The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-08-30
THE WAY IT HAPPENED

LII w n I IL hAGP LIN LID
And there were songs and quavers, roar.
ing, humming
Guitars, and every other sort of strum.
ming.-LByron's Beppo.
OF course it was very absurd, that
night expedition; but whenever did
good natured, unsophisticated jim FL
DERBY take the lead in anything that
wasn't absurd I? He seemed fated to
come to grief continually and find his
dearest ambitions thwarted and turn
ed to lidicule, all through his OWE mis-
calculation, or want Of forethought.-
Nevertheless, Jim was one of the
choice spirits of Hazelridge, for he pos
sessed fund of humor, a sunny dispo-
sition that ever inclined to look on the
bright side of life, and laughed over
his own mishaps in such jolly, roll
licking way that it made his big red
cheeks and pale blue eyes a pleasant
sight to behold.
There were other clever fello W S
among t3the boys of the village, to be
sure, and they were not long in afilia-
ting; for you must know that in re-
mote Western hamlets, so cut of from
communication with the outside world
that the advent of the semi-weekly
stage coach is an event of Importance
to every citizen of the place, where the
odly representative Of the "show biz"
are the humble tyros of slight-of- hand
performances, combined with the mag
ic lantern and ventriloquism, who oc-
casionally wander so far out of their
orbits as to visit these sequestered
neigbborhoods- young people, and
the older ones as well, have to rely
solely upon each other for amusement
and entertainment; therefore, the boys
of Hazelridge formed themselves into
various social combinations, according
to taste and opportunity, but it was
conceded on all sides that the leading
minor organization of the place was the
one designated as the U. r. G. Omitted
Reveler's Club.'O
This fraternity was novelty in it's
way, and its constitution and bylaws
were certainly unique. The President
was Toby Hartley. Inasmuch as this
young gentleman possessed an mex
haustible stock Of loose laughter, and
was so given to its indulgence on all
occasions and under all circumstances,
that he had been known to withdraw
preeipitately from a funeral procession
to indulgein his favorite pastime, he
had been unanimously chosen to pre-
side at the solemn. and dignifed coun-
ellis of the club. The proceedings at
those meetings were taken cognizance
of, and doubtless ably recorded by
Secretary Benjamin Franklin Bunch,
who, having failed to learn English
penmanship, transcribed his notes in
and Scandinavian. However,
it is not of the U. RS (whom some
waggish villager called "Unmitigated
that we wish to speak of at
except in a general way.
One evening, toward the latter part
of June, several of tic "Rascals" ha-.
ing met informally in their nall, the
uppo. room of disused warehouse,
were having what is technically term
ed good time, when there was q sud-
den clatter upon the rickerty stairway
leading to their dolnicile, followed by
the entrance of Jim Elder in a state of
some perturbation. All eyes were inn
turned upon the new conner.
"Hulloa, Jim, what's up ~ inquired
Jack Morton. m
"she's Gomez was the lucid reply.
"SHEt who %
ssIn' a brown silk dress, with ruffles
and things and voice like a chain of
This incoherence was succeeded by
a breathless pause on the part of the
boys, and united stare at the speak
er. Birch Endymon salaamed and
bowed toward the east. doctor"
John Smith, who had been crucifying
'sAuld Lang Syne" on a cracked fiddle
during this colioquy, now laid down
the instrument aud advanced toward
the group.