The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-03-04
A Mardi-Gras Incident.

The Louisville Cot0-ieT-JoN17sdtte tells this I;
The Mardi gras procession on Tuesday
was witnessed by large crowds, and the
ludicrous impersonatiOns of character Will
live long ia the memories of the masses.
who laughed until their sides ached.
Among the motley host who perambulated
the streets in the procession was long,
cadaverous-looking fellow, representing a
Comanche Indian. His face was painted
red, his suit was well made up. Upon his
ponderous feet were pair of new mecca
sins, and hanging from the beaded girt
that encircled his body were half dozen
s'hoss pistols" and as many scalps. In
side this belt stuck a cheese-knite and a
scvthe-blade. His long black hair was
banded with brass hoop. from which
stuck about dozen of turkey and geese
feathers, and in his right hand he held
with an iron grasp a tomahawk, red with
some victims blood. Any one who had
read or heard of the famous Indian war
rior, Bloody Nose, would have said he had
arisen from the dead and joined that pro-
cession. But it was not the blood-thlrsty
rover of the forest. It was Skinner who
had persOnated him, and he did 1t 10 per-
fection. His appearance was terror TO
women and children, while his war-whoop,
and the revolutions of his bloody toma-
hawk were certain death to "de culled
population" Every body saw the Wild
Indian, but nobody knew it was Skinner.
While the procession moved through
the various streets, Skinner would get dry,
and break ranks by lodging into BAR
rooms and taking in his usual dose OF fire
water" By the time Skinner had war,
hoOped" ten or fifteen blocks, and hid
- l., ocs - tarf - nhOrIf bIG
son. he was in " fine trim" to play Co
manche, and bsgan to think he was
"Bloody Nose" sure enough, for he tried
TO scaip }" no less than a dozen darkies
that fell into his hands.
The procession passed within square
or two of SINNERS house. Skinner has a
wife. and she is the mother of five little
male and four female SINNERS. Skinner's
wife does her own work; in fact, she's
" boss a" of SINNERS house, and, instead
of her rushing off with string OF little
SINNERS after her to see the procession
she kept the little ones at home, and stayed
in the kitchen attending to cleaning the
pots, kettles, and pans after dinner.
A new idea struck Skinner. He would
90 home and scare Mrs. Skinner and al
the little Skinners. He cut loose from the
procession, took another dose of hre
water" and by the time he reached his
front gate, he was the most reckless-look'
ing COmanche the world ever beheld
Picking up new courage he rushed into
the front room where the little SkinneFs
were ''playing circus" His appearance
was accOmp mpanied by wild yells and fascy
dancing, while he made that tomahawk fly
around the room over the children's heads
as if he meant business, the little Skinner;
shouting, 80! Mr.. Injin, dOn't!" moth
er ~ - murder!" g fire ~ and there wert
such screams as would have made any
Z" sure enough" Indian run.
Skinner was Just in the middle of hi:
fun, when the screams of the children ant
the war-whoops of the Comanche brough
Mrs. Skinner to the scene, armed with al
iron skillet. She slipped up behind th'
"plavful Indian" drew bead on his nose
| and landed that skillet with the force OF
| sIedoe-hammer and the rapidity of light
ming against it. The hand let go tn
| tomahawk, the feathers flew, the bel
/ bursted, and the scalps, pistols, and knive
fell TO the floor. There was tiesh-and
blood spot in the middle of his face wher
! that nose was moment before the skllle
mashed it. 1t now looked like burste'
/ tomato spread all over his face. Iher
was groan, a fall, s0mersault or TWO
and all was quiet. That Comanche haC
found the ''happy hunting grounds"
Instead of MIS-. Skinner sending for tn
doctor and bathing his face, she loOke'
down into his mutilated face, and, shakin!
the skillet over him with her right hand
exclaimed: "I'll war-whoop you. 1o'
thought you'd scare somebody, yoI
derned old fool; but l know'd you, sool
as / seed your feet, and smelt you
BREATH"
P. S.-Skinner has an Indian masque
rade suit for sale cheap. He won'tbe abl
to be out until he gets done breathln
through his ears. The doctor says nj
nose may grow out again by the time tn
next Mardi Gras takes place. We &C
wise Skinner to get brass nose and 'g
! WaSt -