The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-09-16
A DoubIe-BarreIed Joke.

At McGovern's saloon, the boys were
putting mp an elaborate practical joke
on somebody and they asked old Captain
Skiddy, who had just happened in, to
take hand.
"No, gentlemen" F." said that estimable
old citizen, decisively; "you don't catch
me taking part in any practical Jokes.
/ went out of that business for good
over teu years ago.
"How was that 2" asked the group of
beer exterminators.
g Well, IT was in the winter of 10,
maybe II. ] was living at Davenport,
Iowa. and man came around there
giving balloon ascensions. One day it
was advertised that the mayor of the
town was going mp with him Now, the
mayor was n big, fat man, who always
wore n light suit of clothes and a white
hat This put me in the notion Of work
ing eff a Joke ON the people. got
acquainted with the seIonaut, and he
agreed to assist in the scheme We then
go& an old suit of light clothes, and fixed
up a. dummy, which we filed with sand,
so that it weighed about 300. 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 a high wind blowing at the
time. After the balloon got up about a
mile, and maybe that Tar south of the
town. they dropped the dummy over"
Big sensation then, eh?'
We'll, | should say SO. But that s
just where lost my grip. While the
crowd was shouting and going wild with
horror, ] Just laid down on the ground,
rolled over and laughed until was just
sick
"Should think the crowd would have
taken a tumble, too, suggested the su-
dience
But just wait. OF course, the crowd
made a break out f town TO scrape up
the remains, and | rushed home to get
my fishing tackle, for it struck me that
the most healthy thing / could do would
be to go fishing for day or two. Be
fore l left the house, however, l was ar
rested for murder"
" For murder o.
Exactly. A lot Of the boys, accom-
panied by the sheriff, rushed IN and col
Jared me. They claimed that the dunn
my had fallen on farmer and driven his
skull clear into the heels of his boots.
They said that the ballonatic had turned
states evidence, and the chances were
~ " liAAS ~ n t1lpb bGlpIt uAHl1b
"That was rough.
"Well, so I thought 1 was Just
scared plum to death, aud begged the
boys to stand by and protect me- l
ponied up $50 for legal expenses, and
they hid me in the garret of a neighbor's
house. They kept me there ten blessed
days, and there wasn't a day but they
struck me for a twenty or two for con-
tingencies. One night the whole gang
came around full of beer-on my money,
mind you-and said that they had con
cluded, as additional precaution, to hide
me in the hollow OF an old oak tree about
three miles out in the woods. l saw
through the whole business then, and
drove 'en out WITH a club. II was q
good, square case of the bitter bit, 1
know, but they never let mp calling me
Dummy Skiddy after that, until they
actually run me out of town, and had
to emigrate TO this jumping off place of
creation" and the captain shook his
head with disgusted air as he paid for
his hot Scotch and walked out.-San
Francisco Post