Telegram-herald., 1891-08-30
WHOA Pllll WHO-A-A!!
How the Boys Scared Hank Into
Q Dead Faint.
DEACON JlGCERS SITS IN JUDcyEyI
Aaa Sees Just Rstribation visited Upss
ths frestieai Jsksr-G pale Dsssxsp.
tisa OF bsyhoed spssts ~
Aa Old Timer.

t4AtAA AR were HtdlnEf ODQHl IN TIC
Arcade got into a discussion about
baseball An old fellow in a battered
piug hat and ragged overalls stood
listening TO the boys with evident In
teresr, pulling his seraggy whlskers
with ais great bOny fingers and watch
tns chance 70 dip his oar into the
Conversation, His opportunity came
bt last II amt much stuck on this
here baseball" he began. ~butI used
10 be cuss at playin' two old eat
and I kinder like no hear We talk"
"A feller that plays ball these days
gets all stove up IN a little while. arms
and legs twisted out OF joint and
fingers broke up like crockery. The
dog-on balls Il too hard. Away back
A 40-log cabin times-I used TO be a
boy myself. and oallulate I had as
much fun as any OF We. They was a
whole passel OF US boys that used 90
get together every Saturday after
noon and play ball down by the meet
in' house sheds In the little town where
I lived. We used Co have some OF the
darnedest fights YOU ever heard tell
of Our balls was soft. made OF woiien
warn with little chunk OF inier rub
Der inside. and we didn't have no men
the n1<Es W tA- t<AA-- - -
TELLER went 20 steal base we'd PUNK
the ball right at him. and II IL iammed
him in the short ribs you could hear
him grunt more'n ten rod. III he got
his he went out. Out back OF the
neetin' house sheds was big medder.
but 10 was 50 full OF Canada thisties
that we couln't play there, Tor most
OF us went barefoot. III was n standin'
n L al N.l
ball over the sheds, was out, and the
next man 10 bat had TO go after IN.
Deacon Jaggers had an old horse 80
years old, blindin' bat, and all stove
up with spavlns and ring bones, that
was tur1ped out in this medder 70 get
a Iivin' the best way he could They
had put a big cowbell on old Pete so
that when he wandered out into the
road people driving along in the dark
wouldn't run into him. About four
rod Back OF the sheds was an old we'll
about 90 feet deep. It was dry as
powder house and the curb was all
rotted away, 80 n rickety little fence
was put around it TO keep folks from
faIlln' in. One day right in the mid
tIle OF bully game. ii Brown
Knocked the ball sailin'. 1t went
clean over the shed and before Hank
Peters could get 10 it the ball rolled
INTO the welr Hank had lots OF sand
md he didn't stop 20 climb the fence
but Just tore IL down and went down
the well after the ball. A lot OF the
fellers was peeking through the cracks
IN the shed and they saw him, and one
OF them little red headed mick named
Mike Donovan, says come on with me
fcilers and I'll scare Hank out OF his
shirt We all hustled over by the
well. keeping as still as we could while
Mike slippsd up TO the old horse and
took the bell off his neck. We all laid
down around the mouth OF the well
and Mike began TO come along toward
Us walking kind o'slow like. We could
hear Hank down In the well pantin'
hnd cussin' his luck as he fumbled
round the rubbish In the bottom. feel
ing for the ball Pretty soon he heard
tho juggling OF the bell. Darn my fool
luck we could hear him say. L tore
down the fence and the old hoss might
tumble right in on top OF me. Whoa
Pete
Tho bell stopped .or Just a second
and then Mike came little closer.
Whoa Petel Consarn your old
picture whoal
There was the awfullest commotion
you ever heard IN the bottom ol that
well Hank would begin 10 scramble
up the stones like a wild cat and then
Mike would jingle the bell and scare
him so that he would lose his grip and
fall back 10 the bottom agin. Pretty
soon he got so scarf that he began to
beller. Jingle. Jingle. jngk. went the
bel and Mike grinncd like n chesire
rat ~ he shook 70.
"'who-a-a Petc,l Col blast you.
q ever get out o'here III break your
back with \ rail. I'll lick every one
a them boys too. Whoatt whoai
Nho-a-a-a a
"You could have heard him yeIl
rrsls II n. had been above ground and
The whole gang Of Us just rolled on
the ground and chewed grass To keep
from hoilerin' Pretty soon Mike came
up close and jsngled the bell again
'oh Lord yelled Hank. I'm n gouer
sure this time: the darned old brute
eInt got no sense. Whoa Petel' he
said. kinder persuadln' like. 'Oh Lord.
I know stole preachers watermelons.
but amt always been so tough. Now
I Law me-Whoa, confound you-down
down to-
lust then Mike Yngled the bell right
NJ the edge OF the well and kicked
rhunk OF sod into thu hole. We heard
n most unearthly screech from Hank,
and then 10 was as still as death down
m the hole. We began TO git kinder
scarf and peaked over into the well.
n ank was LAWN on the bottom curled
M into n little wad. and when we saw
rim Won bet we were scarf. What's
the matter here hoys?'' we heerd some
body say. and there behind US stood
Deacon JaEgers. We told him all
abol,t " and he went over to his barn
snd got rope. 81 Brown went down
Ne well aud tied it around Hanks
body. under HIS arms. and the deacon
snd the rest OF Us hauled him 20 the
top. He had tainted dad away and
was white as piece of chalk. but he
came 10 IN about five minutes He
seened mighty surprised not To find
himself at mixed M with horse meat
svow Ruh.' said Deacon Iagxsrs 20
Hank. bave ye got yer wind agein7'
Yes sir said Hank.
. The dearo-, then turned 20 ~ feiiers
And sod he 7 want 20 know who took
She COW bell off.n old petes'
s~fike Donovan said everybody but
Mike and Hank.
sIar nsx. thing T want 80 know is.
who scared this poor ereetar pretty
nigh 10 death
Nike Donovan
sBuh.' said be again IN Hank. are
YOU dead SIRE goa've got yer seeoad
v-fnd7'
fV.~ 81