The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-01
SWAPPING TURTLE


II Led , Country Lad TO Wan Street.
Aasrfnsny and Afiuence.
81 would not have minded Johns &C,
ton on the floor the other day." said
q broker 20 party of friends, eff he had
not used saea tone Of suspicion wher
he demanded more margin on certain
stocks that had with him in loan"
Its only his way, Charlie" said Q
nearer; me didn't mean to injure you
at all"
Possibly he did not" said the first
speaker. st may have Been due to tn.
training that old Dutch banker,
gave him, and his innate desire to let
nothing escape.
when he and I were boys" Charlie
continued. 81 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 cid fellow. but
at the same time endeared himself 70
him.
John AID I had been fishing. and
among other things had caught snap
ping turtle that weighed about 81
pounds. We were carrying the snap
per home tied to a stick, one having
hold of each end of il, when we met the
banker driving along in buggy to his
summer home.
"Our catch presented a good appear
ance. and the old fellow stopped to in,
quire about It. as he had never SEN 9,
large turtle before. except in the mar
ket- He ssked what We were going te
do with it. and we told him what de.
Gcioue soup IT would make. At once he
wanted it, and offered 50 cents for it
I was for accepting the 80 cents, but not
so John. He felt that he had a Gus.
toner and held out for one dollar-snd
he got 1t.
"Old - was . little afraid Of the
Snapper's jaws, but John and bridlec
the turtle by passing bit Of fishing
hne around it and between It's jaws
and so tied its head well back under its
shell. We then received our silver dol
lar, tossed the snapper under the sea-
OF the old mans buggy and he drove OF
with it.
"As he did so I started on toward
home. but John sat down hy the road
SIDE.
What are you waiting for p said
"'The snapper said John.
SITS gone said l.
Mebbe it is, and mebbe Il amt
Wait a 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 hii
buggy.
John rolled on the grass and
laughed nearly az loudly az the old ma.
had yelled
Picking himself up. he said: Tstt
go get our snapper
''1'd rather have the dollar" said.
What's the matter with having
both?" he replied. and tossing me the
dollar and telling me TO remain whers
l was. he started up the road after the
old man, who was afraid to go near his
buggy, for the snapper had bitten
through its bride, and nipped the cid
mans shins, and had taken undisputed
possession of the buggy.
He found the old fellow in state OF
consteunation-swearing at the snapper
In the most expressive German at his
and rubbing his shins at the
same time.
what you sell me, de devil?" asked
The old man.
mo. q nice, fat, Juicy snapper"
said John, land sold him too oheaply,
too. Hall make delicious soup and |
plenty Of it."
"Donnerwetter! soupi TIL hat no
soup. Gif me my toller and take de
brute"
Il haven't your dollar. Charley has
{ back there in the road. Take thu
snapper to him and 1 guess he'll give
-ou the dollar"
Me! Ne take dat eatin' tingl
get into that PIGGY now fol
! quarter each way. Get i'm out, and
Keep the toller."
1T was like rolling off q log for John
o take a stick, prod the snapper. and
ERIK him to the ground as soon as he
lad fastened his jaws upon it. Old
)utchy, as we called him, jumped into
lis buggy as soon as the snapper
cached the ground and drove hurriedly
way.
'Of course I rejoined John and We
DON had his snsppership swtngins
rom our stick. We walked home il
riumph with the dollar In one pocket
nd the snapper, metaphorically, liz
le other. Our joke was too good &c
esp, and that night we related il n
II who visited the mill.
"The old man bore US no Ill will, but
till he never wanted 70 buy any mort
( our 'schnappers,' although he 90
asionally stopped to look at them,
rom the seat of his buggy. when he
let US carrying them home.
John and were sitting on the mil
cps one evening when the old mar
rove up. He stopped. asked John &c
de with him, and together they drove
Il They were gone about an hour.
hat night John said: I'm going to b
banker
"Iou-eoing TO be banker-whaf
onsense!" exclaimed,
Nonsense or not; it's fact Ths
d man tonight asked me TO take
csition with him / told him I knew
othing Of the business, and would ts ,
failure
You Pc a failure.' he said. 'Yos
DO hat solt me . schnspper and hat |,
u my toIler and ny schnapperl Dol ,
too funny. You come Vic me. Ivanf