Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-07
JOHN M'GONIGLE'S
Experience as Distributor oi
Seeds

Ine Sanua CTuZ CefJlneJ, receilIly, SOI
an invoice of seeds from Senators Hearst
and Stanford and twits its contemporary,
the Surf, on its paucity of good fortune
in not being similarly favored. The
Sentinel, evidently, thinks it has been
greatly honored by this exclusive mark
of distinction, but it may have reason to
change it's mind. When Bob Tully was
in Congress some years ago, he ma
liciously, or otherwise, constituted us a
preferred depot of supplies, or distribut-
ing center, for about seven bushels of
seeds and sprouts of various ages and
sizes from the agricultural bin at Wash
ington. 1t was our pleasant privilege
to do them up in packages and dole
them out in impartial quantities to
the grateful farmers hereabouts. Bob
had them transferred to our precious
keeping by means of his distinguished
autograph, but when it came to our turn
to scatter them among the yeomanry we
were compelled to resort to the stamp"
act, or deliver them on a wheelbarrow.
Pride in the new and important trust,
however, buOyed us up, and we tackled
our responsibility with great energy.
OF course we were desirous of doing our
duty for all there was in it that is, we
wanted to particularly impress upon the
minds of the bucolic residents the vast
obligation they owed to their faithful
benefactor, Mr.. Tully-who might
probably want their votes in another
emergency, and at the same time impart
little robustness to our then somewhat
feeble subscription list; so we accom-
panied each package as it was forwarded
to it's destination, with something like
the following ornate bit of fne-spun
taffy:
DEMOCRAT OFFICE,
VENTURA, March -, 1884.
Obadiah S. Clodhopper, Esq:
| DEAR SIR-I am just in receipt Of a
very few packages of choice seeds,
bulbs, ETC., reared with the tenderest
care in the green house, connected with
the executive department at Washing
ton, by the President of the United
States, from the hands of Hon. P. B. Tully,
our distinguished representative in Con-
gress, with the request that distribute
the same among the most prominent
and leading farmers of this neighbor-
hood, and recognizing you as one of that
class, feel fattered at the opportunity
of forwarding you the accompanying
seeds, etc, etc. Very truly yours,
EDITOR VENTURA DEMOCRAT.
Satisfied that we had performed ten
strike that would make Bob solid in the
county, and augment the list OF names
in our subscription book, we paused for
developments. In about three weeks
we got, through the postoffice, the fol-
lowing note from heavy rancher on the
Sespe, which omitting venue, date and
name, read thusly:
If you think you can impose on me
by sending me lot of darned dog-fennel
seed for Arabian oats, as you marked
them, you are all-firedly mistaken.
Stop my paper right off, and tell that
long-legged old gander, Bob Tully, that
I.would rather vote for Chinaman."
This was a little discouraging for a
starter, but we had sent the wrong
package, as we thought, to that man,
and felt hope that the others would be
the following from a prominent hay
producer of Saticoy:
"What in hill do you mean by trying
to inoculate my land with internal wire.
grass under the pretense of sending me
Australian timothy seed? I've tumbled
to your racket and you and old Tully
can go plumb to the dickens. l intended
to subscribe for your miserable paper
but that let's me out"
This missive came very near letting US
out too, but we kept hoping against
hope, until we received, by registered
letter, the following from a leading
widow of the Conejo, to whom we haC
forwarded, with excruciating politeness
yeast powder can full of Asiatic pie
bald beans:
81 have my opinion Of the apology fo
a man you must be, that would send {
lone widow woman like me, who ha
thirteen hungry, orphan children
thirty-two scrawny, shriveled beans, al
told, and expect us to make meal of
on 'em. If were man, as am not,
would go to Ventura and broom-sticl
you within an inch of your life, yol
mean, stingy old thing. l wouldn't stol
rat holes with your sinking old paper.
This broke us all up. We didn't take
any more correspondence out OF the post
office after that until we thought public
Indignation had time to cool down, anc
we haven't spoken to Bob Tully or en-
gagged in the seed distributing business
since. Hence we would advise our frient
Duncan, of the Sentinel, not to feel to-
elevated, as experience has proven to III
that the position is one of doubtful homo
and emolument.-[ Ventura Democrat.
A New Departure.
The New Mexico Coal Company has mad
arrangements to handle Ocean Coal. Leav