River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-07-26
HE WANTED TO TALK,
hut the Man He Woke Up Was Not I'm the
Least BIT Interested.

In the waiting room of the Fort
street depot the other afternoon there
was man with a satchel between his
feet, who was nodding and mapping,
and now and then almost Jerking his
hat off as his head bobbed forward or
back. BY and 10y an old man with a
long goatee and benign expression of
countenanee went over to him, and
slapped him on the knee, and said;
stranger, | feel Jest like talkin'
with some one. Hev you ever been in
African
Ibid you hit me on the Lego" de-
manded the sleeper as he reused up.
yes"
well. I'll thank you to keep your
paws off'n me. How dare you come over
and hit me?@
81 jest teched you lightly to wake
/ You up. Have you ever been in Africa?''
Africa. Africal None o your bust
ness, sir! What right had you to come
over here and paw me around?n
81 didn't paw IL you are so mighty
I pertickler that man can't tech you on
the knee you'd better git in a corner.
How would anybody go to Africa from
Detroit?"
sin a balloon, if he wanted TOT
growled the man with the satchel. as
he rose up and took another seat.
GLOW fur is it?r asked the old man
as he followed him and stood before
4 him.
"You go away from me or there'll be
a row.
''Gittin' mad, Ell! That's the way,
with some folks. They can't even an
swer a civil question. I'm glad
haven't got to ask you fur match or a
chaw of terbacker Why can't you an
swer a Teller about Africa"
What in Texas do know about AT
riea?" shouted the other.
''IIain't you never been there?"
''No. of course not"
wall, You needn't snap my head off,
I've had a hundred different men ask
me II I'd bin in Africa, and never got
mad about il. II hain't agin a man
that he was never in Africa. That
country is a long ways off, and we
can't git away from home every day in
the week | was Jest a-wonderin
about Columbus. Must have bin a joy
full hour fur him when he diskivered
America, eh?"
what has Columbus got to do with
me?" hawled the touchy man.
There you go agin. If | had your
fat on me I'd be afra id of the apoplexy.
You1l git so mad you'll bust some day.
What did Columbus have to do with
you? That's purity answer for a
grown man to make"
II want you TO go away"
Eyes, | know, but | want to talk a
| little first. What was the date of the
discovery of American
81 don't care when it was"
"You don't, eh? Perfectly indiffer-
ent as TO whether America was discov-
cred or not? Some men love their coun-
try and are willin' to die fur her, while
some others don't keer continental
whether they live in America or the
| Cannibal islands"
''lf you don't go away from inc I'll
twist your old goatee" said the man
who had been paved, as he rose up and
assumed threatening attitude.
YES, of course" replied the other.
Jest because we can't agree you want
To do me bodily injury Wall, don't
want no row and III go away. ! don't
want to talk to no man who don't want
/ TO talk to me. | could tell you more
about Columbus in ten minits than
you have learnt in forty years, but you
don't want to hear it. You want to GO
around wonderin' whether you belong
/ To Kamschatka or the United States.
| He went off and sat down, but pres
| emily returned to add:
And say, if ever catch you in my
town I'll hop right on to you and lick
/ you blind in two minitsl''
Then he sat down, pulled an 1894 al.
manae from his coat-tail pocket and
was soon deeply immersed in the
/ moons phases Detroit Free Press.