Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-05-01
A PRACTICAL JOKE.

Ii NdS UuiiHS ibC iiCo1uCHtiat S""
paign which resulted in the election of
Buchanan, that the writer of the appen-
ded sketch, in company with three other
politicians. rode from Paducah to Boston,
Kentucky IN hack. They were bound
for one Of old-fashioned barbec les, and
tells what happened on the way thus.
The joking Judge NJ. was one of the
party, and the bottles that peeped out
from the basket under the seat seemed to
improve sparkle of bis wit. the flavor of
his jokes and the music of his laugh, un-
til the happy contagion even reached the
driver.
Our fun was at its highest, when turn
ing curve in the road, we saw, down
its hot. dusty stretch, solitary OK cart
with its owner perched upon what pro-
we'd to be bags of corn. As kind of
advance guard great, ugly, brindle dog
came trotting along in advance. and at
tracted by our noise, he threw himself in
an attitude of defiance, determined to dis
pute our advance. With his savage
growl. red eyes and erect bristles he
indeed presented formidable appearance
Judge NJ. could not let such an oppertu-
nifty for practical joke pass. Said he :
"I'll bet the drinks for the day that l
can run that dog off the road"
Done" said we.
Stopping our hack, he got out, and
threw the skirts of his Swallow tailed
coat over his shoulders, stuck his old
SLOUGH hat on the back of his head, and
going down on "all fours," he acampered
toward the dog with the most frightful
yells. reminding one Of the fable of the
ass in the lions skin. This was too
much for the dog, and bowling with
fright, he took to the brush. The oxen
also saw the fearful monster coming down
the road, and with one wild below they
took to the brush, with their tails stand
ing straight out behind. Away they
went, with wheels bouncing in the air,
bags Of corn bursting open, and spilling
their contents in continuous drill.
Whoa, Blaze Whoa. Ball 0, Lor-
dy! What shall do p came from the
frightened man on the cart, as he was
bounding from side to side. now grabbing
a cart pole, then catching bag of corn
as it went over the side.
This kind of performance couldn't last
long without change for better or worse
as the oxen went taring down the steep
bank of little creek and overturned ev-
erything into the water about waist deep.
One OK, getting loose, went up the oppo-
site bank and soon disappeared. while
the other covered down piteously bel
lowing as we came up to the scene Of
disaster. There stood the poor man in
the water to his waist, his wagon over
turned, and half his corn soaking in the
water, while the other half was scattered
in the woods. He looked scared and
pittiful, and said
80, Lordy, stranger don't never do that
any more I'm ruined
1t was splendid success, that joke,
and there stood the judge holdeng on to
a saplins and laughing until the tears
ran down his checks.
We took up subscription for the poor
fellow. The judge headed the list with
an amount nearly covering the damages,
and we added to it until we left the man
in thankfulness that he had sold his corn
so WELL At the barbecue, the judge bet
all his money on little horse race, and
lost, and from that, and the effects of his
drinks at our expense, we had to carry
him to our hack on barn door. Oh his
way home he insisted upon his head.
Which was the ruined man 3 Toledo
Blade.