Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-05-26
GENTLEMANLY JOE.

That was the name by which he was
seeTn in the banking house of Ducat,
Fulden \ Ducat, or at least in that
ranch Of il which did a thriving bust
less in the great commercial CITY of
Pirchespool. 1t did not require more
han five minutes acquaintance, how
yer, to inform the uninitiated that the
APPARENTLY complimentary epithet was
Pestowed rather from a keen sense of
lumor on the part of his five fellow
Jerks than on accout of anyexceptional
laims to blue blood in the case of Nj.
oseph Smith himself. Even the casual
lustomer, whose knowledge of Joe was
united 10 watching his self-satisfed
mlrk and enormous watch-guard at
he other side Of the shining mahogany
eSk; on admiring the emphasis with
which he utilized his moistened thumb
P! overcoming the gregarious leaves of
u ledger, must have been struck by
he inappropriate epithet. To us,
IoSeveT, who had, SO to say, sat at his
Get and marveled at the war of indie
P%endence which he was CARRYING on
ssansl the Queens English guerilla
Warfare consisting in attacks upon
S%pifa'es, and the cutting off Of stray
g'AAg Ss-to us Il fanciful sobriquet
vas L Joke OF the first water. If any
lllg could have enhanced our enjoy
men OF II, it was the innocent gravity
IIh winch our companion accepted
nc doubtful title, and, after one feeble
FeMonstrance. adopted it forever as his
P~m vi, prerogative and right.
Inc circumstances of that remon-
vance deserve to be recorded. Before
ne arrival OF Mr.. Joseph Smith from
H. paSernal training-stables-his father
Aas a successful sporting tout who had
~'eloped into a trainer-our office had
ven a particularly aristocratic me.
nelS'ead, our senior clerk, was a fine,
,Inosome young fellow of t~wcnty-six,
,no came Of a good Scotch strain, and
VAS VAS occasionally understood to make
E aiiusions concerning the extinct
, of Stirling; Dullan and Moreby
se' oA1ord men, we'll connected and
VII read; little Sparkins was the son
d i1igh Church clergyman; and had
"ile OF the best blood of Wales in my
MUS. NO wonder, then, that our dig
' "Saa' was hurt by the appearance of a
r vau'y-dressed, scorbutic-looking youth,
nnn horseshoe pin and a necktice sug-
sossiVe OF spectrum analysis, upon the
Is = stool lately vacated by my old col
gse friend Vernon Hawkins-most gen
"rluanly and quiet of mankind.
Lol a few days we contented our
Fuses with observing the habits and
suSIoms of the creature. There was an
ruaaclty about his vulgarity, and hap
n anconsciousness of all otfense, which
,nti aisarmed criticism. 1t was not
n aaI,l ), ne began to address us as "old
smhn and went the length of playing a
En n', ,hpp practical joke upon little Spark
a t' mat a spirit Of resistance began to
S II" within our bosoms, and that We'll
.' msa, as usual, was pushed forward as
cur mouthpiece.
GU see, Smith," he remarked in
F. n most ianguid tones, "you have been
bio J"l Office a comparatively short pc
kLiun. ana yet you have taught us many
lungs which were new to US. There is
Ecr r".ufal buoyancy about your charac.
Es,o Hnlch points you out as one calcu.
~''o 70 shine in the most select circles.