The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-24

lie Couldn't Find an lnvlsiDle JOr-
mentor and Joined His Troubles
with Rav Oakiy, Another Subject.
Charles A. Hartley, the New York
ventriloqust, of Elevated railroad,
fame, and who is well known in Scran-
ton, was at Lake Winola Thursday,
and during the visit to the lake, Colonel
Frear's hotel and every other thing
was hisn'. Poor old Uncle West is still
roaming the ancient woods in vain
search for some one.
Uncle West is a farmer with the in
cvitable lunch of gray spinach hang
ing down his vest. He stood in the
pavilion doorway when the mild man.
nered Mr.. Hartley came along with his
usual following of worshippers, hungry
for fun. They got it.
AS Uncle West was in the doorway
talking to Mr.. Hartley. a still, small
voice came from somewhere. Uncle
West" cooked his ears and looked up
the hill toward the hotel.
Some one calling, listen," said the
mild hammered Hartley.
He's calling me-" said the farmer.
AGAIN lne NOlCe Cdlleu CHCle WSSt.
"Comin'" yelled back Uncle West,
as he started on a trot.
He wants Mr.. Best" said Hartley,
turning to the crowd.
No" said Uncle West impatiently,
HE wants me-" and again he started
on his Ponce de Leon search.
Uncle West may be going yet. The
last seen of him he was trying to get
into the tin type gallery.
TWO PLYMOUTH GIRLS.
This even was early in the afternoon.
In the evening that far away voice was
the cause of family dissension at the
hotel. A Mr. Lazarus and his 19-year-
old son. Princeton student, by the
way. got into a quarrel over who
should respond to two Plymouth young
ladies who they thought were calling
for them. The young ladies were ut
terly innocent as they strolled along
the lakes edge. Mr.. Hartley stood
elbow to elbow with the Lazuruses.
But it was fun to see the grey haired
father rebuke his son because he would
not answer the ladies. while he him
self trotted after them and stopped
them and made apologies.
The greatest event of all was at mid
night. Mr.. Hartley worked the shot"
Joke on Dave" Smartwood, hostler at
the hotel. Dave is an innocent young
man, with eyes like fawn's. Mr.. Hart
ley, after the fashion of the trick,
pelted poor Dave" in the ace with
the shot projected by his tongue.
Dave began sayin' things ana ac-
cusin' the whole country side with
shooting with a putty blower at him.
In due time a voice called out Dave
Smartwood!'
Someone calling" said Hartley,
turning innocently to the crowd. ANY
one here by the name of Smartwood?" 2"
YES" said the hostler, that's me-"
Again and again the voice called,
while between times the shot were
pelting holes in Dave Smartwocd' S
face. He got riley. What ye want?"
he beloved. Where air ye?' Finally
Smartwood went down to the barn in
search of the unseen assailant. The
poor fellow looked everywhere; up in
trees, under wagons, behind shanties;
he hurled stones at shadows and chal-
lenged the miscreant to come out in
the open!"
Roy Oakley Joined the crowd while
Smartwood was having his fit. Roy is
a nice young farmerte of II years, a
twang on his voice and a big straw
hat on his head. Hartley was given
his name; that was enough. Roy felt
the shot hit his face, he heard his name
called. He and Smartwood formed
sort of a union for battering purposes.
Smartwood got a lantern, lighted 1t
and the two loaded their arms and
pockets with stones and banged for an
hour.
Hartley would coach them. "Now,"
said he, you two fellows make a dive
all of a sudden and if you catch him
hammer the life out of him"
II know who it is," exclaimed young
Oakley, very confident; "it's jeff Stur-
devant, that's who it is. Say, jeff"
he called out, what ye shootin' here
fer eh?" Hartley got his small voice
in work again. The two fellows chased
about for JEFF Sturdevant" until |
o'clock in the morning. Lo, to the poor
wayfarer whom they caught at that
time.
When Hartley had had enough of the
fun and the crowd of spectators were
paralyzed from laughter, the two fell
lows were sent home, each vowing ,ven-
geance on jeff Sturdevant, who prob
ably was in bed at the time all uncon-
scious OF the sins committed in his
name. The reason that they picked
out Sturdevant as the ll-o'-the-wisI
was because this man had tried tc
oust Smartwood out of his job at the
hotel barn.
HE WAS FRIGHTENED.
Smartwood didn't sleep Thursday
night. The crowd at the hotel made
him believe that Sturdevant had beer
struck by stone oyer the eye and
was looking for Smartwood. Roy Oak.
ley was escorted to his home in Mil
City by four friends. Roy had his arms
full of stones all the way down.
Mr., Hartley left the hotel yesterday
morning and will spend a few days ir
this city visiting his father-in-law
Esdras Howell, of Washburn street
His performance at the lake prove:
that, besides being decidedly entertain.
ing, those stories of his escapade.
which Mr. Hartley publishes in the
| great New York papers are entirely
probable and are to be wondered al
hot