Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1898-03-30
THE TALE OF AN OYSTER.
Some Oysters Have No Tales, but Those
Here Mentioned Are Not That Kind.

Some Oysters Have No Tales, but Those
Here Mentioned Are Not That Kind.
Speaking of gun f1ints reminds
me of haystacks and bull fiddles, =
remarked travelling salesman fol
New York firm with big trade
all over this broad land of freedom,
''but one of the oldest things ever
fell into and got safe out of without
calling for the police rresorting to
life preserver occurred down in
Harper's Ferry, which, notwith-
standing half of the letters to sum-
mer visitors there are addressed by
loving friends to either Harper's
Ferry, Md, or Harper's Ferry, Va,
is really in West Virginia and has
been since 1868, though for 118 years
previous to that date it was in Vir-
ginia.
''Oh, yes" he continued in re-
Spouse to a query, it's the same old
place where John Brown dropped a
cog in October, 1859, and less than
six weeks later old Governor Wise
put the specs upon his eyes and sent
him to the happy land of Canaan,
IN the words of the lyric poet. But
you're getting me off the subject.
What | wanted to talk about hash t
any politics in it.
Il got off a B. and o. train there
once when the level of the road was
Gown to where the old bridge used
10 be and when there was restau-
rant not far away which lived most
iy on the floating trade. Iknew the
station agent, mighty pious man
by the name of Chambers q suppose
he's dead and used to living in
heaven by this time), and l asked
Chambers, when the train stopped
and had to stay there 80 minutes for
something or other, if there was a
place in the three states where /
could get bite of oyster meat. He
pointed out the little restaurant and
told me the restaurant man was
friend of his, and he also served
oysters in every style.
THAT was enough for me, and !
toddled along that way and slipped
IN to see what there was to be had.
The boss of the cookery was a man
that suffered, and he was apparent
~ a serious kind of a man besides,
which all suffering men are, more
or less, believe. He did not have
the most inviting place / ever saw,
but an oyster under certain circum-
stances is as safe as an egg, and i
took hope.
" Can l get some oysters here's !
inquired.
=" 'Y-e-e-s, s-s-sir, he answered.
" In any style5'
" 'Y-e-e-s, s-s-sir.'
" Well, give me a half dozen
fried. INCEST you've got, please
'Y-e-e-s, s-s-sir, and as he an
swered he turned toward a corner
near his stove, where on a shelf
against the wall l saw a vessel in
which for the first time l noticed a
big black cat curled up fast asleep.
Giving the vessel shake good ma
turedly and at the same time smil-
ing at me, the cook suffered:
. 'S-c-o-c-c-at, Jim! Git out Of the
skillet! The gentleman wants a
fry.'
= 1t was about the funniest per-
Torrance | ever Witnessed" con-
studded the drummer, and l almost
had a spasm, but somehow couldn t
feel that had done the right thing
unless took the fry up to Cham
bers, ard, telling the restaurant man
so.2e kind Of a lie to get him to put
the oysters in a dish, carried them
70 Chambers, who never knew the
= ference, OF course, and thought I
had eaten 9 dozen or fRg myself -
Detroit Free Press. z - !.