The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-02-14
THE DOWNEAsTER AND THE BULL
A TRUE STORY.


There will be 'srnart chance of ''bull'
in this story.
oIcannot promise that it will be good
story, or funny story but | am keen to
swear that 1t is a true story. 30
What | am going to relate, happened in
Muscatine county, Iowa, midway between
Iowa City, the capital of the State and
Muscatlne City, hourishing town on the
Mississippi river, i'll a section of the country
called the Wapsinoenoc Settlement, from q
creek bearing that name which runs through
the settlement -a-.s
1t was in 81, (and that part of Iowa was
then thinly settIed,) that found myself one
evening at the Eagle Hotel, -" in West Lib
erty, village of some five houses about one
mile east of Wapsinoenoc creek, (VGpst-
white, aOe,-earth, v0c-creek-literally
white earth. creek, and situated on beau7
tiful prairie billnw. w
Some half dozen travellers and villagers
were lounging in trout of the ample fireplace
in the bar room-for, though the settlers
had only few days since finished their har-
vest, the evenings were somewhat cool, and
q small fire was necessary to perfect com
fort--talking of their prospects, and whether
there was likely to be large emigration
pass through to California in the spring to
buy their surplus feed and other produce
when new character burst upon the stage
AS the door was flung open, all eyes were
fixed in a stare Of aston ishment and wonder
upon the new conner.
The stranger was a tall, raw boned, lam
tern jawed Individual with haxen locks
Struggling about his shoulders. His long
spindle legs were encased in blue jeans, and
he wore coat Of the 'steel, pepcut" and
in color what he would have denominated
''blue nut, with an oil cloth cap drawn so
tightly down upon his head that it had the
appearance of having been pasted on. 5rass'5
Then what appeared most strange and I'm
accountable was, that he was wriDging,
dripping wet. His whitish-yellow ear locks
were parted down to his cheeks, and streaks
Of dirt marked the coarse of divers miniature
water -courses across his forehead, and down
his nose; water dripped from the claw ham
mer tails of his coat and from the wrist
bands OF the same. On his back he carried
and oil cloth carpet bag, securely fastened
by stout leather straps, which crossed upon
his breast. ttas.
Marching into the middle Of the room with
an immense clatter of wet cowhide boots, he
halted and cast all inquiring glance around
the circle occupying the benches in front of
the fire. Bagley, the landlord of the eagle, y
srose, nodded and said; ''Good eve'in, sur :"
''Heow de dew. Be yeou the landlord O
this ere heouse p a -E---rrg
+ t'Yes-r." . -a-- ~~o--
2 "Want tknowP Reckon you couldn't
keep Teller bur, nor give him bite O.
puthn for supper, could yer ~ q. set 5ae
''Yes r." .lt ilsl as,s
eye mean to say ye ken--bed an break
fast ?" y-e..s Us i. slsal e.sFs
s'Yes-r" a@
''Gol darn glad to hear on't-and eff you
ken jist mix Teller little spthin hot an
strong, with good deal O. rum init an but
little water, it'll do me a main site O.
good"
- ''Yes r.
E Strong, mind-a good deal o ticker
You've got run?" 49,. ss
f'Yes-r."
"a good deal O. rum in, but little water,
stiff, as the old deacon used to say-stiff, MIR.
Landlord
''Yesr" -rs
While the landlord was preparing his rum
the stranger stood in front of the bar with
pack still OH his back, evidently bent on SET
ing that the correct thing was done in the
rum and water mingling Then having i'm
bibed a regular shorter 'be asked the land
lord to assist in removing his pack. This
being done, he was about handing his car
pet bag over to the landlord to put behind
the bar, when he caught sight of an inn
mense rent in it, and theretrom protruding
the corners Of articles of clothing within it.
The Instant he made the discovery the car
pet sack fell from his hands, his Jaw drop
ped, aud for few seconds he stood the very
image Of despair. AT length he reused him.
self, and striking his clenched fist against
his forehead, he howled in voice of heart
Fending agony
.Ruined, ruined, ruinedl Teetotally ru
ined, busted to smash One hundred ant
sixty acres of the best land that ever la,
out er doors ripped all to flinders! o, Sare
Ann little knowest thou that we art ~
ined, busted family! Little yeou thinkes
thou art beggarl o. Jerewsaletn Ho,
shall ever meet you, sim this destrucshio
hev bin wroughted? Arfter all our skrim
pin,' an skrewin,' an sinchin,' an turning
An twisting; arfter sellin' old Barney an th
steers; arfter selin' the two year OLD heife
an the nine shoats an arter thou, 0. Sare
Ann, goin' to church in caliker, we're
busted family o, Jerewsalem! All. a
lost, gone in a minnit! O, heow, little JeC
and Sarer Ann, kin meet yeou ?'
This outburst from the tall yankee too
: us all by surprise. We could not imagin
what had happened to cause him so muc
alarm and grief, for the poor man was al
soIutely beside himself with terror and de-