The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-10-17

Brokaw's death Capt Jams was in
yited TO put In all his time with the
aged widower and take up story-tell-
ing as a steady job.
He Mas Made Official STORY Teller"
SO Capt Jams accepted the posi-
ton OF grand yizier and raconteurin-
chief 10 Haroun Brokaw. No salary
vas mentioned in connection with the
office. but Jams figured that so long
as he could make the old gentleman
laugh he would have little trouble to
induce him TO loosen up financially.
Moreover. it was a safe gamble that
his stock Of stories would last longer
than the venerable listener. and then
the latter would more than square
things in his viii.
Bams started iu systematically with
his choice line Of Chauncey NJ De
pew's favorites, then went on with his
early Illinois legends and personal
( r-ecollections OF Abraham Lincoln. and
finally brought up in the comparative
ly modern period OF the civil var. BY
this time be would have air. Brokaw
going so that he could read u chapter
or two from the Bible. and the dear
old man would chuckle delightedly
over:
Abraham berat Isaac. and Isaac
begat Jacob. and Jacob begat Judas
snd his ~brethren; and Judas bega,
Phares and cara OF Thamar; and
Phares beeat Esrcm. aud Esrom be,
gat Aram. aud Aram begat Aminadab,
and so on.
The great stream OF the antiques
was this quotation from a Latin
writer 81 the first century OF the
Christian era: "a man who fred 4
rock at a dog and hit HIS mothcr-in
Law said. Not such a bad shot al
thatY"
Here is a specimen from early ms
noiss
Jake Spawr was q OF the three
commissioners appointed 10 lay on.
The turnpike road between ChicaeJ
and Springfield The act required tha'
these commissioners shuUld De sworn
but there was no Official handy to per
form this duty. So Jake. as a justic,
OF the peace. administered the oath &c
the other two commissioners and thel
raised mp the nd OF a ehoe-box with
looking glass inside Il. and solemull
administered the cath 10 his reelection
In the mirror. TINS swearing himself
in. so that he could legally HELM to con
struet the pike"
This Lincoln story was one that Oh,
man Brokaw pronounced "a bird
Lincoln and Douglas were travel
ing together by stage-coach from Ia
con 10 Pontiac, when they got into
heated pcrsna debate. and Lincoll
more han limited that there was a liza.
Ia their party OF two. and that 3
wasn't himself This meant fight a
the noXt stopping place the 6erl
Douglas pulled a pair OF pistols ont o
his carpetbag and proposed TO Abe
that they arhltrate their differences
with cold lead. Lincoln drew himsol
up aud said. I am about twice you
height. and would bo too easy a mari
for you. To make things even. you'll
have 70 stand further away from m.
than I DO from YOU Douglas began q
!. see the Joke and replied: no. IN rel
{ you what ven do. I'm mark out m.
size on your person. and every Hho
3 that hits outside the mark won't count
b Then they had a drink together an.
/. called che aght OF
Another warm baby was this wal
from the battlefield;
An Irish corporal was carrying
wounded comrado to the rear and Oh
not notice when a cannon-ball whiEEe
by aud took the poor fellows hea
y on When Pat reached the amby
. lance with his burden tho surgeo
asked; What are you bringing {
g that headless corpse for2 The Irish
. man turned and looked at the remain
A and exclaimed disgustedly; 'Begol
A he tould me II was his leg,'"
And Jams could AZ any momon
throw tho aged ~plowmaker into cor
a yulsions OF laughter by repeating jos
e billings recipe for making hoe-cako
4 Take a common or garden hoe, DO
y her down tfu she iells and then let be
5 cake"
!. Day after day and week after wee
{ Capt Jams continued reeling on thes
a stories, Quips and oranks The ol
7. millionaire grew feobler, but koI
alive just to laugh, Since then lam
has suspected that Mr. Brokaw va
s. laughing az something else beside
his Jokes, But for two or three year
everything went merrily as a marrlag
4 bell.
/, Speaking Of marriage bells recall
the fact that old man nrokaW was q
cidediy % a re-nsarrylng disnositlo.