Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-02-17
"THEm GRAssHOPPERs.n

He looked into the waiting room at
the Central Depot, saw an elderly lady
come there waiting to 60 West, and
then, after making sure that the special
policeman was not around, he entered
the room. He was man who had
seen other days, that was plain. His
plug hat was years old, his coat shone
with age and grease, and there was NO
collar on his neck. A policeman
would have mentally recovered him
as "vag" without o moments hesita-
ton, and the fellow would have stood
chance OF being trotted to The Cen.
trail Station.
"My good friends" he commenced,
as he approached the innocent old
couple from Vermont; "for heavens
sake, help me little!"
"Who are You 2" asked the husband.
struck with the bummer's lonesome
voice and general hard look.
"Name's Observation-Disclosures
spersw replied the man, turning away
bis head 40 IL deeply affected.
"Be you ono of those poor unfortun.
ates who were almost cat up by the
grasshoppers ?" exclaimed the woman.
her sympathies all aroused.
"The same, madam" sighed Jones !:
chad to leave the State-goiDg to New
Hampshire-got as far as here and
money gave out; Heaven only knows
what will become of u.s."
"Are You married ?" che asked.
"Yes'um-wife'n nine children ;
they're out here on the commons In q
wagon, oil sick and shiveriug with the
cold!"
"I've heard Of them grasshoppers ;
were they very thick?" asked the
man.
"Thick !" echoed Jones, "you could
not tell the difference 'twixt day and
night, and the roaring Of their wings
made us deaf"
my grashus! wasn't that awful
sighed the woman.
II had . hundred acres of corn, fifty
of wheat, thirty of oats--nice meadow
lots of fruit, but the grasshoppera
made beggar of me in i've hours I"
continued Jones.
"They eat the stuff right up, did
they I"
"Eati Why the farm looked ~ If 4
fire had passed over It'll They took
everything even chewed up log chains.
l timed 'em ON 100 rods of fence, and
every mouthful of 1t went in thirty.
seven minutes by the watch"
81 never heard of the likes" ex.
claimed tho man.
"There's folks East here who DOM
believe It," continued Jones "but It Ii
solemn fact that the grasshopperl
chewed up iron wedges, gnswed
boards oiFn the barns, bit plow points
all up, and II we hadn't hid onr horsei
in the cellar, they'd have been MUNICH
ed sure!"
"And you had to leave"
eyes; sold my land for eleven dol
lars, got my family into . wagon an6
started East. Been $50 days comins
this far, and buried two children OF
the way. Lor' only knows what's t.
become of rs! wish was in tn,
river out there then my heart wouli
not be Dustin with grief and trouble 7
"Poor man! sighed the woman
'sEbenezer, let's give him. two dollars
1.-TWO dollars Is q pile Of money,
mused the man.
"But it's an awful sad case, Ebcne
ger huff to tech . heart of flint"
"The Lord loveth cheerful giver,
added Jones, as he drcw his Slew
across his nose.
"Wall, l s'pose it's hard case, ant
we wont be any poorer for givin' tw,
dollars" said the husband, az he pull
ed out his wallet and handed out . s
bill.
"Thanks my kind friend" reptile,
Jones 81 hope you will never see tn
trouble I'm having. This'll buy n
medicine and provisions, and kinde
help US along like; and I feel % If
could throw my arms around ye AMI
hug yc for your kindness"
"That's all right" said the husband
| ~ wish It was ten" said the woman
He SID out, and ten minutes afteI
ward might have been seen in ssloo
pouring bad gin out of . tall decantc
and remarking to the barkeeper:
"Say, old pard, was it in Virgini
or Kansas that the grasshoppcrs wa
90 thick ?"