Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-16

l
much as possible. Soon he grew
tired of this amusement, so we re-
sumed the talk we had been engaged
in, on the subject Of the Alpine
Club. Jack was thinking of joining
it, and, in reply to his questions, I
gave a glowing description Of all
it's glories. The harsh voice Of the
American broke upon our ears with
the remark:
4 calc'latc the Alpine Club is a
tarnatien humbug.'
Jack looked delighted, and, Civ.
ing sly glance at me, proceeded
to draw out our friend once more:
4 hope, sir he rejolned, in most
polite tone, that you will give your
reasons FOR that opinion, as l had
thought Of becoming member,
but, of course would not do SO if
convinced that the whole concern
was a humbug.'
'WaL stranger, you could not do
a knowinger thing than stay as you
air. / guess they've named the
hing wrong. 1t should be the
'Brag Company, Limited Some
tarnal duffcr that calls himself an
A. c. goes up a mountain that all
the folks near have known for years,
and then writes to al the European
papers to say that he has made a
first ascent. | reckon they've raised
the prices of every darned thing in
Switzerland close on fifty per cent.
Then they're such cheeky cusses to
meet, and the greater the duffer the
checker he is. Don't do it, stran-
ger; don't do it,
Willie this was going on sat by
silent, but rapidly losing my tenn
per. AT last l could stand it no
lsnger, and burst forth with:
'This is mere vague abuse, sir! |
will bet you any sum of money you
choose to name that l will select a
better mountaineer from the mem
bers Of the club than any man you
can name. Is that a fair offer?
The Alpine Club against the world"
The Yankee looked me over from
head to foot, and then drawled out:
"Wal, stranger, l guess I'll take
your bet, if you'll let the mountain.
eering be between you and me. l lay
you $4,000 that before this time
three years III have cut you out in
tail climbing"
had spoken hastily, and was per-
tectly taken aback at being closed
with so quickly. However, 1 was
in for it now, and could not back
from my word. AS coolly as | could
l said: ."Just as you like. Let the
bet be between you and me. The
sum you pamo will be as good as
any other, but of course must be
lodged by both parties before the
matter is finally arranged.
"'I calc'late you're right, stran-
ger. 1t won't be long before you
hear from me about it. What do
you say your name is?'
"'Forbes-Henry Forbes,'
"'Mine is Zachariah Johnston, Of
New York city. Wall, guess we
are to meet here on this day three
years, and whichever has first done
the tallest and hardest mountain is
to have the stakes. Shake hands on
it, stranger; shake hands OH it.
"Here l was obliged reluctantly
to stretch out my hand to be grasp
ed by the bony fingers of the other.
After this he tossed the end Of bis
chcroot into the fire, place and saun.
tered out Of the loom, whistling
Yankee Doodle.
"rhe whole affair had not taken
more than five minutes, So that Jack
had not had time to interfere. His
face at the moment when the Amer
lean LETT the room, was a study fol
an artist. Astonishment, amuse
ment, and sort of tragic horror
were all struggling for expression
When the door was fairly shut he
burst into an immoderate fit of laugh
ter which lasted for some time.
"Well, if l did not think it wa.
all a joke at last he found breatl
} to say, 4 should say it was as mas
ty scrape as ever you got yoursel
into, making a bet of :f2 900 with al
utter stranger-a bet that, if thcr,
were anything it, would compel yo,
to 60 roaming about the world fol
} three years and spend fabulous sum.
of money on nothing atall. I'll JUS
60 after him and explain that moth
ing was meant by the thing, or elst
he will let that long tongue OF hi
wag to such an extent that we shall
never hear the last of it,
Gas he got up to leave the room
the manager of the hotel came il
with very puzzled expression o
countenance. Excuse me, sir, bu
arc you Mr.. Forbes?'"
"Yes, Forbes is my name.'
"Well sir, the American gentle
man who has just left the house
very strange gentleman he appears
to became to me few moment,
ago and asked me to give you thi
paper. But the strange part of tn
matter is, gentlemen, that he hand
ed me note of hand for $4,000
payable this day three years, to-
which l gave him receipt. III
, said it was some bet he had made
with you, Mr.. Forbes, and that yo,
would understand it,
81 felt as if were in Il sort of sc
rio-comic dream; but mechanical,
} took the slip of paper which tho
manager had spoken of-there wer,
only Il very few words on it-'This
afternoon three years, May l6, 1876!
at five in the afternoon, in the smo
king room, Langhalm Hotel, z
j.
"'Where IS the gentleman, now
J l cried.
"Immediately after speaking t,
} me he left the hotel, and calling :
hanson, drove off.
81 sank back, seeing that l hat
|, been outwitted, and feeling very
} much inclined to use very strong
language.
sack came over to inc, and lay
ing his hand Oh my shoulder, said
Hes a sharp hanu at a bargain. bu