The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-09-28
A COAT-TAIL ADVENTURE.
The Man who Related 1t Was SOmewha,
Touchy.

The Man Who Related 1t Was Somewha,
| Touchy.
~ never ride over this line" said
the man next to me as we were BOOM
ing along through West Virginia,
without remembering an adventure l
had at the White Sulphur Springs, or
rather on u mountain in that neigh bor-
hood"
ATTACKED by a wildcat?" l queried.
mo, SIR he stiffiy replied, as if i'm
suited by the idea. $50 far as my ex-
! perience goes, | have never yet heard
of a gentleman being attacked by
wildcat. | was out on the mountains
for rambe. Finding a very secluded
spot sat down on rock to rest.
And rattlesnake appeared, " sug-
gested.
Ibid he? If so, didn't see him!
am not in the menagerie business my
self, and therefore know nothing about
wildcats or rattlesnakes. 1t had been
raining for several days, and unknown
to me a large slice of the mountain be-
hind me was moving down into the
valley. AS sat on this rock, my coat
tails hung down in crevice behind
me-"
"Aud were seized by a panther, OF
course, and you were pulled over back
rwards."
young man, do you wish TO hear
this adventure?" he frigidly demanded.
'Of course"
"rhen don't be quite so forward with
your suggestions! What do l know of
wildcats, papthers and rattlesnakes!
No true gentleman has any use for
such creatures. | had been sitting
there for perhaps an hour when deci-
ded to return to the hotel | rose up
no, did not rise up-I did not rise.
My coat-tails were caught as in wise
and was prisoner"
"Great Scot, but what an opening for
a hungry bear," gasped.
"Do you run menagerie as a regular
business?" he sneeringly asked as he
turned on me.
''No, but you sec"
Then don't ring in any more ami
mails or reptiles on me! Such things
are vulgar and repulsive to a gentle
man. At first was not greatly alarmed,
thinking could pull myself loose, but
n few efforts convinced me that the sit
uation was serious one. Then be-
gan to shout for help. No help came;
my struggles and cries brought on n
fierce thirst, but not n drop of water
was to be had. BY and by the sun went
down and night came on"
"And an owl came and perched on a
| lin, hand aud SAnnAnH his
wild, weird cryv'
"You were there, were you?'
"No, but you sec"
"What are owls selling at in the
market just now? Perhaps you have u
corner in owls.'
go on with your story"
"At intervals during that long and
never ending night l cried out, but
there was no one to hear me. l thought
they might miss me at the hotel and
send n searching party, but they did
not. Morning finally came. Hunger.
thirst and exposure had almost done
for me, and l doubted if l could live
the day through unless released. l
looked up at the morning sky, and"
And fierce vulture was poised
above you, waiting for the coming
feast"
He turned away from me with such
a look of contempt and disdain that
knew l could get nothing more out of
him then. Both of us lighted fresh
cigars and picked up our newspapers,
and it was an hour later when softly
queried:
did help come that day?"
"Naw!" he jerlSed out.
And you passed second night?"
eyes"
You could by no possible effort
loosen your coat tails?"
would have been ass enough to
stay there for thirty-six hours if | could
have pulled the tails out and gone my
way?' he fairly howled.
We smoked and read some more, and
then asked:
my dear boy, didn't it occnr to you
to wriggle out of your coat and leave
the blamed thing behind?
by George, no. he gasped as he
bobbed around on the seat "Why, of
course ! could have done it! Why, any
fool would have known enough"
whats the matter?" | asked as he
grew pale and quiet and regarded me
with baleful eve.
The idea"' he muttered 'the idea
that such a thing should never have
occurred to gentleman, but would be
the first move made by dealer in ami
mails. Young man. take your blamed
old wildcats and rattlesnakes and vul-
lures and other baggage and go out of
my sight. | want nothing more to say
to you while life shall last. Detroit
Free Press.
The Longest Leap on Record.
The Arabian is unquestionably good
| rrnar, b,4 IN, N a.