North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-05-25
GA Little More Leg O.. ar1e.V

"A Aituc IuVIc Ley Vh,
The other evening, we ch. snoed to meet
an old policeman. whose fun Is as ex-
haustless as his taste for S. o. P. brandy
and indubitable "old rye" We kindly
took the old stager by the arm, and after
q few preparatory remarks, asked him if
he had anything new to tell. The sturdy
old boy surveyed us for some minutes
through lens of cut glass, and then
smiled quite blandly.
"Did l ever tell you about Charley BIS
fire rope?' he asked.
"No," said we.
"Then let's take something" said he,
sand you shall hear all about it,
"The ex-policeman did take something,
and then he said:
"Charley B, you know, was a capital
fellow, that boarded in Amity place; but
sich sleeper never did see. Why, that
chap would 60 to sleep with brass band
in each ear and an old woman beating a
tin pan on his stomach. Well, Charley
Joined hose company, and he had great
ideas of running to fires, but his sleep
troubled him, and he set up for two whole
nights, for fear fire should break out and
he not know it. AT last he came to me,
for my boat lay isht past his boarding
house, and, says he:
"Tom, want you to do me a favor"
"Spit it out, says IT,
"Well," says he, "Tll be darned if I'll
lay awake any longer, but I'm going to
tie rope to one Of my feet, and let it
hang out of the window at night. When
there's fire you just give the rope a pull,
and l shan't mind standing something
hot
"Its a 60 my boy says l. "Just
hang out your rope, and you shan't sleep
after the first tap of the bell.'
Snow, you see the first night alarm ia
that district after that, was on a bitter
cold night, and l made up my mind to
warm myself at Charley's expense so I
went to his boarding house and COM
menced peering about for that rope. l
thought he had forgot it, at first, but when
l got onto the stoep, saw it hanging
from second story window, about half
way between the end of the house and
the stoop railing.
''How does the natural fool expect me
to pull that ?" says to myself.
But got over the railing, and with my
heels on the edge of the stoop, commenced
reaching for the rope. managed to git
hold of it and was just giving it one saw
age pull to relieve my feelings, when my
feet slipped, and away swung like kite
hanging from roof. The first thing I
heard was like several claps of small
thunder, and then the rope give with a
vengeance l felt myself lower until the
tips of my boots just touched the airy
pavement and when l looked up, hang
it, if there wasn't Charley with the longest
leg ever did see, hanging out of the
window, and he straddling the sill lop-
sided like, and screaming like California
monkey with his tail on fire.
sob, murder fire I'm dead !-quick
Let go, you fool ~ roared the sleepy
fellow.
"Now you see that male me mad, be-
cause I'd done it all out of kindness, and
| held on like wax.
"Murder ~ yelled Charley.
GA little more leg, Charley" says and
then let go, for the house was raised,
and crowd was collecting. They hauled
him in with one leg about yard longer
than the other, and swearing till he was
blue around the mouth. tell you, he
didn't leave home for week, and l
shouldn't wonder if his tailor had to make
him some new pantaloons. He always
thought that didn't mean it," concluded
our ca o6icio friend with an innocent
wink.
"Oh, of course not"