Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
Taking tho Starch Out Of I'm.

nv "a luAcIS SlOOu upon inc Gnu
oi . pier which ran our into the hudson
hiver, n one Of the small towns near
Albany, amusing themselves with hurl-
ing stones into the broad stream, each
vlelng with his neighbor in the endeavor
10 pitch the missile ut the farthcst dis
lance from the shore, when a tall, rug
ged-bullt Nermontcs, direct from the
green hills. suddenly made his appear
ance in their midst, and for awhile
renamed Il quiet observer OF their move.
mcnts.
He was q very brawny, STRONGHOLD
ing Yankee. and was veiy decently
clad. The efforts of the little party had
oeen exhibited over and over again,
wnen the stranger picked up half q
oflck which lay near him, and giving it
d JERK, 1t fell into the water a long way
beyond The line which had rs vet been
reached by the foremost OF the crowd.
At the conclusion of this feat, u loud
went up from half a dozen
voices around him.
1t was q cold clear day in October.
ana the men determined not to be out
done, renewed their attempts, but the
'ermonter, without saving q SYLLABLE to
n one. continued to pitch the pebbles
!at OUT INTO the stream, which seemed
10 annoy one i n q green jacket, the ap-
parent leader of the gang, who declared
nc wouldn't be beaten by elbow right
stralght out of the woods, nohow:' and
elu'hS up TO the stranger, he deter
mined to make his acquaintance.
where do you come from. neioh-
bor?' he asked.
ME? Wal, I halls from Vermont,
yes' now, friend.n
~recNon?" .
'Wal-no. Not edzactly yere-but
up and daown, sortcr."
"Yis, so l 'spcsed.'
"Yaas,' continued the oreon:un
carelessly, and seizlng a large billet Of
wood. twirled it over his head. and Il
landed several rods from the shore in
the water.
You've a little strength IN your
arms. neighbour
"Son1e pumpkins with them flip
pers, stranger; up in our taown q
munth ago, | driv them knucklcs ripht
strait thur a board moce'n q ninch,n
hat thick"
"Aaw, haw." shouted the hearers,
the man in the green jacket laughing
the loudest.
"May be you don't believe it,"
Not much," answered the crowd.
ave amt cry green down here in
York u amt" said the fellow in the
green jacket; ''we've been about. You
bet"
oval, jos look here, friend" con-
tlnucd the Nermonter, in the most
plausible manner; 1--WE. in aour country,
we've got q purity big river, considerin'
-lnjun tiver, It's called. and maybe
you've hearn on it. Wal, | hove a man
clean across that river t'othcr day, and
he came down fair and square on
t'other SIDE"
"Ha, ha, ha," yelled his auditors.
"Wal. naow, you may latf, but l kin
do 1t agin."
"Do what:?" said the green jacket,
quickly.
II ken take and hove you across
that river yonder, ies' like open and
shet".'
"Bet you ten dollars of it."
"Done," said the Yankee, and draw.
ing forth Il bill (upon Il broken down
sAop |J.llIk) llC NONClC(l Cilt Su.l-Dl1SIeI,
"ken We swim. feller?"
'Like Il duck" said the green Jacket
and without further psIlcy the Yer
monter seized the knowing Yorker
stoutly by the nape of the neck and
seat OF the pants, jerkcd him from his
foo;hold, and with al almost su%perhu-
man effort dashed him heels over head,
from the end Of the docks, some ten
yards in the Hudson.
A terrific shout rang through the
crowd, as he tloundered in the water,
and amidst the cheers and screams of
his companions, the ducked loafer put
back to the shore and scratched up
the bank, half frozen by this sudden
and involuntary cold bath.
'Ill take that ten-spots, if YOU
please" sad he, shirering rapidly, to
the stakeholder. "iou took us for
s]recnhorns, Ell: Well show you how
we do things here in New York, and
she fellow CLAIMED the twenty dollars.
oval, reckon you won't take no
ten-spots jes vet, Eap'n."
"Whye lou lost the bet"
"Not edzactly. l didn't calkilate on
leuin it the Isst tsmc-but | tell yo't 1
ht|G ttC" ", ~ dS" ~ Ill opNC VI tLC
%loafer's utmost efforts to escape him,
he seized him by the neck and the seat
Of his ovcralls and pitched him t rec
yards further into the river than upon
.he first trial.
Again green Jacket returned amid
the shouts of his mates, who enjoyed
tho sport immensely.
e'Third time never fails" said the
Yankee, stripping OIL his coat; ~ ken
Aes it. l tell yo."
..Aold on.' said the almost pctriiicd
victim.
land I will dcu it-e L try till to-
moryoW maorain'."
II give it up shouted the sufferer
between his teeth, which now chat
tered like d mad badger's-"take thu
J money"
The Vermontcr very coolly pocketeC
! the stakes, and as he turned away re-
marked
1--WE amt much acquainted with yor
! smart folks daown nere'n York, bu
we sometimes take the starch on
of 'em up our way-and p raps you
wunt try it on strangers agin. L rec&'
YOU wunt,' he continued, and putting
on Il broad grin of good humor, he lei
the company to Their reflections. lar