Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-03-13
'sBLACK STRAP

| Some lndicrous things happen in real life
| things that everybody can laugh at, save those
who are their victims for we take it, that to
make good joke, to give it point and effect,
some one must suffer-that there must be a
sting TO produce ludicrous grimace. We
heard a story in point recently, which is lit
orally true, and our readers shall have it for
their ediication.
Out in Erie, Pennsylvania, there resides q
young lawyer, son of Supreme Judge, who
is devoted to line of practice not set down
in the Books-such as cunning, fishing, and
having 'sgood time'' generally. Not long
ago, he, in company with another young gen.
tleman, started on cunning and fishing ex-
cursion to thinly settled part of Pennsylva-
mia, on the line of the Sunbury 4 Erie Rail-
road. The point at which they domicied was
station on the road where a German had o.
pened a store for the purpose of supplying the
laborers on the work with .'dry goods and gro
ceries," principally the latter. Here they en-
Joyed themselves for few days in a free and
easy manner. One morning they arose before
the sun, intending to proceed upon an excur-
sion some distance into the woods to try their
luck, when the following conversation took
place between them. Said the young gentle
man, who was the son of well known propri-
etor of hotel in Erie, to his companion:
s'I have bottle of prime Jamaica Rum,
first rate article, and think it would be good
idea to try it this morning. Suppose go TO
the sstore' and make some sblack strap.'''
Now, reader, "black strap'' is favorite
New England drink, and is composed of rum
and molasses. The Judges son demurred not
to the suggestion, and, with the bottle, they
repaired to the grocery. The assistant in
charge of this establishment was Teuton of
not very remarkable briiancy, but of very
accommodating disposition. As soon as they
entered, the descendant of Boniface asked
"Have you any first-rate molasses ?''
sYaw.''
ssWell take these three glasses and fill them
each about half full of the best you have"
"Yaw," repeated Teuton and suiting the
action to the word, he went into dark room
and in few moments returned with the glas-
ses each containing the required amount. The
Jamaica Rum was poured in not in homepa-
thic dOses-was vigorously stirred, in the dim
light Of early dawn, and the youthful offspring
of the keeper Of a house of public entertain
ment gulped his down with one pull. 1t tast-
ed queer, and his stomach evinced a DISPOSE
tion to rebel against it, but he preserved a
smooth countenance.
s'How does it go7' asked che limb of the law.
"Bully!'' gasped his friend.
This assurance was enough, and another
glass was swallowed. Teuton followed suit
and down went his mixture. BY this time the
two disciples of Nimrod and Izaak w alton were
on the outside of the store shouting ssNew-
York - No man who ever sswent down to the
sea in ships" cast up accounts lore vigorously
than did these two concoctors of "black strap
The German was of stronger stomach, and he,
grasping the bottom of his vest with both
hands, rushed after his friends ejaculsting
''Mine Gott!' at every step. The gentlemen
from Erie were. in few minutes, entirely pros
trated. Completely exhausted, they stretched
themselves on the counter, while the Teuton
rushed two miles across the country for a ply
sIcian, feeling convinced that all had been
poisoned. The doctor came and after exam
lining the glasses, burst into a laugh. He dis
covered that the German had tapped the wrong
barrel, and instead of drawing molasses, had
partly filled the glasses with cheap whale oil
of the nastiest kind. There was no danger to
life, but the emetlc was powerful, and, the
hunters took the first train for home, looking
pale ghosts, and as destitute of all mus
cular vigor as Mark Tapley was after six
months residence in the American Eden.
The Judges son gives it as his opirion that
ttstriking le'' may be lucky thing in gen.
eral way, but striking it in mistake for mo-
lasses is intolerable and not to be borne
while his companion, whose ability to keep
hotel has lately been doubted, declares that
the next time he concocts "black strap he
will be sure of his ingredients.