The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-02-06

hat. 1t was as glossy as ebony. He
had Just given $l5 for it, got himself
shaved and his clothes brushed, and
looked as neat as mountain quail.
Hackett was as handsome as game
rooster The first think knew Ira
Eaton stood his shot gun up in the cor
ner, and went out doors, saying that he
would be back in few minutes. After
he was gone Schenck looked at the gun
and said, BY George, it's loaded. So
Hackett and the rest of them they got
around and looked at the gun, and sure
enough she was loaded. Then Ward
Eaton said, Let's put up a cold deck
on Ira while he's gone. We can draw
the charges from his gun, and then bet
him basket of wind that he can't hit
John Scrantsn's hat at forty yards. The
| joke took immensely. Schenck drew
the charges out of the gun, and they all
stood around the bar chuckliag and
waiting for Ira to come back.
Here Mr.. Yeomahs showed up his
shirt sleeves and mixed cocktail for
George A. Smith and Bishop Stenhouse.
After the cocktails had disappeared, he
| continued
"Well. you see, in about five minutes
Ira he came back. They all began talk
ing and laughing, and Ira began brag
ging about the game he was going to
shoot. Hackett stepped up to the
corner and picked up Ira's gun. He
turned her over and sighted her two or
three times, and then asked Ira what
kind of gun she was. Ira said that
she was a pretty good shooter, that he
had used her half dozen times, and
that he didn't have any fault to find
with her. What did you pay for her ?
says Hackett, still turning her over.
We'll, Ira said, she cost me hun
dred and seventy-fve dollars. At this
Hackett laughed, and began to ridicule
Ira, telling him that the gun wasn't
worth dose of tansy and bitters, and
that a man could buy cart load of such
guns in New York for two bits. OF
course, Ira was mighty indignant. He
told Hackett that he talked like an in
fernal fool, and advised him to go to
gun shop and learn something about
gun before making an ass of himself.
Here Mr.. Yeomans showed up his
shirt sleeves and mixed a cocktail for
Judge Hemingway, of Kansas, and Judge
Jeter Clinton, of Salt Lake. After the
cocktails had disappeared, he con-
tinued
"Well, Just as Ira and Hackett got to
cussin' one another. John Scranton he
stepped up and sculled himself into the
row. OF course he took Hackett's side,
declared the gun to be nothing more
than pop gun, and wondered that
man of Ira's sporting reputation would
carry such gun. Ira was wild. He
had no supicion but what the boys were
in earnest. There was Jolly row. 1t
lasted two or three minutes. Then
John Scranton asked Ira if the gun was
loaded. Ira said it was. 'Then, said
John, winking at the boys, I'll bet you
a basket of wine that you can't hit my
hat on top of that barrel, pointing to a
Darrell about forty yards distant. At
this Ira hesitated. He looked at Scran-
tons new beaver, and said that it
would be cussed shame to ruin such
hat as that. If some one would put up
an old hat, he'd take the bet But John
Scranton insisted upon putting up his
hat, and accused Ira of trying to crawl
out of it because he knew that there
were no old hats of the primises. That
fired Ira up again. Put up your hat,
he said, III take pop at it for bas
ket of wine. >"
Here Mr.. Yeomans showed up his
sleeves and mixed cocktails for Bishop
Farr, of Ogden, and Col. Woolley, of
Cheyenne. They were large cocktails
After they had disappeared (the cock
tails, not the Bishop and Colonel, he
continued
So John Scranton went out and put
up his fifteen-dollar hat on the barrel
When he came back he was nigh burst
ing with laughter. All the boys were
nudging each other and had as much as
they could do to hold in. Ira he raised
the gun, took good aim, and pumped
away with both barrels. The hat jumped
into the air about ten feet, and then fell
to the ground perfectly riddled with
shot. Everybody roared but John
Scranton and Hackett.
Here Mr.. Yeomans showed up his
sleeve and mixed cocktails for Warren
Hussey and your correspondent. They
were small ones (the cocktails, not the
mem. After they had disappeared, he
continued
"You see it was a job put up on
Scranton and Hacket before they came
in. There were four charges in the
gun, and Schenck only drew out two of
them. Scranton simply said, Holy
smoke = and ordered the wine"