Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-08-21
A Practical Joke7

a Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who was govern
a OF Alabama from 1911 to 1915. came of
= family renowned for practical Jokes. II
4 was not such an irrepressible lester as son
/ OF his brothers and other relatives. but :
, too had decidedly large lump of tn,
| brand OF humor, as the following true stor
: told me by near relative of his will show
At one time he held the office of state 81
{ lleitor, or what is called in some states di,
trict attorney; Montgomery, his place ,
, residence, and Wetumpka were in his di,
trict. Judge Cannon was the presiding Of
ileer at the time of which | am WRITING
Court had just closed at Montgomery an
was 10 open next day at Wetumpka. Their
was not railroad in the state Of Alabam
at That time, and the officers and LAWYERS o
the district took the rounds" either OF
horse back or in buggies.
Judge cannon and an elderly attorne-
whom shall call Jones, travelled ,opethe
IN buggy, drawn by pair of large mules
Jones was rather an efeminate looking
man, destitute Of beard, and almos, bank.
rnpt IN the matter of cranial foliage. Wha,
iittie he had grew along the lower edges Of
MS dome of thought. while the upper pre.
cincts were as barren as the Staked Plains
As long as Z,,,,r,, - .,a"us 10 gro"
would hrnsh ,bon, h.ot. /, - ,''eu' anu ne
\ 10 entirely oovar ~ Ja,..T'I manner a'
4 aho,. and ,,r;s, ,h"., ,"n.L .ap'e 'ahaS
T hold ,b.,, !, ,,Iaao H. o'''''iu' a'',l
such a. il wor, hy ,J.a W. on'o'
Ions d;J ro, n."a, -, ",s i'a' on
the annr,r,nc. h,, pa's'ou'stI' eeceh-
fine b,re.bc,l.J ~. 49,, III. ~ '',' )" u
yokinr oh;ect '''''' -p'o-
Dn ~. oo,,.;
Ei,z,,,r;oL -, -, L,..tI ut "'"'nS'
and naxxoJ I,d,,o c., ~ - PNa,
Jonas op n. NJ, VIII 1.l' "'' n'e'u
m. civ hc crossed sh.II. 80" ~
dy water which was so,,a ono - - , l'uu-
After crns.,n, 10 d,.nn,,aI ,M.s "tue'
mense H. ~ hr,,.b a,,J ~ az 'ii'
then nr,casdad + J;.-sh 'l".s' anu
men,s around tbc 6ra ~ ,tomaG "n'St"s us gar
ing them
IN little while III, honor aud Mr. Jones
arrived at the further edge Of the water
when Fitzpatrick. arrayed in Il single gar.
ment. Yelled out 'Don't drive m there
Judge, for heavens sake It'll al lc,,t ,sn
feet deep IN the middle. and YOU viii drown
sure
The honorable court aad hi, couu,oion
then held brl-t consultation. wher. tbe,
',.uVH tua' '"c present outlook was any
,"L ,"ts p.,. ll' nt''eiihS my niTo decided to
sI''I ..1t 1DN'0r' uhh1lched thtir mules
10 get their clothes we, and having 10 sion
10 dry them as Fitch was doing for rather
seemed 10 them to be doingD they conclnd-
cd 10 strip of before they started On their
i.na,tI,. - '.,' 0'''''''S up IN Smati
.iu'lu'ts h ah4 Loia them over their heads as
,,''i swan 'heir muses across, Once across,
.ne! eould resume their ralment and walk .
'e rest Oh the way 10 "etuinpka, or ride
.htir bareback mules as they saw fl.
nN th!s times, ftIpatrick began rather
ia''y resumption OF his garments saying
l"' he would hurry on to the town and
p"ssi plCA 70 meet ms honor and !
T. Hlehu re dll n4l Sta ttttTy-et ~Iru reSe'-
= ,e saH -pectacle " o article Of clothing
-,ins os,rn n,766 KIihas and bdygy' hTifnss< !
M Win one hand convulsivcly clasplns
.maI bundle above their heads. while the .
other c!utched ia a yice-Iike grip tuft Of
none f,r neither of them could swim a
,ard Thu, ,hey trembingly entered the
,Innrb Frzpatrick afterwards said that he
Would willingly have given 800 to have had
enc of his legal comrades with him to en-
Ii, the fan. Suppressed laughter almost
i,.;r.t III d,,nhra-m. a, onward ,he dlgnifed
inIy. nnd solemn barrister came spla,hing
,brnnyh knee .deep water. momentarily ex-
,.r,iny ~ nI,tnp4 into ten foot ahy>s ,
Thera IL. no notion of the water over
tnn, AMI a half deep, \. they neared the
farther shore. Fitzpatrick mounted his morse
,n1 IA. on Ia We,umpka. leaving "The
Cnurt. and M, comrade to enjoy the disco,-
,ry Of m, wicked sell.
rho botel a, which the iuGy. and visiting
,.,a,,,..,s ,I,,y. ,to,n.d vas Ken, by a YER,
nr,r, a,5 somewhat prudi,h old lad,. who
IA, well ACQUAINTED with ..Col. Fitch. Judge
Cannon. and most Of the Montgomery law
,rrs ba, She hal never seen Jones. lh- old
isd, t,d nYner5u. question, ID u,k "CoI
F,,lb" ,bou, himself and some Of his broth
.. ,,,o,,.x, VII, had no, vet arrived. With
iur,,hrio,. rxprcssion of countenlncr
"Cnl. Fitch" told her tina, lie had passed
I,dge Cannon some miles back. but was
'.srt .o,r, n fnd that he was bringing the
oIi Woman along WITH him..
What Old woman His ~fr asked the
land!ady
No. indeed" replied Fitch . The Jnd+e
has no wife. lis great pity ~ hasn't II
be had good wife perhaps her influence
might restrain him from travelling over ms
judicial district IN company "th a iemae
dressed III male attire.