The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-08-02
PERKINS ON BAOKUs.
Some Personal "Reminiscences Of the Late
Hon. Charles Baokus

The death of the Hon. Charles Back
Ms. ex-member of the California Legis
ture is peculiarly sad.
The genial minstrel had everything tG
live for. He had professional prosperity
and beautiful wife, whom he Worship
ed beyond everything else on earth.
Nothing could have been more coun-
ter to the truth than the minstrels an
swer to the nightly interlocution OF the
end-man:
"Well. Mr.. Backus, how do you feel?"
"Oh, l feel very happy; I'm married
man. you know"
Then your wife is with you, is she?"
''Oh, no; she is spending the summer
in Europe" Laughter.
Then Backus would look up into the
box and bow to his wife, whom he loved
80 well, and all the time the audience
thought he was flirting with a young
lady in the audience.
The newspapers have said that MIR.
Backus never liked personal jokes. This
is mistake, for the minstrel was con-
tinually indulging in them. The best
personal joke Backus ever perpetrated
occurred eight years ago. 1t was al
~ dlOIllCk luSlduCG "uCIO lOhO hlShCN
back.
One day the minstrel rode up through
Stamford, Connecticut, with Mr.. Lem
Read, the bosom friend of the lamented
minstrel Dan Bryant. AS the train
stopped before the Stamford station for
water Mr.. Backus saw good. old, red
faced Connecticut farmer sitting in the
station reading the Brooklyn scandal. .
'.Do you want to see me get good
joke on that old duffer, Lem? asked
Mr.. Backus, pointing to the old farmer.
Yes" said Lem, ''let's see YOU"
"Well, you wait till jes' before the
train starts, Lem, and I'll show you fun
fun till you can't rest. Yes, you
watt" said Charley, laughing and pound
ing the palm of his left hand with his
ponderous right
s.All right, I'll wait" said Lem.
When the train came to q full stop
Mr.. Backus jumped off, telling his friend
Lem to save his seat; ''for, "said he, ''as
soon as the bell rings want to bound
back on the train.'
Then Mr.. Backus rushed up to the in.
nocent farmer, snatched the paper from
his hands, stamped ON it with tragic
stamp, and, shaking his clinched fist in
| the poor mans face, exclaimed:
'.You old rascal! I've found you't
last, you miserable old scapegrace; now
I'm goin' to lick the life out of you
you contemplate old scoundrel. you
you"
Ding-a-ding! ding-a-dong! ding-a
ding! went the bell, drowning Charley!
voice, and the train began moving out
Eyes, rU lick you," said Charley
'I'll get an ox-whip and"
And then he jumped back from tn,
astonished farmer and got on the las
car of the train moving out.
The old farmer was astonished. HI
stood up bewildered. His knees quak
ed, and his German-silver glasses fell t.
the floor. Then gathering himself to
gether, he picked up his newspaper ANT
glasses and started for the train.
"Whar's the man who wanted to licl
me?" he shouted. "Whar's the maj
who called me scoundrel? Whar' s.
Here he is" said Charley from tn
rear platform of the moving car, as h
held his thumb derisively to his nos
amid the laughter Of the passengers
"Here am, sir-I'm your Roman-tak
me-"
just then the bell went ding-a-d lin,
again, and what do you think? Why
the train backed down! 1t backed poo
Charley right into the hands of the in
furiated farmer, who took off his Goa
and went for that poor fun-loving min
strei. -.....-.,
You want to lick me, do you?" sail
the farmer, jumping on to the plat
form, while Charley ran through til
car. 'You miserable dandy! You war
And then he chased that poor lninstr,
through the ears with his cane in til
air, while his big fist came down on hi
back like trip-hammer. "You'v
found me. have youp Yes, guess yo
have!' said the old farmer, as Charlie
left his hat and one coat-sleeve in hi
infuriated grasp. Evidently you have.
Mr.. Backus is said to have remarked
as he washed off the blood and went i
TO interview a tailor in New Haven tw
hours afterwards:
81 guess the next time / want t
make Lem Read laugh won't try
scare Connecticut farmer. o no! l.
get some pugilist to fan me with an Ii
dian club or 60 to sleep under q pile
driver. You hear me''