The Cairo bulletin., 1906-03-16

mentioned BEFORE, being AKIN 10 tne
farher ~ our co,fntry.AI cannot do THIS.
regret 70 confess that his descrip
ton Of Cairo was not entirely az varl-
ance with facts. Indeed, I fear had he
used a kodak, the evidence against us
would have been much more damag-
ing
In by-gone years, some OF our
own stannchest business men and
best friends Of our unfortunate little
city, did II (nninl entionally) a world
Of mischief. They were practical
jokers and had an abnormal taste for
fun. No, one was exempt from them,
and travellers stopping for a few
hours were their natural prey.
Strangers waiting here for moats often
joined The idlers assembled in barber
shops, dry goods stores or boarding
hotises, and II they displayed 4. any
abusive spirit towards Cairo. (and
they generally did they were prompt
ly selected for victims of witticisms.
An account OF these capars often got
scattered abroad through the press,
bur think there are several nnpnb-
lished jokes yet. which | intend men
tioning anyhow. One of these wags
rushed III where lot OF strangers
were sitting by fire in store room,
and said in a GREATNESS manner; II
lsay fcllers, old Blank has just bowed
MP some more strangers with a pack
age Of gunpowder. Just throwed into
the store where they was settin'
round, when---z-i-p! away she went!
Bnt golfyf here he Is now A swear
ing, clustering man came in, threw a
package (of sahd) in the fire, and
stampede followed The travellers
stayed about the river until their boat
came, and oh, the story they rold at
home.
AT other times these practical
jokers would dress as real toughs. sill
II little apart from the crowd, talking
in apparent secrecy, but JUST loud
enough to be overheard. While one
whctted a vicious looking old knife on
his muddy boot, the other toyed with
an old horse-pistol as he asked:
What about that st. Louis gold.
bug that you kotch last week?'
Don't talk SO loud, pard, I'm not
deef." was the growing Answer. Then
punctnating his words with his open
knife he continued I'VE surely did
have an awful fine with that critter.
why, he fit like a rattlesnake; but we
made short work Of him. And since
he was so plucRy, we tried to put him
away decent like. ont of respect But
the box We stuffed him in was pesky
short and we was obeeged TO saw off
the feler's legs
This story was told partly in whis-
pers and winks, partly in knowing
mods and finished off with various
kicks of appreciation.
Now add these daily pranks TO the
iugly appearance of Cairo. how can
We wonder at it's bad name abroad?
Once. when some strangers were sit
ting on the river bank on an old drift
| log waiting for their boat, they over
heard something like this
oh you mean that Cincinnati dude
who blowed about his town and turned
up his nose at ourn? Well. he's buried
so deep in the sand ont yonder, that
they'll have to use speakin trumpeta
TO conduct his funeral service
These clever wits never doubted
that their jokes were on the strangers.
and ii took them the best years of
their lives 10 discover that they were
all on Cairo.
Here Is one more little package and
am done. Whatever Cairo may have
been in the past, its reputation has
long been established as desirable,
wholesome place to reside in. Some
of the grandes, men and women on
earth have given The best years OF
their lives to develop it 10 its present
standard Everything that woman can
do is being done, cheerfully and intel
ligently. With better opportunities, let
us hope thar others will forward the
good work until Cairo shall be the
gem city Of the west; the leading cen
! tor nf rho world