Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-10-15
THOMPSON'S YARNS.
THE ERUDiTE LEGAL AUTHOR TELLS
THREE GOOD ONES.

Frozen Sausage.
Judge Seymour d. Thompson, the AL.
thor Of those erudite legal works "Cor-
'poration" and Negligence, is primo
story teller He conveyed party Of friends
into Thatcher's restaurant and as he no
ticed tho multiplied reHect!c,.s Of their
faces in the mirror lined walls he said:
How much you look like your brothers,
gentlemen" Then he went on: "That re-
minds me Of good old Judge Amasa Rcd
fold of the Vermont supreme court. He
and his brother Isaac, who was also after
ward on the supreme bench Of Vermont,
were as like as two peas. People frequent
" mistook one for the other, but they man
aged to preserve their identity with each
other until Judge Amasa was passing out
of tho dining room of Burlington hotel
one evening when he saw his brother ap-
preaching him.
"'Why, Isaac, didn't expect to geo you
here. How did this happenS' Then tho
judicial light found out for his head had
como Into violent collision with q mirror.
Isaac had disappeared, and in his place
was Amasa, very much abashed. He never
could keep joke Oh himself, however, and
he told mo the story once In his inimitable,
dry way"
Tell us about Handsome Davis
Judge, " said ono of his companions. Judge
Thompson protested. IL have told that
story at least
"Neyer mind. Let IFS have it again"
And, like tho courteous gentleman he Is,
he yielded.
"When was in San Francisco" he be-
gan, "a tall, good looking old man used to
como to the Office to see ono Of the ste
nographers in my employ. l learned that
he was her uncle and that he was one of
the California pioneers He told me ono
day of his experience with Judge Lynch.
Two had a grudge against my name (Da-
vis) ever since it came near hanging me-
he began You sec, wasn't so tough
looking customer in those days as now,
and when ono of the mining camp fairies
clristencd me Handsome Davis, to distin-
gush me from the numerous other Davises
theronbouts, tho name stuck. Well one
day was ont prospecting north of the city,
and suddenly found myself surrounded
nv 20 armed miners. What yer nanlc;'
said the one who seemed to be the leader
"Duvis," l answered, They exchanged
glances, and the spokesman said: "Wcll,
Davis, git ready. We're goin to string
YOU up for KILN Jack Flynn. That was n
cowardly, sncakin trick, and you've got
TO pay for it" He led the way to the near
est tree, and followed between two of the
biggest miners. "You'vo made u mistake,
men," said "My names Davis, but
you have the wrong Davis. never heard
Of Jack Flynn" protested. "Maybc not,
but you shot the daylghts out Of him just
tho same Como along" They threw the
rope over a limb and told me | had two
minutes in which to say my prayers. In
stead of praying, l cxpostulntcd. II am
from San Francisco" said. ooh, yes,
maybe you are and you are wanted there
bad, too, but you can't go! You've got to
take the train to kingdom come. Hurry
up and say your prayers Just then
man mounted on Il mule rode up the knoll
He was tall and slim and had II pointed
hat and beard at was Yankee Doodle
beard" parcnthctically explained tho
Judge. ".Just like that beard Of Tom Car
tcr's.' "'Mr. Yankee Doodle rode up to
us, and, transferring n monstrous quid of
tobacco from one check to another, said
mildly, What are you goin to do, boys
"You Just wait u minute, and you II see
what we're goin to do, This man put
buckshot into Jack Flynn, and We re poin
to swing him for It,"
Yankee Doodle looked at me reflect
lively then rcmuiscently. "You'vo got
the wrong man, fcllcrs," he drawlcd
"The Teller what plugged Flynn is Sam
Davis, and this hero ones Handsome Da-
Wis. He's from San Francisco. I've seen
him there Yankee was evidently an au-
thorty among tho fcllers. They held
little conference and concluded to let mo
off. Wen let you off if you treat the
crowd" was the announcement
agreed"
Before dinner was over the judge was
prevailed upon to tell the story OF another
hairbrradth escape. "1his WAS in Can
ada" he said, land the hero, brawny
Scotchmnn named McNab, was n fell
low colporteur of my father, the Rev. Sey-
mour Thompson before he entered tho
ministry Tho two became separated for
some reason on the night Of McNabs nd
venture. Tho Scotchman was riding
through q forest unarmed He had u pack
age Of Bibles on one side of his saddle and
on the other q string Of frozen sausages,
which were to be thawcd and cooked for
his breakfast A highwayman stopped
McNnbs pious reflections and his progress
at tho same time. The Scotchman was
frightened. He never denied that He
had little money In his boot, and he
leaned over to remove the boot and satisfy
the demand of the robber. His hand struck
against the frozen sausagcs He bcthought
of these and hoped they might proptiate
the gloomy neighbor and save his money.
He broke one of the sausagcs in two and
was about to offer half to the highwayman,
when he found himself alone and heard
the clatter of a horses rapidly retreating
hoofs. Badly frightened rs he was Nc
Nab laughed. The robber had mistaken
the cracking Of the sausages for the cock
ing Of pistol and fled.
ut is too late for another" said the
judge, rising from tho table, "but Some
evening between sips OF siuterne I will tell
you how McNab killed witch with silver
bullets. "-St. Louis Republic.
In 1851, the year of the great fires in ST
Louis, San Francisco suffered In the same
Uay ona confederation in Nav DESTROYING