The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15
ALONG THE BYWhKS.

Ex-Governor Fletcher Of Missouri
formed the center OF little group of
congressman the other day who were
discussing the times.
when 1 was boy" said he Il lived
among the pioneers in Missouri. They
were fine class of people: all in all,
the best people I ever knew. They drove
back the Indians, and made bear and
deer their meat. as the saying goes. 1t
was before the days Of the schoolmaster.
Occasionally we had a three months sub
scription school. but the master was en-
ployed more for his physical qualifica-
tiOns 10 discipline the big boys than for
his learning. 1t was before the days of
base ball and football. and the sport
that stood at the head Of the list was
a gander pulling The men met" con-
tinued the governor, ''at some suitable
crossroads store. where is cents per gal
lon corn whisky was dispensed. and they
pooled in 81 each, say twenty or twenty
five OF them. That was a big purse in
those days. Then they got the oldest
and toughest gander that roamed that
circuit. The feathers were carefully
piucked from his neck, and the neck was
covered with grease and soap. After
these preliminaries Mr. Gander was Sc
curely tied to the swinging limb Of
tree, hanging head downward. This
done, the men would mount their horses,
circle was drawn. the master of cere-
monies took his place in the center of
the ring, whip in hand. and kept every
horse on lively run as the riders tried
to catch the gander's neck. The man
that succeeded in pulling off the neck
ralIed in the pot. If he held on until he
was pulled off the horse. il counted for
the gander. and the rider was out. 1t
was a little tough on the fowl but as
feat Of strength and horsemanship it
was worth seeing, and the knights Of old
never put lance in rest or rode in a
tournament 10 greater applause among
the spectators than was showered upon
them by the throng at a gander pulling.
L was once an eyewitness OF this strange
sport. OF course, it wound up with a
dance, and the hero who pulled off me
gander's head danced with the prettiest
girl.
Pretty girls? Your young ladies Of
today wouldn't have been in it with
those rosy-cheeked lassies. All the can
didates for office were there, electioneer-
ing. They didn't make many speeches
in those days. They set EN- up and
mixed about and talked with the boys.
Wen, all that old set is gone now. Their
descendants are more learned and have
modern manners, habits and amuse-
ments, but they are not better in any
| sense than the sturdy old pioneers, their
ancestors "-Washington Post.
This country is doubtless overrun with
tramps." said \. L. Lightburne of New
York as he handed a beggar a dime in
front of the Southern last evening, but
if you wish to see that class of people in
all their glory you should pay a visit to
Italy. Three years ago a friend and my
self determined TO spend a two-month's
vacation in that picturesque country. We
landed at Naples, and, not being over
burdened with cash decided TO depend
on guide books. carry our own umbrellas
| and sachels and ignore the lazaroni, who
we had been told besieged every trav-
| eler. insisting on performing even the
most trifiing service Cor him, for which
he was expected to pay. The lazaroni,
| however. had no notion of ignoring US.
The moment we set foot upon the wharf
we were surrounded by them As my
| friend stopped TO pick up his cane which
| he had dropped, several articles fell from
| his breast pocket, among which was a
| revolver y ragged fellow snatched IL
| up and handed al TO a gendarme, who
gave It up on the payment of a dollar
The carrying of weapons was forbidden
| in Naples We started off on foot in
| search of lodgings a dozen or more
| dilapidated lazaroni logged our steps.
| impOrtuning US TO allow them 10 carry
our luggage or direct US TO a hotel. In
| despair we rushed into a cafe and spent
] three hours over our breakfast. hoping in
| this way to escape our prosecutors We
mic col 70
| from our place of refuge than they came
| forth from their lurking place around the
| corner. and we got rid Of them only
| when, after a long tramp. we found
| rooms 10 our liking. One Of the most
amusing sights ! witnessed during my
stay there was the street that Is most
| favored by the lazaroni 4 long array
| Of small furnaces extend along each
| side. over each Is steWpan, and behind
/ 1T cook with an enormous ladle, ready
| at all hours 10 serve macaroni to Gus
| toners. At first we wondered how peo-
| pie could live in such poverty. but, after
1 a day or two we wondered how they
could help living. Food can be had for
almost nothing. third of a pair of
! trousers and a wooden cap is all they
| need in the way of clothing. and they
| live for the most part in the open air
/ They struck me as being the idlest and
| jo,liest set of human beings 1 ever saw"
| Globe Democrat.
Here is a huge. new rich joke on Col
| Ochiltree. The colonel is nothing II not
an epicure, but business called him
| down town during a few consecutive
| days last week and he lunched at a res
! taurant where the men he wanted tc
meet were Of far more Importance TO him
] than the table d'hote luncheon which was
served. One evening it happened the
| colonel was detained down town longer
! than usual and went to the same res
taurant for dinner Never did he look
| more gorgeous. more imposing. more
/ rnSeate He said 10 the waller with bis