Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-04-27

mining-the sleeves, the cradles, the picks,
sbovels, and so on.
When the gentlemen have partaken
of this simple repast, they will proceed
&c divert themselves with card PLAYING.
| The game, understand. is to be cut
throat eucher. They will come provided
with bags of gold dust and real nuggets.
I'm the midst of the game the company
will be surprised by a party of bush
rangers. 1t will be most realistic, l as
sure you. Revolvers-of course only
loaded with blank cartridges-will be ac-
tually fired. The bushrangers will be
beaten off, and then bushrangers and
miners will sit down together in iovial
amity to a recherche banquet, supplied
from our own kitchens. There! That's
the programme, and we've no doubt it
will prove the most successful thing of
the kind that's ever been attempted"
The reporters thanked the obhging
manager for his courtesy, and with.
drew.
The dinner was in full swing, and the
ten gentlemen who had cooked it and
were trying to eat it were having the
greatest fun. 1t made them feel young
again Several had burned their fingers
| with the frying PAN and one had scalded
himself with the boiling kettle; but that
didn't matter. They declared that the
damper tasted as good as it used to taste
twenty and thirty and forty years ago,
when they came to it with appetites
whetted by a long days toll with shovel
ana cradle and sieve.
| There Xyprn np1v TON re 4Lo,,,
because the two who were to do the
bushranging act did not appear upon the
scene till later
Then they sat down to their ut.throat
eucher in parties of three for it is a
game which can only be played by three
players. This arrangement left one of
them over-Sir Joseph Bessels. who was
ordered to wash up, and incidentally, to
keep sharp lookout for possible bush
rangers. Farthing dips were melted in
their own grease, and stuck upright on
the rough deal table The packs of
cards were dirty and old and thumbed.
Great fat bags of nuggets and gold dust
were produced and slammed down on the
board. Miners who have "struck it
rich" are proverbially reckless, and must
play high.
And so the game proceeded, until Sir
Joseph Bessels, who was making a great
mess washing up, saw the door of the
Grand Hall stealthily open, and two
bearded figures glide in.
He winked at them. and they nodded
and smiled at him. 1t was immensely
diverting and funny
Tell me when you are ready he
said, in a loud stage whisper.
| They were several naiYn+oc in r,a44;no,
ready, One of them locked the door and
put the key in his pocket, while the other
went around the room with pair of
pincers, and seemed to be doing some
thing to the electric bells.
"Now!" they said, when they'd done
all mis-.
"Bushrangers, boys!" yelled Sir Joseph
gleefully, in stentorian accents.
1t was splendid.
The ten gentlemen bounced up from
their cards, land opened a murderous fire
upon the marauders. Never was there
such sangfroid and GOODNESS in an emer-
gency. The crackle of revolvers was
drowned in a shout Qf uproarious laugh
ter. The play was played. The bush
rangers must have been riddled with
bullets and killed many times over
"Bravo bravo!" they shouted and
laughed. you're dead! you're dead
you're dead!"
And they were as keenly elated as if
they had beaten off a real attack.
But the bushrangers came smilingly
forward, and said
Bail up!"
"Oh, no." they objected; "you can't
order us to bail up-you're dead!'
This extra joke made their amusement
positively riotous.
But we are not dead" the bushrangers
protested cheerily. 1--WE are very much
alive, and our revolvers are loaded with
ball, and yours are not"
And Just to show that what they said
was true, one of them fired at Sir Jo-
seph, and put bullet through his SLOUGH
hat.
Il say, you know he said, this is a
dangerous game"
ut is" they replied; 1--WE are bush
rangers
Eyes, of course; but the understanding
was that we were to beat you Off"
yes. that was the understanding; but
it's been altered-you'l see"
And they did see.
There was a glorious realistic finish to
their make believe.
They were made to stand in a row
land while one of the bushrangers covered
them with a brace of revolvers, the other
roped them up with real Australian lar
iats. expressly provided for the purpose
Then the bushrangers left, taking the
nuggets and gold dust with them, and
locking the door on the outside.
I'VE heard the revolver Shots" said the
genial manager, meeting them at the
staircase, Il hope everything went of
to your satisfaction"
Glass Eyes from Thuringia.
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