River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-01-30
The Depth Of Depravity.

4 Western paper tells of new and
dreadfully mean swindle. A stranger
calls at grocery and calls for two quarts
OF molasses. The grocer draws the arti-
Gle and ASKS il the stranger has a jug to
put It in. "No," says the stranger, ''but
YOU can put it in my hat" The grocer
smiles a broad smile, questions to himself
whether the stranger is & fool or great
American humorist, and disposes OF the
molasses as requested, laughing half to
death as he completes the job, end think
ing what rare good story he will be
able to tell the boys Who gather around
his stove during the long evenings to
discuss politics and chew tobacco. Sud
denly he starts, however, and with most
excellent reason. The disgusting strang-
er has clapped the hat on the grocer's
mead and firmly dra n it down, the mo
l,sses and all, over his ears. It takes
aim five minutes to partially recover
rom his astnnishment, the molasses and
the bat, and when he has sufficiently re-
moved sweetness, and tears from his eyes
20 look around The deceiving person has
gone, taking with him the contents ri
li3 money drawer and such other arti-
lies as happen 10 be portable The
mind which could invent such an out
rage is lost; the man who lould transact
il is as diaboiical as anything in human
shape this side of Mr.. Borgia. While
we have not that aspect for condding
grocer which induces awe, we do LOOK
upon him as a respectable fellow citizen
entitled to all the immunities; and tC
think of the feeiings of tnat person as
cndeayors to tear of the hat and tht
accompanying molasses- Of his sudden
repulslon from good nature to astonish.
ment, and then to the extreme Of mos
impotent anger and indignation is t.
contemplate depth ofanguish not here
tofore reached by any sympathy in tht
world. We remembered the melancholy
spectacle, a good many years ago, of :
police justice of great enterprise anc
dignity saliying out TO do little arrest
Ing on his own hook. He arrested two
unpleasant men for being disorderly
and started with them for his office, one
on either side. Suddenly one of thos'
young men jumped high and brough
his fist down on the high hat OF tho goot
| old public tunctionary, and in moment
the rim of that hat was resting peace
fully on his shoulders, the crown thereo
covering his countenance, and fitting a
firmly and closely as if it hail been Sc
much Incorporating stovepipe. TIN
wicked young man ran away, taking
mean advantage of the frantic efforts o
his honor to release himself The look o
pain, of wouGded dignity. of extreme as
constituent, of mingled horror, and ange
and humiliation that rested on the fac
of that police justice when he had tinall.
got out of the hat can never be forgotten
of the many who saw it there is not on
who will not take it with him to hi
lonely grave. But what was this outrag
in comparison with the molasses atTocity
What had this honored gentleman t
complain of when one considers The cor
fiding grocer and the wholly misplace
sweetness that acitated his hair We ca
not do justice to this subject. It is NOR
complex and hopeless TO the humanital
ian than the Bulgarian tiendishness.-
BufFnTg FrDrSss