River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-10-12
The Broken Record
BY G. E C. Peabody.
9A4A1A1A1A

By G. E. G. Peabody. G
cay
THE day was drowsy with sunshine,
and even Muggins, six foot two and
with the frame of a giant, felt the in
fiuence of the perfect California day,
as he meditatively chewed the end of
a lemon sucker and watched the last
load of oranges leave for the packing
house, with the Mexican Manuel
perched high on top, his tall peaked
sombrero bobbing wildly up and down
as the heavy loaded wagon jolted over
the narrow winding trail that by cour-
tesy was called a road.
81 knew hit" rumbled Muggins
from within the depths of his throat,
as he saw the wagon lurch to one side
and come TO a sudden stop. Il knew
hitl / told tibet miserable greaser to
look out for tibet chuck hole, and now
he's in hit up to his hub!"
what is the matter, pop?"
Muggins' daughter, laden with pop
pies fresh from the mesa, rivaling the
glow of health upon her cheeks, had
come up where her father was stand
ing shaking his fist at the excited
Manuel, who was wildly fourishing his
whip.
Matter enough" grumbled Muggins.
''Look thar" he exclaimed, as he point
ed in the direction of the now crazy
Mexican, who was jumping up and
down in his excitement.
"Stuck?" asked his daughter, shad-
ing her eyes with her hand and looking
down the road
Worse than tenderfoot with 40
acres of wash" grunted Muggins.
well, it serves you right! 1 told you
to never trust him out of your sight. l
never saw a greaser yet who knew
enough to herd bees!"
"Since when, Beth" answered her
father, drily, has this yere ranch
been given over to pettycoat govern
ment? ?"
Ever since you married nom, l
reckon" she answered, demurely.
Look at him!" calculated Muggins,
again pointing in the direction of the
perspiring Manuel and ignoring the
home thrust, for it was a matter of talk
throughout the whole district that
although Muggins bossed all the men
within 20 miles, he himself was bossed
by his little wife, who only tipped the
scales at 100 pounds. See him hitchin'
up his right shoulder? Thet means tibet
he is swearin' in Spanish! Thar goes
the other shoulder! He's swearin' with
United States now! Thar they both go
together! Tibet means tibet he is hold
ing an international cussin' convention!
Stop thet!" he beloved; III knock
you off from tibet thar wagin if you
don't stop beatin' thet off hoss!"
Pop" said Beth, taking hold of her
fathers arm and pointing off to the
southwest, do you see that bright line
along the horizon?"
"Of course! Hits the ocean! You
don't suppose, do you, tibet l have lived
here 25 years to be told where the
ocean is?''
"A little further on Their is an island, .
continued his daughter.
''Meanin' Catalina?"
Exactly. They say the goat hunt
ing over lnSTe IS eAcHlieUI.
''Wul, l amt thar, be I?''
mo, and you amt down there
either" answered Bess dryly, pointing
at the stalled wagon. Leave the
greaser alone. If he isn't able to swear
the wagon out of the rut the case is
hopeless. How many more loads are
there to go?"
l., q
the end of 'em-Humph, he has got
out at last! If he gifts tibet wagon
stalled again I'll murder him."
The last!' cried Beth, glancing un-
consciously at the rancher's clock-the
sun. Then you are coming out short
on your estimator"
mot bit of HIT On the contrary
am coming out with IS more boxes
than l thought | had"
"They must have been an uncommon
spry lot of pickers," was Beth's COM
ment.
"They wuz," chuckled Muggins.
'The fact wuz, tibet / promised the
critter what picked the most oranges
tibet he might have the honor of the
first dance with We tonight when we
celebrate the close of the pickin'."
"Oh, you did" snapped his daugh-
ter, turning full upon him with an an
CRY look in her eyes. We'll, all l can
say is that hope you can deliver the
goods. Pretty pop you are! I'd like
to see myself dancing with 4 greaser or
Chinaman just because he happened
to pick the most oranges."
"Wul. you See" said Muggins, apollo
getically, them oranges had to be
picked, an l didn't see any other way
to get them to do HIT
Beth threw the peoples she was car
rying upon the ground and stamped
upon them.
Il won't have anything to do with
it," she exclaimed.
Il asked mom." returned Auggins.
"She said she guess hit wuz all right"
But a greaser or--or a Chinaman."
burst out Beth Besides, l promised
Arthur Bray that he might have the
first dance, and / mean to keep my
word"
who's him?" demanded NIuggins,
following with his eye buzzard that
was wheeling over their heads.
you know as well as l ID" retorted
Beth.
''Meanin' tibet thar one-lung tender
foot, I'm supposin'. Wul, he's in on
hit, too. He kim down TO the orchard
this nornin' to git few ideas from
seein' the golden globes gathered from
their emerald nest, usin' his words.
Wul, when he found how the land lay
au' why them pickers wuz snatchin'
off them oranges TO beat the band he
said:
Il suppose, Mister Muggins-mean-
I'm ne-thet you have no objections to
my enterin' this interestin' contest?
Not tibet l desire the peeuniary reward
attached to hit, but the honor of bein'
the first to dance with your daughter
will be sufficient reward for my labors
in your orchard
''Wul, l took from tibet tibet he want
ed to git in on the propositions; 80 l told
him TO take off his coat an sail in. !
put him down in the lower end OF the
orchard with Hop Sing, SO if he both