Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-09-23
GINTowN. Sent 9th 1896

Messrs. Editors Yesterday, while wend-
ing my way thru the historic town Nv Me-
kanixville, | was surprized tn see goodly
number NV men and boys leving the town
Sum wus on horseback with long poles in
thare hands, while uthers wur warking
My kurosity being sumwhot xcited, in
quired whot wus ON hand, and wur told
tina wur gwine out tn praktis fur the turn
ament that wus to KUN off next da Hav-
ing hurd much Nv this very ekshilarating
sport, but never being abul tn witness it,
| konkluded tn go out and see the site.
When l rechd the ground, | kud du
nuthing but gap with wunder mt the grand
scenery. Thare war three, whot tina kald
arches, bilt. Ech Wv these seemed tn be
made NV pine poles planted in the ground
with anuther extending across the top and
joining the tn tugether. Frum this top or
kross pece NV ech arch tina had suspended
whot lukt like an old-fashund pot-rak
On the loer pece NV these wur hung rings,
sumthin NOR than an inch in diameter
These rings seemd tn be rapt with red fan
el or red kaliko. kudn't tell which, as
didn't handle the danety things.
AS the most NV the krowd wur gathered
around temporary strukchur that kar-
penter WIS bidding, went thare tu Very
sumo sum wun yield out, Charge Sur Mite"
Luking in the same direkshun that uthers
wur, saw wun NV the yung men, whume
tina kald 1.-THE Mite NV Uptonvilie," KUN
rushing along with his horse at full speed.
When he got under the arches, he struck
at the little rings with the long pole, which
he held in his hand. sum Nv the rings he
mist entirely, sum he nokt off, and sum he
stuk the pole thru the hole in the ring. The
mite Nv Masonik Hawl kane next He seemd
very near sited, for he stretched out full
length upon his horse and put his eyes very
klose tn the rings while going thru the
arches. The mite" NV Creektown awlso
seemd very near sited, for he did the same
thing The mites Of Forrest town and Hill
top followed in quick sukseshun Tha awl
did about what the first mite did tn the
rings.
askd what tina wur trying til du tn the
rings, and wus told that tina wur trying tn
take the rings from WHARF tina wur hung
and karry them off on the poles. Seeing So
| flu Nv them karrid off, remarkd that il did
not seem tn be very hard tn du that. When
wun NV the gentlemen, tn illustrate the diff
fkulty Nv taking them, rode thru the arches
in gallup and stopt his horse at ech arch
and struk at ech ring sevral times befor he
kud hit them. He managed, believe, tn
take of wun ring. askd what tina inten
Sded tn du with the rings The reply was,
nuthing; that the mite who TUX the most
rings kud Known the queen, and then he
and the queen with other yung ladies and
gentlemen wud spend the evening in dan
cling and feasting Tu illustrate, the mite
Nv Creektown, whu TUX the most rings that
evning, krownd the karpenter by rapping
pece NV harness around his hat II lukt
very bekumming.
Anvil seemd tn enjoy the sport, partiku-
larry the horses. Tha wur bloing and
swelling with eksitement
When awl was over, l wended my way
homeward. Stopping at Gintown l rela-
ted tu the krowd; while plaing our regular
game, what had sene Tha awl li.sened
with open mouth wunder tn my resital,
eksept Ealum, whu wus sumwhat ANNOYED
bekors / dru the attenshun Nv the krowd
frum him while he was demonstrating tn
them the plcrsibility Nv the theory that the
porshuns NV the skule fund and sinking
fund divuted from thare legal uses wur
STOLEN by the rats and mice infesting the
treasury bilding at Annapolis. lie kon-
tended that when the matter was sifted il
would be found that tina had used the pa
I per money for beds for thare young wuns
while the gold and silve was just the thing
tn sharpin thare teeth ON. am satisfide
thSt this is the correct theory. Iaotaer h
saiissi PETEf TRINBLE
.