Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-05-20
IN BAD SHAPE.
The Catastrophies Caused by q
Queer Looking Package.

The Catastrophies Caused by
Queer Looking Package.
/ want to tell story, not about Jack
MaDory, but another Jack, and would
ask that you put the truthful parts in
italics, only, it would exhaust your
stock of that type, for it is all .'petri-
fled truth" In 1868 l left Little Rock
to take command of a United States
vessel then at work in the Upper Mis-
isouri. Before leaving l requested
John McGuire-my room mate-to ship
me by express my fowling-piece, which
l left in his charge, when should so
notify him. After reaching Omaha l
wrote him to send it on said fowling-
piece was No. 6 and fully six feet
long. He, knowing little about such
ware, ordered carpenter to make a
box in which to ship it. The carpenter,
knowing less, made box the whole
length of the gun, without unstocking
it. This made box six feet long,
eighteen inches by eight inches at the
large end, and tapering down to eight
by eight at the other. When Nc saw
the amount of vacant space in the
box a bright idea must have struck
him, for he gathered up all the am
munition on hand, consisting of ten
sacks OF shot, of various sizes, and put
them in to fill up space, and tor what
reason | know not he placed therein
four quarts of whisky. This brought
the weight of the box up to some three
hundred pounds, and so expressed it.
When was ready to leave Omaha the
package had not arrived. and in
structed the agent there to forward it
to st. Joe. On arriving at the latter
point it had not reached there, and
the same process was repeated at four
other points below, the last point be-
lug Lexington. Before reaching there
bur machinery became disabled, and
we had to lay up at Missouri City for
repairs. While there l received word
that several thousand dollars of Gov
ernment money had been sent us to
Lexington. l left the vessel, and pro-
ceeded to that point by rail and there
found my gun, and there my troubles
began. The original express charges
were heavy enough, but each reship-
ment had augmented them until they
amounted to grand total of thirty-six
dollars.
Ipaid them, and had the package
sent over to the passenger office. 1t
was then nearly dark, and the bus was
about ready to start across the river, by
ferry boat requested the conductor
to take my box along. After looking
at it and "hefting' it, he remarked:
at is too heavy; besides, do not like
that kind of freight" When l asked
him what objection he had to It's char
acter, he replied that ''it might cause
a disturbance. But on seeing him
to the extent of two dollars, he agreed
to take it along; just then the bus
drove up, and, assisting the driver, we
got it safely on top. During this pro-
cess several ladies inside began crawl
ing out, remarking that they didn't t
want to ride in stage carrying q
corpse on top" This was rly first i'm
preston that my box very much resem-
bied a coffin, and it took the strongest
kind of assurance to convince them
that it was nothing more than harm
less package of hunting gear. On cross
ing the river we found small station
house at the terminus of short branch
road that led up to station on the
North Missouri railroad. Here we
found the train awaiting us, and when
all were aboard, except myself and
package, | asked the baggage-master
why he did not put my baggage aboard.
He replied that he did not carry
corpses as baggage" protested, tried
to explain that my box was all the bag
gage had, and described its contents.
But he only held his nose, and said that
THAT game was played out" and the
train moved off. There was. 1t was
then dark. | requested the station
agent to allow me to store my goods in
side, but he remarked that ''they would
keep better out in the COOL" so he shut
and locked the door, and went back
across the river on the bus. might
remark that there | was again. ]
could not cross the river and leave my
goods, so l suspended the box against
the building, and as it had begun to
rain | crowded up alongside of it to
give us both what scanty protection the
projecting caves would afford. | re-
manned there several hours, when there
came the sound of human voices and
barking dogs. They proved to proceed
from party of hog drovers, who were
coming to the station to make ship.
ment Now, | do not say that this
class of people are not fully as trust.
worthy as any other class; but right
then | did not want company. | had
beside my goods, fine chronometel
and several thousand dollars, to guard
and / reasoned that if | had no one tc
guard against my task would be easy
They drove their stock into the pens
and then began looking out for shelter
for themselves. The first one that rar
across me stopped as if he had seen ,
ghost; thinking ne had taken in tn,
situation sang out: "Helloa, old boy
you have the old gentleman standing