The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-07-20


gagged last week In battle with a
mink, and the Evansville Courier's
Dale correspondent gives the fol-
lowing account OF it. Ii Capt. Kin
chel will call on the 9. A. X. posts
at Jasper and Hunsingburg, where
he is highly esteemed, he will get
lots of recruits who can beat him
shooting minks:
Especial to The courier.l
DALE, Ind. July IA minister
of this town went mink hunting
viii a neighbor Saturday night.
The minister is in bed with both
legs in a sling. the neighbor is won
dering how it happened, and the
mink is still alive and eating the
chickens which were intended to
tickle the palate Of the divine.
The doctors say that Mr.. Hobson,
the minister, will get well if he stays
in bed for two or three weeks, and
the town marshal announces he will
not arrest Mr.. Kinchel, the neigh
Dor, which greatly pleases thelatter.
Saturday night Rev. Mr.. Hobson
heard a noise in his chicken coop
and called out his neighbor, F. F.
kinchel. They held a council OF
war on Rev. Hobson's back porch.
The chickens were dear to the
preachers stomach and he did not
propose to let them 60 without
at least struggle.
And he didn't, for he is still
struggling-.o keep from swearing.
The two decided on a plan Of at
tack. Kinchel got his gun, adouble
barrel affair, which shoots big round
wads of shot, and Rev. Mr.. Hobson
got his lantern.
Down the walk they marched.
The preacher led the way with the
light, both divine and oil, and the
neighbor following with his artil
lery.
"Who is in th-ere?' quoth th,
minister as they neared the cop.
"If | were you, | would walk
on the other side said Neighbol
Kinchel. He was willing to sug-
gest, but was mighty glad that be
was doing the suggesting and moi
the acting.
Rev. Mr.. Hobson walked around
the coop and stumbled over a mink
which was busy getting all the nour
ish:nent he could out Of fat Ply
mouth Rock pullet. The mink
scampered of, making a lot OF noise
in getting through the weeds. The
minister jumped four feet into th'
air, swung the lantern over his head
and screamed, "Heaven have mercy
upon our souls"
Neighbor kinchel dropped hi:
gun and started for the house, Gov
ering twenty feet each jump.
The mink ran under a pile OF
lumber in the yard and sat calmly
awaiting developments.
Kinchel ran back and picked III
his gun when he had conquered the
going into battle feeling, which ha'
taken possession Of him. He hac
TO 90 up and pat the parson on th'
back and tell him he was bull,
good fellow before the latter woIlc
consent to stop swinging tie Ian
tern.
"He ran under the lumber,
gasped Rev. Mr.. Hobson. II saw
him. 1t is a man.
eyes, it is so. | saw him too,
was the reply.
Both grew brave. They decided
on another plan Of attack.
"You 90 to the other end OF th'
pile with the light. I'll blow hin
up with this good right barrel, = or
ldered the neighbor, as he patted the
shooting iron. The preacherobeyec
Implicitly. He held the light dl
rectly in front Of his legs and waited
At the other end kinehel was OF
his knees looking between the
boards. He saw something dark
showed the gun into a crack, shut
both eyes and pulled the trigger.
1t is not recorded exactly what
Rev. Mr.. Hobson did. 1t is known
that the light went out and that Mrs.
Hobson came rushing out OF the
house, when she heard screams in
termingled with prayers and groans'
The preacher was found on his
back behind the lumber pile. He
was in pretty bad shape there wa:
nothing left OF the lower end OF hi:
pantaloons, and blood was fast turn
ing his sober black socks into
shade much loved by present day
dsndies. When he realized thai
his wife was with him he quoted
down. :.
The town marshal appeared di-