St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-04
"TAG" AS A TELEPHONE.
Two Arkansans Who Talked to
Each Other Only in a Dogs Pres

NaCA Otn0f only In q Jog 8 PreS-
ence.
| Chicago Inter Ocean.
Two Arkansas gentlemen were stand
ing in the Palmer corridors last night,
and conversation after this fashion
ensued between them and was over
heard:
Tag, ask Mr.. Speer if he thinks
| Cleveland will lose the silver states?''
Tell Mr.. HuckS, Tag" said the other
man, with a far.away impersonal look
In his eyes. tell Mr. Hucks that I be-
lieve he will not''
And Tag" said the first man again,
IN the same mysterious yerbiage, TASK
Mr.. iSpeer if he thinks Cleveland will
wholly unite the Democracy"
Tel MIR. Hucks, Tag" still using the
idlom, that believe he will"
And ask him. Tag, if Mr.. Cleveland
is to unite the Democracy, wouldn't it
De better to commence right now on
| Southern Arkansas?'
Ask the gentleman to explain him
self, lag" said MIR. Speer.
say to MIR. Speer, Tag, that there
are two particular Democrats in Arkan-
| saw who ought to start the dance by
| getting together"
"John?" exclaimed the other man.
"Jack!' the other echoed.
land you are ready to drop this darn
| foolshness?"
You bet, am"
"FOrever?''
Forever"
John Speer, [ want to renew nv ac-
| quaintance-shake?"
And L. too. tired of it long ago."
The story is not long. The two men
were Arkansas pioneers. Some five
| years ago they quarreled over some
| Trivial matter, mOlehill that soon as
Sumed the proportions of a mountain.
The climax came in a complete break
up. There was fierce wrangle. which
ended IN one of the men eXelaiming in
| high dudgeon:
John Speer, never want you to open
| your mouth to me again as long as you
| live"
And Jack Hucks, 1 never want you
to open your mouth to me, either
shouted Speer, equally heated.
WDlle the men were close neighbors
| TINS covenant was lived up to, and John
| Speer and Jack HuckS never spoke to
each other. The neighborhood feud is
not uncommon in the South, and cases
| are frequently met with where neigh
| bors are dumb to each other. But this
| developed into an unusual case. One
| moonlight night Jack Hucks' home
burned down. John Speer saw the
| names, and. forgetting his oath, ran to
| his assistance. The two men worked
hard and silently to aIlay the fire, with
out success. Hucks was bachelor and
| without shelter. This appealed to
Speer. In the glow of the dying embers
and the white light of the moon the two
men faced each other. Hucks' face was
calm, his lips pressed tightly. Speer
wanted to speak to him, but he remem-
bered the threat. Still, he must offer
him assistance. What was he to do?
AS he glanced around hopelessly his
eye fell upon his dog. This dogs name
was Tag. An Idea came to his rescue.
He must speak to Hucks and vet not
speak to him. Why not use the dog Tag
as telephone, an interpolation?
Tag" Speer said slowly and tenta-
lively to the canine. TASK Nh. Hucks if
he will 20 home with me tonight" A
smile came to the lips of Hucks. He
understood. Tag" he answered, tell
MIR. Spear if he means it l. shall he glad
to CO."
Il do mean it, Tag; tell him 500
The two men became good friends
and peaceful neighbors, but they never
through the dog. After while the at
sence of the dog did not matter. Two
weeks ago the two men resolved to come
to the Chicago convention together, and
it was through the harmonIZing talents
of Grover Cleveland that they have
dropped their queer manner of speech.
Tag" continued Speer, last night,
TASK Hucks if he will not come and take
a drink with me-"
Tag don't go any longer, Jack"
'Oh. yes; forgot.''
And they walked off to the bar, arm