Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-05-06

Tue DaSket, anu atter Mnlie tiui" "ouiu
take it aud go over to the store for grocer
les. There was no bargain made, and no
words in regard to the transaction, but
Hurd actually grew fat out Of the genuine
enjoyment he got out Of it. have no
doubt that he would rather earn So so,
than $40 at legitimate business.
We railroad men all understood his lit
tie game, but railroad men as a class are
not given to over-much talking, and we
said nothing about it any way. We used
to think it would be no more than right
for HIM to treat, once in while, not that
we wanted his brandy-there are only
temperance men on our line, but We
wouldn't have objected to cigar at any
tine. But he was as tight as the bark to
tree, aud consequently never thought to
ask if we smoked Then again, although
he was very flippant and familiar at the
station, or on the road when he could with
his usual cheekiness get ride out Of us,
he had trick of not recegniziugsuslw when
he met us at the village among his own set.
After while we grew thoroughly dis
gustcd with his meanncss and his own cv-
ident relish of it, and resolved to play a
trick on him. So, the next time the little
red skif crossed the river in the gray of
the summer morning, Dick Hoyt, through
baggage master, who dearly loved a joke,
ran DOM the rocky toot-path, and, meet.
ing Hurd in the middle of it, called out
in II low, distinct voice, with much appar-
ent agitation, The o6icerS!" Hurd.
alert as usual, sluDg his basket into the
ravine, swung himself agilely down by the
flexible branches of huge hemlock to the
bed of the brock, and followed that up a
few rods to culvert under the railroad,
where he ensconded himself. Dick,
meanwhile, easily possessed himself of the
basket of cigars and retraced his steps to
the station, where he dispensed them with
a liberty which would have grieved Hurd
to the depths of his parsmonlous old heart,
had he been cognizaut Of what was trans.
piring.
Dick was better fellow than ever,
that day. At every station on TIE route,
everybody had to have cigar, from the
ticket agent and telegraph operator, to the
switchman and habitual loafer. Iu thu
exuberapce of his generosity, he even
threw them off by handfuls to the section
masters aud their gangs of men CD repairs
who always blessed his broad, laughing
face as they caught passing glimpse ot
it through the smoke and dust, for Dick il
one of the boys who knows everybody and
whom everybody knows, and is alike pop
ular with all. The train was in on time
A p. m. | had seen nothing of I'urd
so when the temporary hustle. incident tc
the coming and going of train, was over
Dick went whistlIng down the rocky patti
and the rest of us stationed ourselve.
where we could observe all that trans
plred. AS our PRACTICAL joker drew neal
the culvert, his shlvering and detected vic
tim cautiously emerged, presenting a very
melancholy appearance indeed, disfguret
with mud, mots and slime off the rocks
and standing on one foot, leaning far for
ward, beckouing with his forcfngcr tC
Dick, and asking IN u sepulchral whisre
as he approached within hearing distance
"llavo they gone 2" 1t was too much fo
Dick he threw himself on the ground ant
lay there rolling and laughing while w
all made our presence manifest just thel
by shouts of merriment.
. Do be quiet !" Do !" entreated Hurd
who had wrought himself up to fearfu
| pitch Of nervous excitement, staying S,
long in that dismal place, listening to th'
roar of the water and the trains passin!
over his head. "Go away, all of you !
he begged pteously, "and some one bring
me something TO eat; haven't had ,
mouthful to-day. l left home befor,
break fast"
| 1t was long tins before we could make
him believe it joke, and coax him up t.
the restaurant for square meal. He ha(
to acknowledge himsels well sold, but j
didn't 60 down very well. Ho agreed
readily. to be more generous in the future
if we wouldn't tell the story, and cvel
since all we have to do. if we are out O
the weed is to beckon to Hurd with oul
forefpger, and he comes down with thu
cigars.
A German, who was asked if lager beel
was intoxicating. replied:
"Vell, | thinks from seventy to eighty