaItim ore
taking him up to PDiIadeIp phia--quice
we'll this morning-but I see the lit is
coming on him, and if he is not secur-
ed, he'll kill somebody or dcstro. HIM
self"
The Captain was alarmed his wife
and children were on the boat, with .
many Of his valued friends; he aU once
comDrchended the extent Of the dan
ger-madman loose-pocket full Of pls-
tolls and knives, perhaps-somethlng
must be done, acoU done anG quickly, /
too.
Like wiIdfre the alarm spread over .
the boat; the women huddied up their |
children, and tie darl1e's eyes shone
like peeled onions at every suspicious
looking genus homo about. Ten mad
dogs, would not, perhaps, have created |
more panic than did the peaceab Ie and .
unconscious balIad-singer, Covert, who
stood leaning oyer 4 settee III silent
musing. But so speedily and perfectly !
were the details Of his capture complet- |
ed, that the supposed Inadman found !
himself in the hercUlean grasp Of two I
boatmen, his hands tied and in spite of
the most determined resistance, of an |
athemas, xpOstulations, and enreat /
les, the vocalist was dragged forward /
and ruthlessly thrust into q side room,
the door secured, and there he was left
to vent his fury in kicks and vocifer-
Gus threats, until the boat reached the
city.
Dodge now stepped up to the Cap
tain, begged him to keep the lunatic
fast until he went up town, got friends
and carriage to remove the madman.
That was about the last the Captain
ever saw Of Dodge; the boatmen smelt
a mice, heard Covert explain the joke,
and then let him out of his tight place,
and the Captain told the victim to tell
that fellow Dodge), when he next saw