The morning call., 1892-10-09
IT WAS ALIVE.
The Strange Story of the Butcher Boy
aud the Leg OF Mutton.
Seattle telegraph,


An amusing Incident in which leg of NUT
ton, festive butcher boy and a wandering
current of electricity figured took place at a
Yesler-ayenue meat market, n0tmany steps
away from the police station, on Saturday
afternoon. The market in question is a
one-story building with an iron front, and
over It's roof pass many electric wires, GER
tain of which are, by cans of lnsulat0rs,
Of course, attached directly to the iron
front. One of these wires which conveys
the subtle fluid by which the market is
lighted became detached from its insulator
on the afternoon in question, and thus came
in contact with the iron front oil the build
ing.
From a steel hook on one of the iron door
posts there depended the aforesaid leg of
mutton, as tender and inviting as though 1t
were section of Mary's little lamb itself,
when after being fed chiefly on kindness
and good advice by Mary and her teacher it
had reached maturity and the butcher after
the manner of its kind. This particular
Leg was intended to become a piece de
resistance in the Sunday menu Of certain
hotel at which local epcures are won't to
congregate when the welcome dinner hour
draws nigh. 1t was. moreover, to be taken
TO Its destination at late hour in the after
noon or early in the evening Thereby
hangs the tale of this particular sheep and
the butcher boy.
The day was "cold and dark and dreary-
1t raiDed," as all will remember, and at an
early hour the shades of night came on
atdce. With these shades came, as usual,
the electric current whereby the city is
Illuminated, and following-less rapidly,
however-came the butcher-boy for the
mutton. When the current reached the
market where the wire was detached it
spread itself in great shape. and though the
proprietors do cash business this wander
ing current took the opportunity of charging
the entire front OF the building and the
mutton depending from it, which had prob
ably been charged enough for before.
The butcher boy came when this over
charging had been accomplished, and, adj
vancng with outstretched arms. he pre-
pared to deposit the mutton in his cart. He
grasped the leg, but instantaneously
change came Ger his spirit, Tor he gave one
wild, weird yell that out whooped all the
Sioux and Pawnees combined, and then be-
gan executing ghost dance all by him
self, which paralyzed passers-by, who had
never seen mutton served with such capers
before. and caused "Rock" and "Rowdy" TO
kick impatiently in their stalls in the police
station stables, under the impression that q
riot was In progress and the hurry wagon
was In urgent request
. AT last, when through with his gymnas-
tics, the butcher boy was able to explain
,naI tue seemingly harmless leg OF mutton
nau gwen him a kick that nearly precipi-
la.ea nun INTO the center of the subsequent
WEEK anu would have been regarded as the
executed by Government mule.
AT nrst ne was scoffed at by the other
employees. but no jibes or jeers wou1d in
duce him to touch the muscular mutton
again. and finally It was necessary to bring
could be removed from its position and
taken to Its destination. Then a lineman
was summoned and the detached wires fun
was oyer.