The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-10-02
wELL-soLD SWAPPING TURTLE


II would not have minded johns ~
ton Oh the floor the other day." sail
broker to party of friends, IF he ha'
not used such tone of suspicion wEei
he demanded more margin on certain
stocks that had with him in loan"
cts only his way, Charlie" said ,
hearer; she didn't mean 10 injure yo,
at ALL
Possibly he did not" said the frs
speaker. 1T may have been due to thu
training that old Dutch banker, --
gave him, and his innate desire to lei
nothing escape.
when he and I we're hoys," Charlie
continued, II spent several summers
on his fathers farm out in Jersey. II
was there that he met his partner, and
there is curious little story connected
with their first business transaction -
one in which he did the old fellow, but
at the same time endeared himself to
him.
John and I had been fishing, and
among other things had caught snap
ping turtle that weighed about 90
pounds. We were carrying the snap
per home tied to stick, one having
hold of each end of it, when we met the
banker driving along in buggy to his
summer home.
"Our catch presented good appear
ance, and the old fellow stopped to in
quire about it, as he had never seen go
large turtle before, except in the mar.
ket. He asked what we were going TO
do with it, and we told him what de-
licious soup it would make. At once he
wanted it, and offered so cents for it,
was for accepting the so cents. but not
so John. He felt that he had Gus
toner and held out for one dollar-and
he got it.
"Old - was a little afraid of the
snapper's jaws, but John and bridled
the turtle by passing a bit of fishing
line around it and between it's jaws
and so tied its head well back under it's
shell. We then received our silver dol
lar, tossed the snapper under the seat
of the old mans buggy and he drove off
with it.
GAS he did so I started on toward
home, but John sat down by the road
side.
"'What are you waiting for?' I said
"'The snapper said 'John.
It's gone said I.
'Mebbe it is, and mebbe il amt.
Wait minute and watch the old man.
said he.
"And, sure enough, before the old
man had gone half mile we heard him
yell and then saw him jump from his
buggy.
John rolled on the grass and
laughed nearly as loudly as the old mar |
had yelled.
picking himself up, he said: Let's
go get our snapper
I'D rather have the dollar" said.
"What's the matter with having !
both?" he replied, and tossing me the
lollar and telling me to remain where
was, he started up the road after the
I'D man, who was afraid to go near his
'uggy, for the snapper had bitten
through its bride, and nipped the old
mans shins, and had taken undisputed
possession of the buggy.
"He found the old fellow in a state of
notwithstanding at the snapper
n the most expressive German at his
ommand, and rubbing his shins at the
anne time.
what you sell me, de devil?" asked
he old man.
mo, nice, fat, juicy snapper
aid John, "and 1 sold him too cheaply.
90. He'll make delicious soup, and
lenty of it."
"Donnerwetter! soup! I'll hat no
pup. Gif me my toller and take de
rute." 4
Il haven't your dollar. Charley has
back there in the road. Take the
1apper to him and guess he'll give
Oh the dollar"
Me! Me take dat eatin' ting! IL,
'uldn't get into that PIGGY now for I;
quarter each way. Get i'm out, and
yep the toller."
1T was like rolling off log for John .
take a stick, prod the snapper, and =
TX him to the ground as soon as he ;,
I'd fastened his jaws upon it. Old =,
ntchy, as we called him, jumped into y
buggy as soon as the snapper o
ached the ground and drove hurriedly
way.
of course I rejoined John and we a
on had his snappership swinging II
I'm our stick. We walked home in =,
umph with the dollar in one pocket w
d the snapper, metaphorically, in cc
other. Our joke was too good to
ep, and that night We related it to
who visited the mill.
The old man bore us no i'll will, but "
II he never wanted to buy any more 60