Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-01-27


The party might be up to deviltry, but
their movements and the deep silence
they maintained appeared to him TO
SAVIOR Of some mysterious errand which it
would be we'll enough for him to find
out. %
He kept close in the wake Of the curl.
Gus lantern procession without being Oh.
served, which he could easily do, rs I'll in
it were blinded by their lanterns, AMI
presently was not a little surprised at
seeing the party turn into branch trail
and head directly for old Mr.. McDugan's
cabin, on the steep slope Of the hill.
Having seen the old man going home
drunk, with 4 big bottle of the chair of
the same dog in his pocket, our ex.ofl.
GER said to himself: ''Here is going to
be some fun"
While the little procession was scaling
the short pitch Of ground in front of Nc
Dugan's castle the late servant of the
city fetched = compass" and reached a
side window of the place unrerceived.
Peering within he saw Michigan lying
across his bed in his drawers and boots,
but minus his pantaloons. On . table at
the bedside stood lighted candle and
the black bottle. g.
Now came knock at y4he front door.
Michigan partially arose, with hair brist-
ling in all directions. pricked up his ears
and listened The knocking was re.
pcated.
"Who's thayre?" cried Michigan.
arising to q sitting posture.
''Frinds!" was the answer.
"A divilish quare time fur friends to be
abroad" muttered Michigan.
"0pen yer dure and let US in, histhur
Michigan.
"Di7il bit of it till 1 know who We air
and what We want! A quare time fur
friends to call an it BLOWN great guns
an the shnow a.Ayin' till yeer blond
with it! Who air ye. onyhow
1--WE are q surprise party;;" said those
outside.
20, ye air, air yc! A surprise pa.arty!
An we've come here for = surprise,
SUPPOSED"
otis fearful cowld out here, Misthur
Michigan will ye let US in?''
$50 yer surprise pa'arty, We just
wait till get me brooches, if theirs to be
ony SURPRISE" and Michigan got up,
took pull at the bottle, gathered up his
pantaloors and began trying to haul
them on over his boots, a very difficult
task for him. AS he tugged away he
paused and again addressed those at the
door by saying: so yer a surprise
pa.arty:'
I'VE air, Misther Michigan. Do ye
want us to be schtarved with the cowld?''
''lt's surprise ye air afther. Jist We
wait till get me brooches an yell be a
surprised pa'arty!"
But the "breechcs'' did not 60 on very
readily, and by the time that Michigan
had got one leg hauled over his huge boot
the party at the door were laundering
away as though about to break it down.
This evidently discounted and enraged
Michigan, as he paused in his effort to
haul on the other leg of his pantaloons, he
took another long pull at his bottle, and
then cried: "The divil fly away with
yes! Are ye afther breakin' down the
dure! III make We surprised pa.arty!''
With this Michigan took look at his
black bottle, seemed to consider for mo.
mcnt, then, gathering the loose leg of his
pantaloens in his hand, started for the
door, muttering rs he went: $50 I've
got a surprise pa'arty-a pa.arty come
for surprised
The policeman shifted his position to
the corner Of the house and there saw the
surprise party formed in line in front oil
McDugan's door. The head man of the
procession was little man in tall stove
pipe nat; behind this leader was tall
woman with = profusion of artificial
flowers in her hat, and after her came
others single and in pairs. all holding
aloft their lanterns and gazing upon tn.
door.
Suddenly, with slam that nearly tor,
| it from its hinges, the door was thrown
wide open and in il appeared the rate
bristllng and semi'breeched Michigan.
"Pcrdition to yer sowls!' cried he; ~,
want to be'a surprise pa'arty, do yet" ant
with that he took the little man in tn,
| stovepipe lick in the ''lug' that sem
him ito grass and sent his lantern roll
and jingling down the hill.
Blinded with whisky, rage and the ligh
Of the lanterns, all we're now enemies
who came within reach of McDue ans fist
E'ated with his success in the case of tn
little man with the stovepipe, he uttere,
wild whoop and went for the rest Of tn
line. The next was the tall woman viii
the that and feathers Crying, ~,
want = surprise, you blackguard!" b,
snatched her lantern from her hand ant
dealt her blow with it over the heat
which smashed its glass and frame ant
strewcd feathers and flowers in all direc
tions.
The victorious Michigan, who in hi!
blindness knew nothing Of the sex Of hi.
fenemies, was striding over the prostrat'
form Of the tall woman to make dash il
the direction Of the other lanterns tina
were bobbing about, when tho leveled fe
male was seized with the war spirit.
Michigan, ye divil! Is that vel
game!' and laying hold on McDugan',
legs she brought his breeches down abou
his feet and stretched him upon tn
ground, when both rolled down the hill
aud tumbled into pit that had onc
been cellar. A cry Of ssMurdther =
arising from this pit, the broken process
SION rallied and rushed to the rescue
rolling and tumbiing down the hill with
great clatter Of lanterns.
There was wild din and commotiol
down in the pit for time, out OF which
presently appeared Michigan, almost 4
naked Is the day he Was born, and limp
Ling made for the light in his door, NUT
tering as he toiled up the step: IS
this is one Of ther divil.invinted surpris
pa.artys! Divil iowast me il / dom
think I've cured that lot Of SIGH 'vani
i tiesps