Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-11-28

tyont = 0ee Soeopl,.
A Sunday afternoon the question
with most people was shave the In
dams come? Have you seen Joseph
and whore are they at, any how !?
This inquiry was asked and answered
yesterday afternoon more than
Thousand times perhaps in variou
ways. In the afternoon four or fiyt
mischievons fellows circulated the re-
port that the train was coming and
that the transfer would be effected al
the North Missouri Depot. The story
was fabrication of course, but In
less than twenty minutes the crowd
had shifted quarters and several hun.
dred people were at the North Mis-.
souri, anxionsly awaiting the arrival
of the train, which employment as
soon as they found out the hoax, was
varied by hunting for the individuals
who set the rumor afloat.
In the meantime the unrighteous
fellows migrated and took up posi-
ton at the corner of the Ballingall
House, where Dan was engaged in
reading dispatch, bogus Of course,
when our particular friend, the Edi-
tor of the Democrat made his appear
ancc and was ready and grabbed for
the bait before it was thrown. The
first question was where are the In
dians? He was informed that they
would be in on the Central in few
moments-that they had just received
q dispatch from a Central conductor
saying that tho Indiana, some five
hundred in number, would be trans
ferrcd on the Il. s. d. M. railroad
track short distance below town,
and the time was nearly up. He also
explained that he had formerly lived
In the Nez Pcrces country, and was
acquainted with many Of those peo-
pie, in the meantime suggesting 10
his companions that it was time to
start. "Sitting Bull remarked that
he would like to make one of the par
ty and Of course was gladly accepted.
He inquired whether they had in
formed "Annanias" or any other
COURIER representative, and on re-
ceiving negative reply, he slapped
his thigh exclaiming ''Good enough
1 will get ahead of them this time.
The party composed Of Dan OBJ,
Frank W., Frank S., Charley NJ, and
the Editor then started for the scene
of the transfer p three leading and
one side by side with the editor
bringing up the rear. OI.eary or
Weston never struck better gait or
kept one up with more uniformity,
and by the time they reached the De-
pot the dupe was pretty well elbow
3D." He proposed to stop and make
some inquiries, but the proprietors
of the job would not hear to halt
because half the town, SO they said,
would be at their heels and they
would have no time to talk to Joseph
or fiirt with the squaws.
ats good scheme boys, and I am
" it'll you TO the death, If my feet are
sore," and away they went, past the
gas house, the round-hcusc was soon
left behind, through the wilderness
Of freight cars at the stockyards, out
on the commons, the rattling pace was
kept up.
The man who wanted to sec Joseph
was in foam of Precipitation and
while complaining of his feet he re-
marked that he didn't mind the pain
at all, sit was worth all il cost to
head of that id Annanias. just
think of my interview with Joseph
will sell thousand extras in the
morning Still the pedestrians kept
up the rate Of speed, nearly dying to
laugh. In time Sugar Creek was
reached and through the mud, grass,
and weeds the party struck from the
C. D. & @. to the Valley railroad
track through clump of timber, and
one of the party in advance gave out.
By this time they were mile below
the stock yards. This ended the
tramp and the parties to the fraud
laid down on the grass rolled and
laughed until their sides were sore.
The innocent victim stood by puff
ing like wind broken horse, but
finally remarked:
"Boys, do yon mean to tell me this
is all joke p
EYES," says Frank, "and if we had
thought of the sack we wonld just let
you hold it while the snipes were
driven in"
1t was a deathly pallcr that Ger
spread his face, and he remarked,
"Well = never expected such o
thing from you, and now l want you
to remember that if ever one of You
overstep the bounds Of propriety /
will give you III through my pa
per-"
He tried another plan and begged
for Gods sake not to give him away,
not to tell the folks in town and es-
pecially "Annaniss."
On the return trip he made over
lures of pecuniary kind said he
had quit drinking, but would fill them
up with beer ifthey wouldn't peach.
The boys had joined the red ribbon
society also. Cigars-none of them
smoked. Oysters-all of them had
been to dinner.
Two of the fleetest then started off
ona swinging gait and every man or
boy they met was posted, and in
turn would ask Sam where he had
been, and always received the same
reply: Go to -. He managed to
reach the Ballingall about dark where
he remained until he cooled off and
rested, and that is the way Sitting
B." paid his respects to Chief Joseph
1t was cruel joke, but the boys are
DOW preparing thimble rig or q
three card dodge, as they say he is
easiest man to steer, that ever was
struck.
We protest against any more such
pranks being played on our neighbor,
who is always so careful of other
olks' feelings.
MARKETS.
The readers of the COURIER this
week will notice quite a perceptible
change in the price Of some commodi-