The herald., 1895-09-06
FILLMORE HAS A CUSTOM
Whoms0ever Are Joined in Wedlock the
Same Arc Chirivaried
Taxes Three Nights and Flag of Truce
to Reach an Understanding

FILLMORE, Sept. 6.-Ths little town
of Fillmore has had a boom. Not tins
ordinary, everyday sort of thing, like the
late lamented boom, from which every
one dates events in Southern California,
but regular ia ra -ra- boom that lasted for
several days, or nights, rather, and still
echoes In the memories of some of the
doomed ones.
1t happened tbas a few weeks ago
James Duncan, merchant of the place.
saw fit to take unto himself wife, and
possessing himself of the wherewithal
spent short honeymoon at Coronado
Beach.
Now it has been custom, from time
immemorial. in this vicinity, that, when
the people were thus madesglad. regard
less of race, color or previous condition
of servitude. they should be rendered a
serenade in the form of an old fashioned
COW bell, tin pan and fish horn chirivari,
as means. of congratulation.
If incidentally few cigars or quan-
tity of liquid Joy fell to the lot of the ser
enaders, no exceptions were taken.
When the welded merchant returned
in .nis entirety, that. is, with his better
half. and was closely domiciled on Wall
street, the good people, fearing that he
might feel sighted unless some demon
stration was made, at once proceeded to
do him the customary honor, and at
o'clock Friday night, with the firing OF an
anvil as signal for the opening of the
programme such a din filled the air as
never before reverberated in the little
town.
The merchant, who, by the way, halls
from the austere and dignifed circles OF
Edinburgh, did not take kindly to the
%Lcto
was a slight similarity in some of the
notes to his national instrument. the bag.
pipe. Selling the opportunity afforded
by pause in the din, he stepped out on
the porch, and with a short and pointed
speech censured the crowd for disturbing
the most pleasant moments of his life,
and denounced the custom as highly bar
barous and, in closing, added that he
was probably better situated to withstand
a siege than they, returned into the
house. The musicians, however, were
wound up for a treat and nothing short
of that would stop the machinery. So all
that night in double file they marched
around the house.
The next day all went as usual in the
peaceful burg until the shades of night
stole on, when the besegers once more
advanced, and, like the army of Israel
around the walls of Jericho, blew their
trumpets louo and Justify. But the walls
pants of the place succumb.
By mutual consent all rested on the
Sabbath day, and everything was quiet
until an early hour last night, during
which time the occupants of adjoining
houses, long since having gone through
with a like ordeal, earnestly pleaded
with the besieged, offering to pay all
costs and considerable indemnity besides,
if he would withdraw the suit. But the
liberal Scotchman was not holding out
for pecuniary reasons, and now his Scotch
was up clear out of reach.
Again the clarion sounded. and the
band, two hundred strong, began to play.
After a three hours bonn bardment the
merchant. barely escaping an immersion
in a horse trough, was brought to terms
by the diplomatic aid of a treaty commIs-
sion, and an unconditional surrender was
effected. Accepting the due trophies of
such warfare, the heroic band gave three
cheers for the gallant Duncan and his
pride, wished them much happiness and
dispersed.
And peace once more reigns IN the lit
10 ~