The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-03-17
WHEN kIMBALl WAS YOUNG
Some Personal "reminiscences by the Editor Of
Early Days in kimbaII When Everything
Was Lovely and the Goose Hung High

dent, told about on this page two
weeks since, newspaperman needs to
use no little care In selecting names
for his principal characters in writing
up an affair OF this kind, as | have
more than once learned to my dis
comiture. 1t was with this in mind
that picked Judge Weeks in the
"Little Mike" story, knowing my
man well-and ADDED my own per-
sonality to partly take the curse off
him.
1t seems strange, but it is a fact,
nevertheless that it is quite impossi-
BILE to construct a fairy story or a
ghost yarn for newspaper without a
more or less number of people swal-
lowing it whole minus any saline con-
dimcnt. Whereat, the people named
as principal characters in the story
are prone to get as made as halter.
"Beware how you joke a man" is a
fixed rule in we'll regulated newspaper
Offices
l remember once Of writing up a
yarn about well-knowu stocllman
in southern Jerauld county who made
1Iimball his trading and business
point. l was on very friendly terms
with him, and did not hesitate to use
his name. The story was to the effect
that in coming into town one cold
winter dav he picked up what looked
like diamond willow cane ana threw
it into the bottom OF his buggy. Driv-
ing in the Red Front livery barn on
Main street-then being run by p. e.
Hill. now at Armour, --he unhitched,
and lest someone might deprive him
of MS find, stood it behind the stove
in the office with his whip and robe.
AS the warmth of the stove got in Its
work, the ice and encrusted snow
melted from tee supposed stick or
cane and soon the thing itself sank to
the floor in heap. Shortly after one
of the boys employed about the barn
went into the office for something and
was faced by a rattler coiled ready for
Il fight.
OF course lots OF people believed the
yarn ana our Jerauld county friend
was piled with questions, while others
accused him Of manufacturing the
story himself. AS he was quite con-
scieutious man and prided himself
considerably upon his reputation for
truth and veracity this made him
mad--and the more he thought about
it the madder he got, all Of which re-
suited in his coming into the GRAPHIC
office and giving the editor a good
talking to.
But perhaps the maddest man that
ever came down the Kimball pike,
wrought up to the fighting point over
a newspaper joke, was one George
Tibbtts. The guilty one in this in.
stance was w. S. Willis, first editor OF
the Index. Willis was something OF
a liar himself when it came to writing
ghost stories FOR a newspaper. In fact
few men that ever came into the
borders Of South Dakota could exec
w. S. Willis in all round newspape1
work. Though educated at the print
er's case, almost wholly since he wa
twelve years oi age, he was one Of tht
readiest writer's | eyer met: with =;
perfect command of English and
crisp, taking style that catches til,
fancy of nine out of every ten reader
of newspapers.
Tibbetts, as Willis told 1t, was II
the habit OF "hibbing" at I'll. S
Dains' grocery store Ia little buildin
that was torn down to make way fo
the Brunskill saloon.) He was farmin
south Of town, but spent a good dea
Of time in town, and most of it a
Dains' cracker boxes and cheese case
AS Willis wrote it up, Tibbetts acc
dentally, one day, got hold OF seyers
yeast caked and downed them wit
the piece of cheese he bad cut OF
Shortly after, feeling a distress IN h
stomach he went into the cornt
saloon and downed several glasses
beer to ease the pam. Now, as ever
body knows, the stuff that made Mi
waukee famous has about all the yea
it can carry and not bust things. ar
1t was natural for the added supply
Tibbitts interior works to get busy
once. He kept growing worse al
went into the Taft house and up
his room and laid down on the be
Then he began to hloat. First t
buttons flew off his vest, then his shi
burst open and he grew into su
frlghtful shape so quickly that he W
, powerless to call for assistance. ,