The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-01-04
roM:Quad" in Detroit Free Press

["MQuad' in Detroit Free Press
One evening last week, when the win |
ter blasts moaned sadly around the
street corners and the captains of the
ferry ,boats wore anxinus looks, seven
or eight vessel owners aud ''land up"
lake captains sat around cheerful base
burner in a saloon near the river. AT
ter the usual amount OF growing about
the weather one of them told a story
There might have been an ounce of
truth about it, hut the crowd felt certain
that the one ounce was Offset bv twenty
four pounds of the "awfulest kin,l" Of
living. Therefore second man told a
story to bca, it, and then third man
heat the second When the fourth man
started ont he said:
Gentlemen. have also seen tough
times r When was ssiling the schoon-
er Fortune, forty years ago, two of us
were swept overheard in a storm on
Lake Erie one black night. A hatch
cover went with us, and it 80 happened
that WE both clutched 1t. 1t was not
large enough to support two. l was
Captain, he sailor. / had a family
he had none. shouted to him to quit
his hold, and when he would not !
reached over. clutched his throat, and
held on till his fingers loosened and he
went to the bottom of the lake! 1t
was twenty miles off Point Betsey, and
with shrill, wild shrek, which yet lin
gers in my ears. the poor wretch went
to his death! May the Lord forgive
mer'rln4 Sc ~
With his chair tilted against the wall,
lanky, snn-Aowerish chap had been
hodding his head right and left, as if
sleeping. As the Captains narrative
was concluded. the stranger rose up and
solemnly said:
81 am that man"
The crowd looked at him in astonish
ment, and he continued:
81 landed on Point Betsey next morn
ing In time for breakfast, and I swore a
solemn oath that I'd lick you for chok
ing il / had to I've hundred years
to do itr'
ssYou can't be the man." replied the
Captain. looking suspicioasly at the fel
lows big fists; sit was forty years ago"
al know it was, and for forty years
I've been aching to lick you out OF your
toots."
The Captain had lied, but didn't
want to own it, and he said:
s'The sailors name was Dick Rice"
@Kerectr bowed the stranger, ''thats
my namer' Sa rs
ssBut he was taller than you -
"Being in the water so long that
night shrunk just foot!" was the
cold rejoinder
"Well, / know you can't be the man."
Sslh the Captain.
Il am the man, and now I'm going to
maui you to pulp! No man can choke
me and then brag about it"
He sailed in and upset the Captain,
but was then set upon by the whole
crowd. He got into the eye of the
wind, and hung there for q time, but
presently he paid of q little. got the
wind on his quarter, and went at it to
lick ten times his weight in old liars -
He was very ambitious man, and those
who could get out doors got out, and
those who couldn't offered him gallon
OF whisky to come to anchor. He furl-
ed his sails on this understanding, and
as be get his glass down for the third
drink he wiped his bleeding ear and
remarked:
"When q man tries to sacrifice me in
order to save himself he don't know
who he's fooling with y
He was the biggest liar of them all,
Int he made the most of il. 70 -