The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-07
THE DEVIL ON =
i TEN ISLAND.
Being an Account of What the
Southern Colonel Did to
Water Bulfrog Fannin.

" WYNN " WV AVgN AA@hh 0oy
Richmond and New Dorp. Staten Island.
Miss Committee Nippers is the last Of the
seven spinsters. and as she sat OF her front
piazza she rocked and as she rocked she
talked.
Il saw what you had in the papersa about
Water Bulfrog Fanuin and the Angel Ga
briefs coming to Staten Island. said she,
nodding knowingly at the reporter. did
Maria tell you about the time the Devil
came? No? Well. he did. he landed right
here on Staten Island. horns, hoofs and tail.
It's my opinion the way things are going
on now it's about time for him to come
again, too.
when that Southern Colonel came back
and found that Seraphine Wright and Water
Bulfrog had made up he wasn't in a good
humor. 1 can tell you. He didn't say any
thing to Seraphine. but he evened il up on
Water Bulfrog.
at was a terrible day. that Saturday
after the Colonel got back. 1t was raining
n sleetins and blowing a gale and the
snow on the ground was like mush.
water Bulfrog had to fix the stovepipe
in his mothers living room, and that made
him late in getting of. When he was
passing Tipperary Corners the wind took
his hat, and he had to get of Selim and plough
around through the slush to catch it.
when he did catch his hat what should
| happen but just as he was Strengthening
up down we { his specs. As luck would
have IL they smashed right down on the
only rock in sight, and when Water Bulfrog
put them on there was nothing but the
rims.
He never was what you'd call real in
dependent, and without his specs he was
as helpless as a newborn infant. Maybe
he did think having the rims OF might help
his eyes some, for when he walked in at
Black Horse Tavern he was still a-wearing
them, and the ladies' in the parlor, not no.
ticing that his glasses were gone, thought
his kicking over hairs and trying to butt
his way through a closed door into the bar
was just his natural way OF handling his
feet.
THE Colonel was at the bar drinking
with a party OF men when Water Bulfrog
came stumbling in. Water Bulfrog was
siding around the party to ask h bar
keeper for the loan OF a pair Of specs, when
the Colonel seen him and planted himself
In his path.
"'Wnl you drink or fight2' demanded
the Colonel Mt the top of his voice after
Water Bulfrog, not being able to make out
who he was, stopped trying to climb over
and root under him. will you fight or
drink he yelled, just as IL he thought
Water Bulfrog was deaf "a we'll as blind.
Being brought up by his mother and
five maiden aunts, Water Bulfrog never
| had tasted nothing stronger than root beer.
, so he didn't know anything about the effects
Of liquor, but being a school teacher he had
an idea how it felt to be on the wrong side
in a fight.
-.I calculate I better drink, says Water
Bulfrog, blinking in the direction Of the
Colonel's voice.
"'Oh, you'll drink answers the Colonel.
Drinks on Mr.. Fannin,' calls he to the bar
keeper. Come. walk in, gentlemen says
he to the men he'd been drinking. with as
he led the way. towing. Water Bulfrog into
the little room behind the bar.
They had a general h~andshaking all
around and when they had drained their
glasses to the last drop they followed the
colonel's lead and promptly smashed them
over Water Bulfrog's head.
Lets nave Bingo,' suggeeted the Col
onel, and straightway Water Bulfrog, who
had just swallowed his first drink Of liquor.
shouts out:
"'Hurrah for Bingo! Give us a gallon Of
Bingo, and charge Il 10 me, by. gumi'
They were all sitting around the table
when the liquor was brought and the
Colonel began the game by shouting at the
top Of his voice:
farmers dog sat on the barn door.
And Bingo was his name. o.
Then they all shouted in chorus. Water
Bulfros leading And Binso was his
.;B.' said the Colonel.
81, said Water Bulfrog.
IN ' aaid the NEXT man. and 40 IL went
through the word, then the chorus would
take UP the letter o, and shout:
.'And Bingo was his name. or
-If a mar missed or called the wrong
letter he was forced TO take another drink
and all the others had the privilege OF
drinking with him.
sMr. Hopkins passed, going TO Richmond,
and when he came back along about II
O'Clock that night and saw Selim still
thought he'd just step inside and see what
WAS keeping Water Bulfrog. The bar
keerer sent him TO the little hack room.
The Colonel and Mike O'Grady OF Tip
perary Corners were taking turns at hug
ging the jug, trying to squeeze more liquor
out. Water Bulfrog had gone under the
table. and when Mr.. Hopkins caught hold
of his legs to drag him out he began 10 beat
on the floor with his glass and shout:
mir. Hopkins had a terrible time getting
him to go home with him and when he got
him there he wa that Disguised and mad
That he Just showed h'-' '"'N ''~'- spare
room and left him to ue; 20 Del the best
he could.
Breakfast time Water Bulfrog was snor-
ing so loud you could hear him out in their
back yard and Mr.. Hopkins told his wife
&c let him be. When lunch time came
he was still asleep, and although he war
not making such a noise Mr.. Hopkins said
he wasn't going to starve and he forbade
his wife and the twins to go near him.
along about : O'Clock a storm came up.
There was a fash of lightning and a Crash
of thunder. Water Bulfrog awoke.
The spare room OF the Hopkinses opens
out on the back piazza, and although the
shutters we're omen It was quite dark.
Water Bulfrog Law or the he'd thinking
and trying TO recolleot where he was.
THE storm became more violent. The
lightning flashed and the thunder roared.
The old house was shaken to its founda-
| tons, and there was a rumbling sound
| that seemed TO come from the very bowels
| Of the earth. Water Bulfrog decided that
he was in hell.
-He heard the tramp Of feet in the room
| and bebeld by the fitful glare Of the light
ming the old king devil approach his bed.
! He tried to fee, to shout, to pray, but his
- 80. --l Ia