The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-09-05

Does lll ACl. AAABf-t~ 49,
vou fellows with interminabie yarns
about things that happened and peo-
pie he knew 50 or so years ago.
Maybe not don't known what
/ ever did 10 win his special favor
in that respect, but he appears to
take a peculiar delight in entertain
ing me with his pestiferous recollec-
tions OF the good old times, which. as
Washington Irving says, appear to
have abounded in good-for-nothing
characters.
"Of course, the eolonels an old
man, and ones got TO make allow
ances for him. I've stood ii like a
good un for years; but about month
ago / made up my mind that II was
time TO retaliate / determined to
give him a long, dreary, inconsequent
shadowgraph of the past that,
thought. would prove an efficient anti
dote to his mania for ancient bio
graphical fatuities.
The opportunity came one night
when / caught him sitting alone at a
table in Hennessys place. | sat down
beside him and asked him to take
something.
The colonel called for his favorite
tipple, and Immediately launched into
the preface to one OF bis three-volume
stories about nothing in particular.
"'You don't remember old Billy
Cough, that used to live the other
side OF Hansons creek, John?' he be-
gan-the stereotyped formula. No, !
guess that was before your time.
Well, sir. the funniest thing hap
pened that you ever heard Of. one
morning when we were driving over
to-
- beg your pardon, colonel, for in
terrupting you broke in; but
there's something ] want to ask you
before / forget This afternoon Jesse
Randall and / were having a talk.
and neither OF us could recall the
name OF a certain man whom We used
TO know very well. Guess you could
have told us in second; but neither
Jesse nor could think OF that name
to save u.s. IL wasn't Meredith, nor
Merryweather; but some such name
as that-it began with Merry" any
way
Yes said the colonel. closing one
eye and stretching his head; there
was man OF some such name as that
lived around here. years ago. How
long has he been dead, John?'
We'll. l turned that question on.
OF course. there never was any such
man at all
oh, don't know. exactly / said;
but you must remember him. all right
He lived on Delaware avenue. on the
side opposite to your house-a little
further up, nearer the park. lie was
a tall, fine-looking man, with a heavy,
iron-gray mustache.'
"Yes, sir said the colonel. that's
the man, all right knew him as
well as | know you. John. Strange
that ] can't speak his name-and I've
got It on the tip of my tongue
"Of course, there's no question of
your knowing him, colonel, said. lie
had two very handsome daughters.
They were very lady-like girls, and
highly accomplished. The father was
a hospitable man; used TO entertain a
great deal-kept open house. in fact
You never spoke a truer word
than that in your life. joint the colo
mel exclaimed. enthusiastically. And
he knew how 10 do It. He didn't do
1t by halves. Many's the night he's
seat re home in his carraige-though
Id only couple OF blocks 70 GO
after the rye had been running pretty
swift
And. II you remember. colonel
went on, jogging the old gentleman's
of this purely hypothetical
parsonage, he was elected to the city
council one year, but only sat there
about three months. He was unseat.
ed on petition. II was proved that
votes had been bought for him-if not
by him; and he came near getting into
trouble
True as you're living. John. I re.
II as well as II II were yester.
lay, the colonel said. But what was
he mans namey
Funny isn't ity said. sympathet.
cally; just when you want to remem. |
Der a mans name. you can't do Il for
he life of you; and. another time.
Then you have no use for the blamed /
hing. it'll keep dinging in your ears
Ike a buzz-saw. But this old fellow
hat we're speaking of-Merry some
.hing-had glass eye. you know
"'Ahl That was It. knew there
vas something peculiar about him.
'ut ! couldn't just locate the trouble
That's what It was. John-a glass eve
But there wasn't one person in a hun.
ired that knew Il: Il was as natural
ooking as the genuine article. But
What was the mans nameg Merry
with a Merry IN
ront OF IT, ] know: but I cant eet
he rest Of Il out It's just on the end
4 my tongue, John; but there II
ticks
Well, you'll think Of It bv and Nv
olonel. said; but you'll have 10 ~.
use me now. / must go-rot an an
ointment Good night