The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-06

these fishermen don't like q story that
bears the earmarks of truth. To please
them you've simply got to lie, and it /!
seemed to me, the other night. because
wouldn't, or couldn't, as the case may be,
my tale was not liked"
BY Jove!" thought I. He's trying to
brazen it out!' Then added aloud.
That campaign yarn was a stiff one,
must confess
YES said Washington But it was
a stiff campaign, Homes
But the shad whose bones ripped the
American sympathizer like a dumdum bull
let, general--that's a hard STORY"
Is 1T was. indeed" said Washington.
handing me cigar, N"but-well, did you
ever see a man who'd been shot through
by frozen shad whose bones at the mo-
ment of impact offered the greatest re-
sistance?
mo- said I. II never saw anybody
who'd been shot by shad under any cir
|cumstances.''' -.
"Well, wait until you do" said Wash
ington. Its terrible sight, any way
you look at it. ! wouldn't have believed
It if 1 hadn't seen it with my own eyes.
The calm assumption of Righteousness
on the general s part made me merciless.
General" said I, Il have been enter
tanned q good deal down here, and I've
ment in kind. I'm going to give turtle
dinner down the river next Saturday. VIII
you come?' ...-. .-..,..
.Delighted!" he said, with charming
alacrity. ~
'Well have some sports before the din.
war, and things Of that sort" suggested:
"Splendid,' said he. It'll give us AL
an appetite for the TURTLE
Il suppose you'll; enter some OF the
events" began.
"Of course" he replied. m not much
on running, or tug of warringg, but you
| can put me down. Just for the fun OF It.
"Why-you can participate In the tree
! telling contest I observed. innocently'
| fully expecting him to turn pale, ana try
| to worm out of his predicament.
! ,'As you. please" said he. calmly, and
without turning a hair. used to oe
quite a dab at that sort Of thing.
"You prefer a cherry tree?" put In
sarcastically. " $500
''Yes-if you've got one,'' said he. I'm
fact I'll give you a full dress rehearsal
| Of that famous episode in my career, out
Of which has grown my reputation 1or
veracity."
| I was nonplussed. Instead Of quailing
before my insidious suggestion, ne had
4 met me openly and accepted the chaAense
| in way had not expected.
| "Better bring the original hatchet,
said, with a grim chuckle, as left him.
IT WILL" said he, cheerily-and he did.
The following Saturday we were all on
hand at the Turtle Club picnic grounds,
| and the sports went off with great sue
cess Washington and his father were
| there, and with them was Rastus, the
=, generals aged negro body servant, the
last named grinning as broadly as only a
| darkey Of the old school can, and hugg1ne
closely to his breast no less thing than
i the hatchet Of history
"He's going to bluff it out!" whispered
Munchausen.
+ .It, looks that way" said Ananias
"What nerve!'
And then began a scene which I must
confess started me and all Hades as well
! When announced that General Washing
ton would give faithful reproduction Of
the cherry tree episode, the three actors ir
1.-THE comedy-Augustine, George and Ras'
tus walked over to the tree. Augustine
turned his back upon the other two, anc
George seated himself on fence rail neal
/ at hand while Rastus. with a few lustl
whacks with the hatchet, soon had tht
doomed tree lying . prostrate upon thu
sward.
"Ah!' cried Augustine Washington
turning as the tree fell. why chopped
down that cherry tree?"
II did father" said the general, with 6
wink at Rastus. II cannot tell a lie. .
did it with my little hatchet." =
n well, I'm glad to hear It," said the ole
gsntlelnan because I'm going to- slarruI
tie lfeS out sof whoever did IT. End I.c
l1<hate to Kill Rastus, because he's worth
500 in good money at the present marke
for lusty Africans -.
Whereupcn the three famous personage
bowed to the audience, and, amid thu
[ cheers Of the multitude. disappeared int
the commodious house iof the Turtle club
where the cherries Of the fallen tree wer,
I shortly served UP in an amber coloret
; liquid Of considerable alcoholic strength.
: Later as our party was on the way bacl
Z to Gehenna, Ananias approached Wash
ington and held out his hand.
al You're wonder, general" said he
FL How the deuce a man can get reputa
n ton FOR veracity on a plain up-and- down
: lie beats me-. ..-
Its simple enough said Washington
genially. "The exception proves the rule
af That lie was the only one I ever told.''
: "Humph!' calculated Munchausen, con
. temptuously. 'And that remark %
, "Is the second" said Washington wit
! a courteous bow.
= You can be truthful. see,' sneere
:, Munchausen.
: Yes" said Washington. And it's 8
n easy, Munchausen, wonder you neve
T tried it,
!, A sally which pleased the Walton clu
8 | SO much that Washington was inmedi
II ately reinstated in its good graces, an
y the story Of the shad bombardment G
tTrenton was ordered spread upon tn
| minutes Of the association. =