The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-26
Anoub,e.BarrelIed Joke.

The other evening, round at McGovern's
saloon, the bows we're putting up on ela00'
rate practical Joke on somebody, and they
asked old Captain Skiddy, who had Just
bappeued In, TO take hand.
Ono. gentlemen" said that estimable old
citizen decisively, "you don't catch me
taking part in any practical Jokes. l went
out OF that business for good over ten years
ago."
How was thatf" asked the group OF
beer exterminatoTs.
Dwell. It was in the winter OF 1S7O-may-
be 1871. was living at Davenport, Iowa,
and a man came round there giving bal
loon.ascensions. One day 1t was advertised
that the mavor OF the town was going up
with him. Now, The mayor was big, fat
man, who always wore light suit OF
clothes and a white hat. This put me in
the notion OF working of joke on The peo-
ole. | got acquainted with the aeronau',
and he agreed to assist in the scheme. We
then rot an old suit OF light clothes, and
fixed up a dummy. which we filled with
sand, so that il weighed about two hundred,
and would therefore drop straight and
heavy like a man. The day OF the ascension
there were over 10000 people on the
ground, and the excitement was very great,
as there was high wind blowing at the
time. After the balloon got up about a
mile, and maybe that far south Of the town,
they dropped the dummy over"
"Big sensation then, eh I"
"Well, | should say so. But that's just
where ] lost my grip. While the crowd
was shouting and going wild with horror,
lust laid down on the ground, rolled over,
and laughed until was Just sick"
"ShOuld think the crowd would have
taken tumble, too" suggested the audi
ence.
"But Just wait OF course the crowd
made break out OF town TO scrape up the
remains, aud rushed home TO get my fish
ing.tackle, for it struck me that the most
healthy thing / could do would be to 90
fishing for a day or two. Before LIFT the
house, however, | was arrested for MUIR
der"
"FOr murder!"
Exactly. A lot OF the boys, accom-.
panied by The sheriff, rushed In and collared
me. They claimed that the dummy had
fallen on a farmer and driven his skull clear
into the heels OF his boots. They said that
the balloona,ic had turned States evidence,
and the chances were I'd be hung by mob
before night"
"Tbat was rough"
"Well, so | thought. i was just scared
plum to death, aud begged the boys to
stand by and protect me. / ponied up 800
for legal expenses. and they hid me III the
garret Of neighbours house. They kept
me there ten blessed days, and there
wasn't a day but they struck me for
twenty or two for contingencies. One
night The whole gang came around full OF
beer-on my money, min you-and said
that they had concluded. as additional pre-.
caution, to hide me in the hollow OF an old
oak tree about three miles out in the woods.
saw through the whole business then, and
drove 'em out with a club. 1t was good,
square case Of the bitter bit, | know, but
they never let Up calling me Dummy
Skiddv' after that, until they actually ran
me out OF town, and | had TO emigrate to
this jumping.Off place OF creatiOn," and
the Captain shook his bead with disgust
ed air as be paid for his hot Scotch and
walked out. Derrick Dodd, in San Fran
cisco Post