Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-02-12
NAMING A TOWN.
pc Was Not such n DimcuIt Thing to
Do, Alter All.

AS I debouched from the mountai
pass the town was right there-a col
lection of about 60 tents and shanties
and population of $50 miners, prs
ptctors md teamsters. had no soone
appeared than / was surrounded by
hundced excited men, and it was seve ra
Sb'nutes before / could understand tht
Situation.
Stranger, il be just this way" f1nall,
Explained one of the crowd. "Ths towr
hain't had no name illus fur, and we
can't agree on one. When we seen you
comm down the pass we sorter agreed
as how we'd leave 1t to you to give it a
name"
Whats the general situation?' I
asked, as noticed that every man was
armed.
"The general situashun," replied a
second man who had dangerous look
in his eyes, "is that the galoot who tries
10 name this town and don't hit sun
anin' to please us will be planted in our
hew graveyard"
"Yes, that's about the situashun."
added the man who had first spoken.
we've had seven men killed and four
or five wounded while tryin' to git a
name. and we've got sorter mad and dis
couraged."
ut isn't giving me fair show!"
protested. How can You expect me TO
suggest name 10 please everybody ?"
Dunno. stranger. but you'd better
try it on. fur this thing has to be set
nled before we can git post offs. and
everybody seems anxious to shoot!"
What names have been talked overo ?"
wall. the string is too long to remem-
Der, but the seven who were killed
stuck out for 'Whoop-'er-up.' / believe
kinder favored il myself. but the
crowd seemed to think il lacked poetry.
What we pear to want is suthin' soft
and tender and poetic-suthin' we kin
sorter hug up to and brag about"
How will 'Rosalind' do?" / asked.
Sounds purity nice, but not quite the
ticket. 'cordin' 10 my way o. thinktn'."
well. there's 'Mountainville,' Silver
City 'Duisyville.' Rest Haven and
HGoldenrod.'
kinder soft and tender. them be. but
mot soft and tender 'nuff to hit us |
Plumb-ccnter. Give us few more"
L was racking my brain for another
Iiist when two men.who had been vraur-
ling for the last five minutes suddenly
proceeded to business. and the crowd M
'once rushed tosurround them. This left
the way open, and l turned my mule
and dug in the spurs and was out of
sight before they missed me. A week
later. over at White Dog City, met the
man who had done most of the talking
FOR the crowd that day. AS soon as
he recognized me he held out his hand
land said:
Stranger, I'm awful glad to see you,
and l want to thank ye on behalf Of
the boys!"
THANK me for what?"
Fur girin' our town name. If you
hadn't cum along that day we might
p had 20 men killed afore we got name
TO suit u.s."
But cidn't name the town! When
the row broke out got away"
But you named it, all the same"
lhe persisted. When the row was over
and we found you missin' we put it
to vote whether we should call the town
i'Crawtish' or 'Skedaddle.' Thar was
more Skeedaddleites than Crawfishers,
and so we agreed on 'Skeedaddle.' and
ISkeedaddle she will be from now on
storevermore. Stranger, if you ar sortcr
susceptible TO the great honor con-
ferred upon ye, and if thar's a"
but fail to see the honor!"
IF We ar sorter susceptible to the
great honor conferred upon We, and
thar's place around yere whar' we
kin Ticker at your expense, why,
wouldn't mind washin' some of the
quartz-dust outer my throat"
There was place. and after the dust
had been duly washed down he shook
hands again and said:
81 don't mind sayin' that ! stuck out
fur 'Crawfish' ns again 'S!leedadd;e.' as
4 thought it softer and tenderer and
more techin'. but arter the choice was
made didn't do no kickn'. Skeedaddle
is uphonvous and pcetica 'nuff fur
common folks. but you happen up that
way drop in and let the boys do ye
'honcr!"-Detroit Free Press.