San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-02-23
BATTING WITH PERCH.
How aIlk aud Water Man Was tonfounded bI
Custonsr.

How a uuh anu Nap' e'eN -
Custonisr.
Peek's sun.
For long time Mr.. Furness studied
upon some plan TO crush the milkmah
and make him acknowledge the fraad
he had been practicing for months, ana
at last an idea struck him. lie hunted
up his sons tish'pole and started Tor
lilo lake, aud after some three hoars oi
patient fishing on the government
breskwater, returned home with half
dozen perch, that would average about
four inches in length, and placed them
in the aquarium. Then he told the
hired girl to be sure and call him early
enough in tue morning so that he could
90 out and get the milk when the
milkman came along. He said he
wanted to see the milkman on business,
and she said she would be sure and call
him. and she did. About Z o'clock
there was rush of wheels, the jingle
of a bell, and the milkman was at the
door. Mr.. Furness seized the pitcher
and then rushed to the aquarium.
Only three of the fish were alive, the
others having died during the night.
Mr.. Furness seized the live ones,
thrust them into the pitcher and rushed
out. BY holding the pitcher pretty
high up, the milkman was prevented
from seeing what was in it, and he
poured in the milk, all unconscious of
the trap that was laid. Mr.. Furness
then handed over the milk ticket, and
said it beat all what weather we were
having this winter. The milkman said
he never saw such weather since the
winter of At, when there was period
of seven weeks that the sun never
shone.
"For goodness sake, my friend" said
Mr.. Furness, "what on earth is in this
milk?"
II don't know, I'm sure" said the
milkman; "let's see."
He bent over and looked into the
pitcher.
"Why, it's something alive" ex-
claim ed Mr.. Furness.
"Here," said the milkman, "let's pour
it out"
And he took the top off milk can
and held it while Mr.. Furness poured
out the contents of the pitcher.
"Fish, by the Lord Harry!" said the
astonished milkman.
"Well, I should say fish," calculated
Mr.. Furness, Indignantly, and looking
at the milkman in searching manner.
"What does it mean?"
"I'm blessed if I know" said the
poor milkman, hopeless]y.
"Well, I'm sure DON'T" said Mr.
Furness.
There was long pause, and then Mr..
Furness said:
81 want you to tell me candidly, now,
just how much water you put in your
milk, and whether you put in anything
else besides water?"
"Well, you see, sometimes I am
little short When I have milk enough
to go round to all my customers I don t
put in any water; but when I have sale
for-well, say a hundred quarts, and
have only ninety or ninety-fve quarts
of milk-well, can't afford to lose my
customers, you know"
"Are you short very often?" Mr..
Furness asked.
swell, no-not very often," and the
man blushed and moved uneasily' on
the seat.
II see the subject is becoming pain
full" said Mr.. Furness, stiffiy, "and I
will not pursue it further. But don't
you think that hereafter you can fur
nish me with little purer article of
milk, and we will let bygones be by
gones."
eyes, sir-I think can"
They bade each other good morning,
and ever since then the milk furnished
the Furness family has been almost