The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-10-21
HE MET THEM.
A Changers Experie nee With Sleek-Look-
ing Men as Told by Himself.

A short, thick-set man, about 55 years
of age with little twinkling black eyes,
short, stubby gray beard, and very
red face, alighted from the Falls train
Saturday night In one hand the little
old man carried massive oak walking
stick and the other was engaged in
clutching an old-time carpet bag that
had evidently done service for ages. A
wide-brimmed soft felt hat, from under
which row and then a strangling lock
of yellow hair was seen, and red
handkerchief around his neck did not
make the farmer beauteous creature
to look upon.
When the train had made a stop the
old gentleman commenced pacing up
and down the platform in an excited
way, muttering to himself. Seeing q
baggageman, he walked up to him and
striking the oak stick on the floor with
force that would have been a credit
TO 4 trip-hammer. said:
Say, my names John Graham. Pm
from Dutchess county, l am, and Pm in
kind of a hustle to git hum. Can you
tell me when the cars go?"
where do you want to gop" asked
the baggage fiend.
Ter Poughk epsie, by gosh. own
rattlin' farm down there"
On being informed that the train he
desired to take left at II 80 the old man
started for the waiting-room where he
met reporter, and asked:
Say, friend, where can an old man
get drink of water?"
After following the direction indi-
Gated, and relieving his thirst, the
farmer returned to the platform and as
tonished the station men with his feats
of pedestrianism as he went from one
end of the station to the other with pro-
digious strides. Finally he walked up
to number of men VINO were sitting
on truck and again asked about the
train. After being told, one of the men
| asked him where he lived.
'Down near Poughkeepsie," he
| answered.
Been away on visit?" was the next
question.
"Yaas, I've sorter ben v itin' my
dater up in Berrian county, Michigan.
She got married and moved up thar
some years ago, and | haint seen her
| until l went up thar. Pm on nv way
hum now, bun I'm a blarsted old idiot.
am. I've been robbed, skinned right
out of my money" and he jammed the
stick down SO tiercely that all of his
| auditors jumped.
"How's that, friend?" asked one of
the listeners.
when l left hum, replied the farm
er, Il took about $50 with me, besides
what it cost me to 60 and come. 1t
didn't cost me anything up at Johns,
but blarst my skin if hain't out nigh
on ter $50. Jes' after the cars left
Detroit | was sittin' in the seat and a
kinder good-lookin' sort of man came
in and sat down next to me and COM
menced talkin', and I'll be blasted eff he
wasn't darned nice feller. Blmeby
another man came in with valise and
| asked if the other seat was taken.
| said No. and be sot down. We talked
and talked and | got quite well ac-
euainted with him, and we eat lunch to-
gether After a while one fellow took
out little box and laid q paper on his
knee and said:
live just picked up something new,
friends, and don't mind showing it. 1t
is neat little gag
He had three little silver things like
bali cut in two, and little square
button, and the trick was to tell where
the button was. Gosh. l guessed five
or six times and hit it every jump.
Bimeby the other man bet dollar that
he could guess, and he guessed and got
the chink. So l bet like darned fool,
as my wife says | alters was, and got
it. Gosh, | kept right on bettin' and I'll
be blowed eff | amt short $50 to the
best celebration, and those fellows are
havin' a good time on my money. 1
don't know what John'll do when he
asks me to pay the thrashin' bill. Oh,
but I'm an old fool, just as Mehitable
said. ."-ROcheSter Democrat.