Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-11-15
THE LATEST RAT STORY
As Told by an Altogether Reli-
able Steamboatman.

3Ao SAsA ~ 0AA 3AAsOSSe eASA &NVAA-
able Steamboatman.
1t was in the summer Of 80. on
board the steamer Chester Ashley.
that we were laid up on account OF
low water, on the Arkansas river
The boat had become so overrun
with rats that we were in danger OF
having the whole freight list TO pay
for. Our cargo consisted almost en-
tirely of bacon and -four, and they
had perforated it in every direction
AS last experiment to get rid OF
them we had the entire load carried
ashore, and then commenced grand
rat hunt. The animals all took to the
hold, among her iunumerable salt
boxes and under the dunnages found
shelter, that but few could be dislodg-
cd and killed. 1t was in this emer-
gcncy that the genius of the chief cn-
gineer shone forth with dazzling bril-
liancy.
"Let's," said he, "turn steam into
the hold and run 'em out"
This being agreed upon, and while
he was raising steam in the nigger
boiler the rest of us went round stop.
ping up their places of egress, and
stopping them all except one hole
which came through the deck a few
feet from the ice-chest. This ice.
chest was favoritc resort for the
old rodents for in it were kept the
delicacies of the table. Pies, fruit
and choice cake were always there.
1 suppose the rats looked upon this
place as sort of free Saratoga. AT
all events, they would put in few
hours of every night there, and this
might represent their seasons.
The ice chest was about eight feet
square, with the opening on top. that
is, our opening; the rats had theirs
through the back, close down to deck.
This we also left open, and this ar
rangement left the rats only one hid
ing place on the main deck.
Steam now being ready, and a
cock opened to let it into the hold, l
took my station where | could see the
"varmints" as they dcfiled from their
untenable cover to one they thought
more promising, and it was study
for a saw mill man. As the steam
filled the hold they commenced the
line of march first came a venerable
looking old chap on whose head the
frosts of many Winters had settled.
He passed along with measured
gait, slowly moving his head from
side to side, as though he said. Boys,
| am afraid you've got us this time"
and he seemed to be astonished that
no missiles were hurled after him,
but was allowed to enter the ice-
chest unharmed. During his march
another-not .'sistcr"-kcpt his
head out Of the deck hole, watched his
progress, and when he saw him safe
ly housed, out he came too, and made
the march unmolested. This seemed
to be all they waited for, for they
then poured out in an unbroken
stream, and they were all there.
The wife whose babe first smiled thss day;
The fair fond bride Of yester eve;
The aged sire; the matron gray;
and all the young bucks kept coming
until thought they had some way
of getting from the chest to the hold
again and were keeping up an un-
broken circle. But at length there
happened breaks in the procession,
then these breaks became more fire.
quent and of greater duration, and
after while they came i'm single in
dividuals and in more of a hurry, for
the hold was getting hot, and later
they came slower and had less hair on
them, and the last one looked sick.
didn't seem to care whether he got
anywhere or not, and as he passed
me he cast look of holy scorn and
holy sadness, as if to say, "You fell
lows think you're smart: you ought
to be ashamed" and, TO tell the truth,
l was. / felt the same impulse to
save its life that actuated Pocahontas
on historical occasion, and from an
association of ideas l named this rat
John Smith.
And now they were all in the chest
and the hole plugged. We called a
council of war as to the best way to
finish them. The engineer wanted to
carry out his design and turn the
steam on them and cook them alive :
but the "old man" wanted "some fun -
he had a couple of imported Scotch
terriers, full blood and long hair,
and here was just such chance to
try their metal as he had long yearn-
ed for. So he raised the lid on top.
dropped them in, and closed the door
with the remark, go for 'em, boys.''
Then he looked at his watch.
They must have went "for en-
for the sounds that followed were a
mixture of yelps, howls, and tiny
squeaks, mingled with a rafting,
surging sound, as though the life
within was combined and trying to
knock out first one end of the chest
and then the other. The sold man
would sing out at intervals: "Go for
'em, boys - then he would wink at
us, shut one eye, double himself half
up, and raise his right leg as though
he was in an ccstacy of enjoyment.
At Atlength all inside became quiet,
and he looked at his watch again,
sixteen and half minutes" said he.
"Now, men, let us turn the chest oy.
er and count the rats. for think
them pups have knocked the spots
Off oil former records"
We turned it over, the lid flew
open, and whole flood of rats came
pouring out like bees from an up.
turned hive.
We had to clear the track until they
all escaped, and when we looked in
the box those dogs were in more
pieces than ever dogs. not made into
sausage, were before. They looked
Us though they had been dead month
and only one solitary rat kept them
company--and it was John smith,
Cairo Aryus-Journal.