The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1875-03-06
! PATTRRs0N's BOY.

Jredl, humorous luClueutS VI OuI wy
!, hood days, at least to us, who can 81
: wildly remember every look and ges
ture of some comic adventure or Incl
dent, over which at the time we sc
nearly split our sides that we can't bear
to. have woman's finger poking us ii
the ribs even to this day without get
ting us excited. With this prelude,
will introduce "Patterson's Boy" Now
it has always been an unanswered ques.
ton, "Who struck Billy Patterson" but
I am fully prepared to answer for "Pat.
terson's Boy" and solemnly declare that
it wasn't who pulled the string.
In my young days "Patterson's Boy
and l used to go for swimming bath
every Sunday morning, during the
summer, in the Ohio River. We would
leo at an early hour, before sunrise. and,
as he was sleepy-headed youth, it re-
quired voice of thunder to rouse him
from his snoring, | got tired of the
strain on my lungs, and of seeing so
many indignant night-capped heads
poked out of the neighboring windows,
so l suggested to "Patterson's Boy"
that he tie a string to his big toe every
Saturday night, with the other end tied
to the fence, and | could just quietly
and gently pull the string, and wake
him without disturbing the neighbors.
This plan worked we'll for time, but
one night, "Patterson's Boy" could not
find any other string to attach to his
toe but strong, closely-twisted cotton
cord, called in the west troll-lne,
strong enough to hold the largest fish
in the river; so he tied the string Sc
curely to his toe, and, with the other
end fastened to the fence, he went to
sleep in all the sweet security of inno-
cence, and soon his child like snore was
with the joyous music of katy
lids and jar bugs There was also an
other innocent youth who lived across
he street from the paternal mansion of
'PattersCn's Boy" The course of
rue love never did run smoothe."
Now of course these boys loved each
,ther, but little unpleasantness sprang
lp between them, owing to little
game of marbles, in which "Patterson's
Boy" came out SO far ahead that the 9TH
r boy never could understand it; and it
lad been puzzle to him ever since, al
hough he never cast any imputation on )
no honor of "Patterson's Boy and,
overlooking it, he loved him |
IS we'll as ever, and would go over and 7
at pie with him whenever they had b
'aking at Patterson's. f
One morning, however, this boy got a
p early to solve the problem OF that r
anne, and, seeing the string tied to the G
ence, he thought that he might throw
ONE light on the subject, especially as I
e knew the other end was tied to the
De of "Patterson's Boy Now Pat b
,rsons calf was lying down by the h
'nce near the string, Sd the boy went fr
p quietly, and patted the calf on the
cad, and petted it until he had gained +
s confidence by false prctences. and
len he untastened that string from the t,
nee and tied it on over the little snub- a,
y horns of the calf; then he went d,
yer and sat on the gait-post to watch 10
e result. In few minutes | came h;
ong to wake Patterson's boy" for d,
If swim, and when approached the
nee the calf jumped up in fright and II
arted on run across the lot. heard
terrible racket inside, and the tun. al
ing over Of tables and chairs, and ch
en- a yell from "Patterson's Boy" as Y
came through the window with ar
thing on but his shirt, and, with fie
nd of "half harmon" hop, step and 10,
mp, he went after that calf, while the ca
il of his shirt sailed out on the breeze he
ID Topped like the banner of liberty. Z,
Away they went around the yard, an
er the wood-pile, through the garden, W:
er beans, and peas, and tomato vines KIN
d then disappeared in the corn, where ha
rattle of the dried corn blades and
yell of "Patterson's Boy" was all an
at indicated any thing interesting
wn there. But, rackety clack, they fol-
me back again, and "Patterson's rs
y" had taken a death-grip on that he
e to relieve the unpleasant strain on ha,
toe. and as the calf had got warmed sh,
to its work, they were making bet In
time than ever. he,