The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-04-21
ATERILLING ADVENTURE.
Adventure Of Peleg Snodgrass on an
Iowa Prairie.

- -
Iowa Prairie.
The following adventure occurred near
Des Moines the capital Of Iowa, in the
early days of that State, and is true to
the letter:
Some half dozen travellers and villagers
were lounging in front of the fireplace
In the ar-room-though the settlers had
only few days since finished their har-
vest, the evenings were somewhat cool,
and a small fire was necessary to per-
feet CONTEMPLATING of the prospects,
and whether there was likely to be a
large emigration pass through to Cali
forna in the spring to buy THEN surplus
feed and other produce when new char
acter burst upon the stage. As the
door was flung open, all eyes were fixed
in a stare Of astonishment and wonder
upon the newcomer.
The stranger was tall, raw-boned
lantern-iawed individual, with faxen
locks struggling about bis shoulders.
His long, spindle legs were encased n
blue Jeans, while he wore coat OF the
swallow tail cut, and ola blueish color,
with an old oil-cloth cap drawn so tightly
down upon his head that it had the ap-
pearance of having been pasted on.
Then what appeared the most strange
and unaccountable was, that he was
wringing, dripping wet. His yellow
ear-locks were parted down 10 his check,
and streaks Of dirt marked the course
Of divers miniature water-courSes across
the forehead and down his nose; water
dripped from the claw hammar tails of
his coat. and from the wristbands Of the
same. On his back he carried an oil
cloth carpet bag, accurately fastened by
big stout leath- straps, which crossed
upon his breast. Marching to the mid
de of the roam. with an immense cIatt9r
Of wet cow-hlde boots, he halted, and
cast an inquiring glance around the cir
Gle occupying benches in tront-of the fire.
Mr. Bagely, the landlord Of the Eagle,
arose, nodded ana said;
Good evening, sur
"Ieow do ye dew? BE yeou the land
lord of this ere house? p
eyes, sur
"Want to know Reckon yew could
not keep a feller here, nor give him a
bite Of nothin' for supper, could YEP
YES, sur.
Yer mean to say We kin bed and
breakfast me!
''Yes, sur.
.'Gol burned glad to hear it,an' if ye
can only mix feiler somethin hot an
strong, with good deel of rum in it, and
only little water, it will DO me main
sight of good
Yes, sur. -
"Strong, mind-a good deel of lick
CT. You got rum?'
Yes. sur.
"a good deel of rum in it, and nifty
little water-StiF as the old deacon used
to say-stiff, Mr. Landlord.
Eyes. sur. F"
While the landlord was preparing his
rum, the stranger stood in front of the
bar. his pack upon his back, evidently
pent on seeing that the correct thing
was done in the rum and water mingliag.
Then, having imbibed regular shorter,
he asked the landlord to assist In remov-
ing the pack.
This being done, he was about to hand
his carpet bag oyer to the landlord to be
put behind the bar, when he got sight of
a big rent in it, and articles of clothing
protruJing there from. The instant he
made this discovery, the carpetbag drop
ped, and he stood for few seconds the
image of despair.
At length hearouseG himself, and strih-
ing his clenched fist against his forehead,
he bawled out in q tone of heart-rending
agony:
Observation-Disclosures Teetotal-
" ruined Busted to smash One hun
dred and sixty acres Of the best land that
ever lay out doors, ripped all to flinders
O, Sarer Ann Little knowest thou
that we are ruined and busted up FAM
~ Little yeou thinkest that thou art
a beggarl OH Jcrewsalem how
shall | ever meet you since this destruc-
ton have been wroughted! After all
our scrimpin,' and screwin, and pinch
in and twistin after sellin the two
year old heIfer and the fine shotes and
after thou-oh Sarer Ann has gone
to church in caliker dress-we' re q
busted family! Oh Jerewsalem All
all lost-gone IN mlnnit Oh
little Jed and Sarer Ann heow kin [
meet youl'
This outburst from the tall Yankee,
took us all by surprise We could not
imagine what had happened to cause
SO much alarm and grief; for the poor
man was absolutely beside himself with
terror aud despair, and tears were iiow-
ing plentifully down his brown and
weather-beaten cheek.
What on earth has happened to you,
SIR. to cause you so much distress? You
are certainly not lamentiug a, this rate
over that rent in your carpet-bagY L
asked, advancing to where the Yankee
stood.
''Oh, no, no, holy Jerusalem, eff it was
nothing else but that! Oh. murder.
murder, l dasn't hardly think of it
There is poor Sarer Ann feeling so
proud, talking to little Jed about our
fine, new home in the prairies, just like
we often used to do, and here, oh, jew
das is hull secshun of the neatest land
In Iowa gone to eternal smash +
The poor fellows feelings now com
,letely mastered him, and he held h,s
face in his hands and sobbed like little
child. His last words, however,. gave
me clew to the mystery, and taking up
his carpet-bag [ commenced to haul out out
shirts, vests and handkerchieis, all
v..r.ughly water-soaked, till at the bot