The Republican journal., 1871-08-03
The Aotuary Puzzled.

We find the following numerous yarn
in Col. NlcCrea's Lost Amid the Fog.
New York gentleman ut dinner on
board Il Cunard steamer laid a wager
with the captain that he could not give
him 4 correct answer, within u minute.
to the following question: "a Yankee
rushed into 4 bootnlakcr's store, in Broad
way, Here, look sharp cried he, Just
off 1or Calilornia-ship sails in half an
honr-want 4 pair of boots-look alive
Down tumbled the boots off the shelves;
from which he was soon fitted. ''lloW
much ?' Give dollars.n Give me change
for this fifty dollar bill-sharp -quick.'
The bcotmaker, not having change, rush
ed to 4 money changer. Quick, give
change for this fifty dollar bill-p passenger
Just of to Californian y and in Il Jew min
utes away ran the Yankee with his boots
and his change-Olf to California, Of
course. In about an hour afterwards the
money changer came down to the boot
maker. IIalloa! Sec quoth he, this isa
bad bill; pay me down fifty dollars at
once;' which the poor fellow, much dis
gusted, had to do. Now how much did
the boot-lnaker lose ?"
"Comc, Captain answer, quck-no
thinking about it, Eh. sir? How much
did he lose? ~
'Why, one hundred dollars, of course"
There was a shout Of laughter round
the table. and cries of right WRONG, in
all directions
"Why, you forget" crcd one, that
the boots were paid tor ,'What's that to
do with it? ?" said another; ''diGn't the
Yankee carry them off, and wasn't the
hoI Il nj
ncighbor, ''the Captains right Bet
you 4 sovereign he's wrong Done;
what do you say it is ~ ''Why fifty dol
lars and the boots Am | right. sir ?'
But the New Yorker only laughed. and
the chorus with him became louder.
The question spread from table to table,
right down, round the stern and up the
port side, ''What did the bootmallcr lose?'
until our ears were dcaiencd with the an
sWcrs and bets.
| At length it reached Il great BIC Boston
man, who had set up among us 4 sort Of
oracle, for he wore long, straight black
| clothes Of q clerical cut. and above his
grey head and huge, tapping ears, 4
monstrous shovel hat We had all taken
him for 4 superannuated bishop, until his
| friends let out that he was head of Il great
insurance Office all his life, deep in all the
mysteries Of policy and premium; so that
verify it was thought assurance indeed,
when pert ensign said, ''Now. III tell
you what. old buck, bet you that you don't
tell right otl-NVhat did the bootmakcr
| losc?'
''Sr," sad the big man with much
gravity, II decline the bet but shall be
happy to answer your question il you put
| itn
SO he was told, and then the pert en-
| sign again, .-Now tell Us quick old boy
What did the boomaler lose ?" ''What
did he lose sr2 Why, he lost, Of course.
fifty dollars on the one hand, which he
returned TO the money changer, and the
iorty-tiVe which he gave the rogue-hc
lost, sir, Of course, nincty-livc dollars and
the boots" But, alas for the Bishop look
ing brother, n ludicrous shout OF derision
from some one who had found it out
greeted his reply, upon which he rose
with II heavy ffown and Went ON deck.
Then rose the cry, '-What did the boot
maker losc?o from all parts Of the table.
''Fiity-ive dollars,' cried Il vemturesome
guess. ''Forty-iivc, cried another. equal
ly confident of his reasons. But the New
Yorker only smiled and laughed wthal,
telling US to give reasons for ollr answers.
The very walters carried it into the pan
try. bake house, and galleys, whence it
went to the second-cass passengers and
the torecastlc. until all round the ship,
III 4 circle from the red-hot funnel where
mostly we did congregate, was heard the
familiar cry-''what did the bootmakcr
losc?' Reader What was it, and why !?