Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-29
iokERs AFLoAr.

On recent trip of one of the Coulso
line Of steamers up tho Missouri, anon
the passengers destined for Bismarck wei
two railroad men from Sioux City and
portly insurance agent who displays hl
q shingle not far from Pennington's block o
Third street. Now these gentlemen al
It noted among their acquaintances for thel
" vivacity. love of fun and practical joking
Even where these characteristics do nc
r naturally exist. the monotony Of steam
boat trip on the Missouri river has . ten
}. dency to develop them, and suggest meth
ods of wiling away the tedium and killinI
time which would not be thought of In th
ordinary routine of home duties. But ou
jolly trio did not need any development
The trip only afforded opportunities for th
qualification Of the natural bent of thei
. minds, and the series Of sells and practica
Jokes perpetrated on each other, cor any
any other man" on the boat, transformed
the usual soberness of such journey into
one of fun and frolic.
| One afternoon the poltiy insurance agent
perspiring at every pore and overcome BY
drowsiness, retired to his stateroom, dis
robed and lay down to take a nap. Here
was an opportunity for the railroad men,
and as soon as the p. /. q. was safely in the
arms of Morpheus. they entered his state.
room, carried of his breeches and pawned
them at the bar for two dollars worth of ci
gars and groceries. Then, informing the
captain and other officers of the boat of
what they had done and of their future de.
signs. they commenced running through
the cabin crying "fre" at the top of their
voices. The boat shook under the weight
of the p. /. a. as he bounded to the floor. In
Q moment he was heard to cry in . frighten-
voice, "where in-(naming place where
insurance risks are extremely hazardous)
are my pants!" In response to his repeat
ed cries the steward appeared with the mis-
sing garment, but, notwithstanding the ap-
parent danger, would not give them up until
the amount for which they were pledged
was liquidated. 1t was no time for parley-
ing, so pair Of the dollars of our daddies
was promptlylplaced in the sable paw Of the
implacable porter. aud moment after the
p. j. g., his clutched hands fulfilling the duty
for which buttons and suspenders were de-
signed, bounded into the cabin and was
greeted with roar of laughter. Light
dawned upon his mind. While slowly ad-
jus'ing the buttons of his garment and
his suspenders over his shoulders,
be regarded with dreamy expression q
,pittoon, then he examined the length and
of coil of rope, and finally look
ID at the toe of his right boot. When he
ooked up again tie dreamy expression had
passed away, and he said something to the
:. r. m. which he did not learn at Sunday
school. But it must have been funny, be-
cause they all Smiled In which the p. i. a.
oined.
That night when the railroad men
retired to their stateroom, with proverbial
caution they securely locked the doors. The
hight being warm, they divested themselves
If all their clothing with the exception of
,ne short and scant garment, and retired.
Soon their sensibilities were lost in that
1eep and profound sleep which comes only
10 the virtuous and pure of heart. But the
.. j. q. wasn't asleep-not much. As soon as
be was certain that the +. r. m. were
in the land of Nod, dreaming Of
blond angels with lovely banged hair and
delightful in.backs, he opened the transom
over the door of their room and with con.
trivance prepared for the occasion, unlock
I'd the door, entered the room and carried
off all the clothing Of the sleeping men, ex-
,epting only the meagre garment which
lily concealed the upper part of their per-
IONS. Placing the clothing where it could
not be recovered by the owners, he retired
10 his bed and slept peacefully until morn
ing, while the mosquitoes howled with pain
md rage as they blunted and broke their
bills in vain efforts to pierce his impsnetra-
BILE cheek.
In the morning there was commotion
and muttering in the room of the r. n.
They wanted their clothes. and promised to
be good and do nothing for the balance Of
the trip but read Talmadge's sermons. The
breakfast bell rang, and they declared that
they must have their clothes as their mo-
desty forbid them appearing at the table in
the garb in which they spent the night, and
that they always got sick when they didn't
have their meals regularly. But their tor
mentor had the "drop on them, and he was
They took breakfast in their
stateroom, 1t being handed to them through
the transom, and while they were munching
1t In silence and anger, the Jolly p i. q. was
rattling his knife and fork and cracking
Jokes at the breakfast table in the cabin.
Time passed, and the prayers and entreaties
Of the imprisoned r. I. m. were unheeded.
Noon came, and again the victims received
their meals through the transom and dis
tended their visible diaphragms in moody ST.
lence. About two o'clock their tormentor,
Eool{mn that hia YnvnnWo ~na ooronIaHo