Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-03-30
A HUSBAND AND A MULE.

Not long since, Wakefield Starkey
of Austin, while crossing the track OF
the International and Great North
ern Railroad, on valuable mule. was
struck by a locomotive and killed.
The mule WAS also hurled into eter
nifty. Wakefield Starkey, although a
perfect gentleman on the street. was
perfect tyrant of the deepest dye.
Without any provocation whatever,
he used to beat his wife and lock her
up in the wardrobe; hence when she
heard of his death it was not so much
a case of heavy bereavement as it was
of mltlgated affection. As the en-
gineer Of the locomotive was clearly
to blame for the accident. it was sus
gested to the widow that she bring a
suit for damages. She resolved to do
SO, and called at the office of the rail
way company The proper official
happened to be in. The widow had
such a clear case against the company
that it was deemed advisable to com
promise the matter
Now, madam" said the official,
after the widow had thrown back her
veil and started her business, I'VE
are willing to do what is fair in the
matter. There is really no occasion
to 20 to law. 1t is delicate subject
to discuss, so l think, without going
into the merits of it, l will tender
you a check for $1,000 and you will
sign paper releasing the company
from all further demands"
The widow started, and asked,
How much?"
Il am authorized to pay you $1,000
- Il accept il" she said, very much
agitated The check was handed
over, the paper signed, and the widow
walked out into the street in be
wildered frame of mind. As she
cashed the check she said to herself
contidentially: Il didn't expect to get
more than $50 l reckon that rail
road fellow didn't know how old that
mule was."- Texas Siftings
GENERAL NEAL DOW'S RAT STORY.
My house IS supposed to be rat
proof. and was SO when quite new,
but at one time, more than twenty
years ago, we had large colony of
rodents, greatly to our annoyance,
and it was with us matter of daily
wonder where they found weak
spot in our defences against them.
One evening young lady from a
friends family, living in a large fine
house nearly a mile away, was with
us. and the talk turned on rats, as we
heard ours galloping in the ceiling
and scampering up and down the
walls. The young lady said that
none had ever been in her house, and
she did not think there was any
point at which they could enter. My
eldest daughter, great wit. said
1--we heard that, if politely invited to
do SO in writing, rats will leave any
house, and go to any other to which
they may be directed, and | will tell
ours that at your house they will find
spacious quarters and an excellent
commissariat."
At the moment, before us all, she
wrote most grandiloquent letter to
the large family of rats that had so
long favored us with their presence,
pointing out to them that ut No. Is
Pearl street was a large, fine house
which had never been favored with
the residence of any of their family,
where they would find ample quar-
ters and a fat larder When finished.
she read the missive to the company,
and we had great laugh over it.
As an old superstition, she then put
lard upon it and carried it into the
attic, where it would probably be
found by those to whom it was di-
rected. A few days after, the
young lady was at our house again.
and burst into a laugh, exclaiming
Our house is overrun with ratsr'
That recalled to us the fact that we
had heard none in our walls. My
daughter went to the attic and the
letter was gone. While we were
talking and laughing over the curious
affair friend came in, and. hearing
the talk, said that two evenings before
in the bright moonlight, he saw sew
eral rats running down Congress
street, which was the straight road to
Pearl street. We have never been
troubled with them since, but | have
not heard how it has been with the
house to which our beneticiaries were
directed Congregationalist.