Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1875-09-04
4 Sensitive Nan.
From he De,rot Free Press 7

just DCIOTe noon YESTERDAY VI e.
Jones sat down on an empty barre,
standing in front Of liquor store on
Michigan Avenue, and remarked that
1t was cheaper 10 lose TWO dollars
worth of time waiting for the car
than to foot it nine blocks. Mr. Jones
is long and lean, and doesn't weigh
over l30 pounds. The barrel ought
to have held up two just like him,
but as he wriggled around to secure
an easy position the head fell in Mr..
Jones fell in after the head. 1t wasn't
the best he could do, but no time was
given him to plan and ponder.
The first thing he knew after the
crash was finding his feet and ankles
over one side, and his shoulders and
head wedged against the opposite
! His head was bent forward until his
neck was nearly broken, his legs
seemed to have been driven up, and
he was right where the BOYS wanted
him. He yelled out in smothered
tones, and an aged lady who keeps an
intelligence office near the scene of
the accident looked down from her
window and called out:
"Bub, we don't want any such
fooling around here"
"Bub be blowed-lemme me ont
help! help" hoarsely replied Mr..
Jones.
"Ho! young man, you arc on vour
way to the gallows :" said the aged
lady, and she drew back from the
window and sighed
Few people walk the streets at noon,
and Mr.. Jones yelled out many times
before the grocer came out. lie saw
the feet sticking up, and he gave them
rap with potato-masher and ex-
claimed:
You boys deserve killing!'
"l'm dying in here-help me out y
roared Jones.
"lll die YOU, you old vagrant ~
replied the grocer, seeing that The feet
belonged to man, aud be gave the
barrel kick.
-Four or five boys came around the
corner, and when they discovered
what was up one of them recognized
Mr.. Jones' voice. Looking into the
barrel he asked:
"Is that you, Mr.. Jones!"
"Yes-yes - gasped Jones.
"Are you doing well down there,
Mr.. Jones?"
"Oh heavens-lemme up!" cried
the prisoner.
Aren't you easy in your mind, Mr..
Jones ?" inquired another boy.
81 tell you | am dying!" shouted
Jones, as be tried to struggle around.
Il believe you are a liar" replied
the grocer, as he gave the barrel
shake.
When he was convinced that the
man in the barrel was not a vagrant
or beggar, be set about helping him
out. He tried to lift him up, but
Jones yelled for mercy and the boys
put in their talk and decided that the
barrel should be tipped over. This |
was done, and while the grocer went
after the Ratchet to knock the hoons
of, the boys rolled Mr.. Jones up and
down the walk "to cool him off,"
"Do you feel better now, Mr..
Jones ?" inquired one.
Have you crsmps in the stomach,
Mr.. Jones 2" asked second.
"Do you really and truly want to
get out of that palace car, Mr.. Jones ?"
asked q third.
And Jones growled and took on
and tried to kick, and as the boys
rolled him along be was heard making
a solemn VOW that he would kill every
boy in Detroit if he ever got out of
the barrel. The grocer finally came
with his Ratchet, and as be knocked at
the hoops he said it was a pity to go
and destroy nice barrel like that to
save one human life.
The slaves finally fell in and fell out,
and Jones gave yell and scrambled
up.
"Ah! he's the man to play circus
tricks J" exclaimed one of the boys.
You bet he's the boss performer !"
yelled another.
MIR. Jones clawed around and tried
to get them, and as be limped away
the aged lady in the intelligence
office looked out of the window and
said:
"if that man doesn't 60 around
clothes-lines then Pm no
Judge of human nature!"