Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-09-07
"GOin' to CaIifOrny.'

HE walked into the Central Depot
as though he was the Great Unknown.
His personal appearance was decidedly
unique. Frankly speaking, he looked
as if he had been fastened to the rear
most end of the Bridewell tug and
hauled up and down Mud Lake until
he matched the shade of the clay which
Felton's proteges use in their daily
labor, and then had been stood up
against some friendly billboard and
had the contents of a Clark-street
paWn-shOp shot over him from one of
Lipplncott's pop-guns. An inventory
Of his clothing taken on the spot is as
follows: Shoes, 1-size, IA; boots, l.
size, 1215; stockings, q; pants, 3 of
pair; suspenders, O; shirt, ], red
flannel; shirt, g, white or nearly so;
vests, 2; coat, 1; overcoat, 1; paper
collar, (clean); Centennial necktie, 1.
His hat carried a signal of distress,
consisting of bunch of flaming red
hair sticking through the crown. The
hack-drivers all wanted him to take a
carriage; the Omnibus-collector said
he had bus just leaving for the
Palmer, and the Massasoit House man
vociferated, ''Meals fifty cents in his
most gentlemanly manner. Turning
deaf ear to their Establishments, the
stranger, with touching confidence,
walked up to Dan and asked him to
direct him to the ticket-otfice. Dan
Wlnked both eyes at the boys, and
showed him the way with the most
engaging politeness. Peacefully dodg-
ing the various pitfalls for strangers,
in the shape of apple-women, etc.,
he at last arrived at "Window g."
"Say, stranger, do yer reckin [ kin
git ter go to Californy right soon ?"
Yes" responded the Great Mogul,
Sin fifteen minutes
"What mought the fare be, Cap ?''
was the next question.
1T might be thousand dollars, but
it amt. The way you want to go is
Lightweight dollars"
''That's right cheap, now, amt it %
turning to the crowd which had gath
cred around him. q say, stranger.
hahn you got some tickets that II give
a Teller a right good ride into the keer
boxes rale nice, yer know?
Yer see | just come up from Indeanny
last mite, and / want to travel real
good, yer see. [ don't reckon Z II mosey
round much more, and I want sum-
thin'-''
"Say, mister, JUS pull yer ves'r'
suddenly shouted Logan in his ear.
"Don't reckon I need ter. Jest give
me ticket on one Nv them shiny keer-
boxes what has beds into 'em. Tell
yer what, stranger, / calkilate to mosey
along in style this yer time fl never do
agin. Yer see, I just cum from indie
amy, yer know, and I reckon I'm a
goin' to Californy. How long for [
kin git ter co.
Here's your ticket to San Francis
co, with sleeping-car clear through,
$780, said the ticket agent.
The Indeanny" man reached to the
bottom of the pocket in his shirt,
hauled up big cloth tied up with a
section of steamboat hawser, un-
tied it, and from a big roll of green
backs selected a $500 bill which he
handed to the agent, remarking at the
same time, 81 don't wear very good
clOes, boys, but calkilate to alters have
enuf money to pay my way
Immediately every one was as polite
as peeler who is afraid he is about to
be discharged.
Logan wanted to carry his valise to
the car, and Ed, the newsboy, tried to
sell him a prize package; but he re-
sisted all their Establishments, and in
quired for the baggage-room, remark
ing that he had "two-carpet sacks and
a basket Of pervisshun thar" that he
wanted checked. He was shown the
way, and he vanished from the sight
of the ticket-agent on the straight road