The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-28
u | q \ l.. +. K IL + e
IN THE
NOR T H-W EST
BY JENNIE JONES.

The events proved that he was not Iar
from right. There were twenty-five men
Of the company, and OF this number only
three went to he'd that night. The land
lard found that he was not lord of his own
house, but prisoner at the bar, ca 5'ather
in the bar from which he was called upon
from time to time to dispense quantities
Of the ''ardent," for these men believed
that it was well to "keep the spirits up by
pouring spirits down" and by way of
keering up the spirits Of the landlord one
Of the number sang songs to him the most
Of the night.
And vet these men were not what would
now be called hard drinkers. They were
living fast and having good time in their
own way, as was the custom of the times
in which they lived, when every man was
shall fellow, well met" with every other
man, and no distinction of wealth or aris-
tocracy had found their way to mar the
harmony or check the mirth in these new
settlements. There were many lonely
hours, and many difficulties to overcome
at times, and the general tenor of the
times was apt to lead to excuses, but sell
dom to ill-feeling when abroad.
%That is bear meat" said traveller at
dinner-table, pointing to huge plate of
bones.
Immediately number of plates were
filed with the expected luxury.
"Looks like beef" remarked one after
surveying it.
'Tastes like beef" said another.
II guess it is beef" said the first
speaker.
"But thought you said it was bear
meatf"
81 said nothing of the kind, only re-
marked that those bones were bare Of
meat"
There was the usual indignation over a
bad pun, and silence reigned around that
table for the space of minute and half.
Everybody knew Grace, the jolly land
lord of Grand Rapids, and how a good
joke would add q pound to his already
four hundred pounds avoirdupois. Eggs
were very scarce, and Grace had been
around the country and collected up quite
a supply. Stopping at small tavern for
dinner, he sold the landlady a few at thir-
" cents dozen and was careful to collect
his pay.
The common price for dinner and horses
in the barn was twenty-five cents.
After the trade had been completed
Grace preferred the request for few eggs
for his dinner, which was acceded to, and
the eggs brought in were quickly dis
patched, and more called for, until an even
dozen had disappeared.
The twenty-five cent bill was paid, and
though the landlady thought there must
be q deficiency somewhere, the smiling
face of Grace forbade the idea that he
would be guilty of trickery.
The following anecdote was related by
Hon. VIM. WEIGH, at an Old Settlers meet
ing. It is too good to lose, so I will ap-
propriate it,
"Neither shall tell how well-to-do
farmer Of one of our early townships,
when he came TO the city upon certain
occasion, imbibed an inordinate amount of
Goodhue's whisky, and took half dozen
dinners and half that number Of suppers,
making it point to break for the dining
room at the Jingle Of the bell, and to eat
at every struggling meal during the af-
ternoon and evening; nor how, when pre-
scented with his bill Of nine meals for one
doys board, after sobering in the morning,
ne declared that he had not had altogeth-
or. one square meal, and was then hum
cry, nor how, for his frankness, he was
given the bill receipted, and invited TO
como again m incident which travelled all
over the country, and was told and re-told
81 Joke on landlord and guest, and may
now be taken as IN evidence that fare at
public hotels, a. well as at private houses
was NOT always over abundant"