The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-03-26
A Double. Barreled Joke.

The other evening, round at McGov.
ern's, the boys were putting up 90 elabo:.
rate practical joke on somebody, aud
they asked old Captain Skiddy, who had
just happened in, to take hand.
"No, gentlemen" said that estimable
old gentleman, derisively, ''you don't
catch me taking part In auy practical
jokes. l went out of that business for
good, over ten years ago."
"How was that7" asked the group Of
beer exterminat0rB.
"Well, it was in the Winter Of 10 {;
maybe II. I was living in Davenport,
Iowa, and q man came around there Civ
ing balloon asconsions. One day It was
advertised that the mayor Of the town
was going up with him. Now, the mayor
of the town was big, fat man, who
always wore o white suit of clothes and
white hat. This put me ia the notion
of working off joke on the people. I
got acquainted with the aeronnut, end he
offered to assist me- in the scheme. We
then got An old suit Of light clothes and
fixed up dummy, which we filled with
sand, 90 that 1t weighed about two han.
dred pounds, and would, therefore, drop
straight and heavy like man. The day
of the ascentinn there were over three
thousand people on the ground, and the
excitement was very great. as there was
light wind blowing ut the time. Afier
the balloon got up about mile. and
maybe that far south Of the town, they
dropped the dummy over"
"Big Bensation then. eh7"
"Wtu, I should say 30. But that's
just where / lat my grip. While tho
crowd was shouting aud going wild with
horror, just laid down ON the ground
and laughed till was just aick."
Should think the crnGd would have
taken tumble, too" auggested the
audience.
"But just wait. OF course the crowd
made oreak out of town to gather up
the remains, and rushed home to get
my fishing tackle, for It struck me that
the most healthy thing could do would
DO TO go fishing fhF day M two. Be.
fore left the house, however. ! was or.
rested for murder"
"Exastly. A lot nf the boys. accom-.
panied by the uheri1, rushed in and col.
Jared me. They claimed that the dam.
his skull clear into tho Leel of bis boots.
They said that the balloonatic had
turned States evidence, and the chances
~o.V tuot ~ 70 1oob W uiou ocioto
night"
''Thet was rough"
"Well, so I thought. Twas Just scared
plum to death, and begged the boys
to stand by aud protect me. poined up
fifty dollars for legal expenses, and they
bid me In the garret of O neighbor's
house. They kept me there ten blessed
days and there was not day but they
struck me for q twenty or two for contin.
gencies. One night the whole gang came
around full Of boron my money mind
yOu-and said that they bad concluded.
40 additional precaution, to hide-me 10
the hollow of an old oak tree about three
miles out in the woods. ! ssw through
the whole business then, and drove 'em
out With club. It was good square
case Of the bitter bit, ! know, but they
mover let op calling me Dummy Skiddy,
sfisR thst, until they actually drove me
out Of town, and I had to emigrats To
this Jumping of place of creation" and
the captain shook his head with o dis
gusted air as he walked out.-Saa Fran
eisso Pos.
7yhaf n T9nv Anaov,.olse1,na '.4