Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-08-15
Fun Had by Practical Jokers at Desr-
Shooting Camp.


II Think the most laughable thing
that I ever saw in my life happened
once about two years ago, while l was
up on the peninsula deer shooting. You
have heard me speak of Arthur F.,
who lives in Chicago? Well, when
there is q practical joke on tap Art is
the biggest fish to bite that ever lived:
do believe he would bite if you told
him two hours beforehand that you
were going to play Joke on him. Jack
and Bob Hutchings were with the party,
and they are the greatest men to play
Jokes that l ever met. They are natural
actors, to begin with. and can take in a
situation at moments glance, SO that
sooner or later one is bound to suffer
if thrown in with them for any length of
time.
ut was our first night in camp and
we had rousing fire burning, while the
boys were sitting around in all sorts of
attitudes, chatting, singing, and telling
stories. Arthur, being new member
of the crowd and never having been
deer shooting before. rather held aloof
in peculiar modest way characteristic
of him. He was sitting on q log, over
and around which was a dense growth
of some sort of creeping vines, and as
he listened to the boys he would nerv-
ously draw his fingers through the
leaves. Jack H was sitting at o
little distance plunking banjo and
humming softly to himself when he
CHANGED to look over at Arthur, who was
contentedly playing with those leaves.
"To see the expression change on
jacks face was better than o circus,
and we who knew him BETTER saw that
something was coming. His face took
on look of horror, and dropping the
banjo he rushed over to Arthur, grabbed
him by the neck and jerked him
away from the log exclaiming the
while, My God, man! do you know
what you have done?'
"Poor Arthur was thunderstruck and
turning as white Us sheet stammered:
NO.
Why, that is poison ivy you have
been handling and your life is III dan
ger
What s-s-shall I do? what shall
I do?' and the boy went charging back
and forth wringing his hands, appealing
first to one and tfen to another. TO
think, he continued, that should be
poisoned 400 miles from home AMI no
help for it! Oh! boys, must I die?
Can't you do something for me?'
I" There is only one hope for you,
said Bob H, you must grease your
SELF
"'Grease myself! Oh! thanks, Bob /;
where is the grease?'
On the wagon Wheel suggested
George Washington, the colored serv-
ant, and in less time than it takes to tell
wheel was taken off the wagon, while
Arthur stripped off his shirt and COM
menced rubbing wagon grease on his
face and hands. Then Jack remem-
bered bottle of neatsfoot oil in the
ammunition chest and inside of five
minutes Arthur was standing before
the fire one mass of grease, and while
the filthy stuff trickled off his finger
ends the boys began telling the most
narrowing tales that their imagination
could conceive about different unfortu-
nate people who had been poisoned by
the ivy.
I'VE kept Arthur standing before that
hot fire till 2 o'clock, expecting every
moment to begin swelling up, but the
swelling failed to make its appearance
and finally Jack told such horrible
and improbable story that it dawned
upon him all of sudden that he had
been sold. He was so glad to escape
the poison that he forgot to get mad
until he attempted to wash the wagon
grease off his face and hands and then
the air began to smoke scandalously."
Peck's San.