The state herald., 1890-05-09
JOHNNY fuLroN,s WAYS.
A Queer Character who Had = Peculiar
Way Of Helping Himself and En-
tertainlnE HIS Friends:

The oil town Of Pctrolia, which has
recently been burned, had in its flush
days character in Johnny Fulton.
He was n young man from kittanning,
Pa. who pretended to practice law,
but he was so very busy having fun
that he had no time to waste in any
other pursuit. Fulton never missed
an opportunity to make some one the
victim of sell of some kind. Hc was
n wonderfully plausible liar. and 1t
was a favorite amusement Of his to
take u seat in lunch-room alongside
of Il stranger, and while holding him
spellbound with some amazing story
of life in the oil regions, steal the food
off the strangers plate and eat 1t. He
had acquired great expertness with tho
fork in this business, but his success
lay In his skill in weaving n romance
that riveted the listeners attention to
Il degree which made the pilfering OF
potato or u spoonful of beans from
his plate mn easy matter.
One day he bamboozled farmer out
of an entire barrel of cider with the
same facility that he would have har-
pooned biscuit off OF his plate.
At this time the mud was hardly
less than two feet deep on the streets
of the town. The farmer made his APP
pearance with barrel of cider on his
wagon seeking purchaser for it..
Fulton hailed him and began negotia-
tions for the cider. which, he said, was
of much more Importance to him than
the price. The price, in fact. was no
object. He said he was about to open
n new store and he intended to treat
his friends to the cider rs card for
| custom, "a sort of free blow TO every
body"
After being assured by the farmer
be made he accepted tho terms nnd
volunteered to pay e. extra If the
farmer delivered the cider in the stNa
tapped and on box ready for bust.
ness. The farmer wrcstled with the
barrel for nearly an hour before he
got it through the mud to the side
walk. Fulton required him to carry
water from the creek aud wash the mud
or the barrel before rolling ii into the
vacant room where he said he intend.
ed to open large stock of goods.
The farmer finally got faucet into
the barrel, rolled it on box. and then
Fulton began to call in his friends.
Everybody who passed along the
street was urged to come in and par
take.
You won't mind drawing off The
cider for the boys" he remarked in his
glib and oily way, land then ! will
have the pleasure of Introducing YOU
TO few of my friends.
As the crowd filed in Fulton would
receive them with flourish, and say
Mr.. Jones, this is Farmer Wayback.
Farmer Wayback, shake hands with
Mr.. Smith" In this way he introduced
Tom, Dick and Harry until the demand
for the farmers services ut the faucet
became too great to waste any time on
mere civilitics. 1t was all Farmer
Waybackn could do 10 twist the faucet
and keep the empty cups filled.
Fulton drank deeply himself and en-
liycned the occasion with piquant re.
marks. TO the effect that the expense
could 20 hang when il came to open.
ing new store aud doing the square
thing by the boys. lie told the farmer
the cider was great success and h,
could bring in u barrel ON the sam,
terms every day for week and two oi
Sunday If II was rs good as the present
article. lie was going 10 pour n liba
tion 10 every man. woman and chile
that came along If it took all the cidei
in Butler county.
IL never occurred TO the farmer I,
usk such liberal. wholc.soulcd young
man for settlement, and Fulton con
iinued TO shower his bounty upon III,
crowd of loafcrs until the cider begai
to get low in the barrel. This was III,
signal for him TO quietly retire from
the festive scene aud seek scclusior
elsewhere.
The farmer ladled out the cider n
long ms it lasted. and when the las
dipperful had been yielded mp TIN
crowd also forsook him and left hin
holding the empty barrel on the boz
and vainly waiting for ful,on's return
After waiting until dark, and tn
young man came not, he rolled ih'
barrel into the wagon and, taking
seat astridc of II. drove away with tn
remark:
'lf tha, darncd cuss gifts this barre
he'll be smarter than am. b'gosh!n-
n. i. World.