Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-10-08


wild mans face showed as 'ow it wac
revelashun to i'm. Then is three
mates took a last look at i'm and went
OF.
"On the third day Sam was for go
ing round in the morning for the
money, but Ginger said it wasn't ad-
visable to show any 'aste; so they left
it to the evening, and Peter Russet
wrote Sam letter signed 'Barnum,'
offering i'm two 'undred for the wild
man, in case Ted Reddish should
want to beat 'em down. They all 'ad
drink before they went in, and was
smiling with good temper to sich an
extent that they 'ad to wait minute
to get their faces straight afore going
in.
Come in ses Reddish, and they
follered i'm into the parlor, where
Mrs. Reddish was sitting in arm
chair shaking 'er cad and looking at
the carpet very sorrowful.
We've been in the wild beast line
twenty years. ses Mrs. Red
dish, and it's the fust time anythink
of this sort as 'appened'
'Ealthy family, s'pose, ses Sam,
staring.
Tell i'm, Ted ses Mrs. Reddish,
in a 'usky whisper.
"'No, you, ses Ted.
It's your place. ses Mrs. Reddish.
"'A woman can break it better ses
'er 'usband.
"Tell us wot?' ses Ginger. very
snappish.
Ted Reddish cleared is throat
1t wasn't our fault he ses, slowly,
while Mrs. Reddish began to cry agin;
'ginrally speakin', animals is afraid O.
wild men, and night before last, as the
wild man wot you left on approval
didn't seem to like "Appy Cottage"
we took i'm out an put i'm in with the
tiger
Put him in with the wot? ses the
unfortnit mans uncle, jumping off is
chair.
The tiger ses Reddish. We card
something in the night, but we thought
they was only 'aving a little bit OF
tiff. like. In the morning I went down
with bit O. cold meat for the wild
man, and I thought at first he'd es-
capped; but looking little bit closer
Don't, Ted ses is wife. L can't
bear it,
Do you mean to tell me that the
tiger as eat 'im?' screams old Sam
Most of i'm ses Ted Reddish;
but e couldn't ha' been much of a
wild man to let a tiger get the better
of i'm. | must say | was surprised
"'We both was ses Mrs Reddish,
wiping 'er eyes.
You might ha' card pin drop;
old SANS eyes was large and staring,
Peter Russet was sucking is teeth an
Ginger was wondering wot the law
would say to tiff it card of it.
IT'S an unfortunit thing for all
parties,' ses Ted Reddish at last, get
ting up and standing on the 'earthrug.
Orrible,' ses Sam. 'uskily. You
ought to ha' known better than to put
i'm in with tiger. Wot could you
expect? Wy, twas mad thing to
do
'Crool thing ses Peter Russet
You don't know the bisness prop
erly,' ses Ginger, that's about wot it
is. wy I should ha' known better
than that
We'll, it's no good making a fuss
about it, ses Reddish 1t was only
wild man arter all, and he'd ha died
anyway, cos e wouldn't eat the raw
meat we gave i'm, and is pan O. water
was scarcely touched. He'd ha' starved
himself anyhow. I'm sorry, as | said
before, but | must be off; I've got an
appointment down at the docks
He moved towards the door; Gin
ger Dick gave Russet a nudge and
whispered something, and Russet
passed it on to Sam.
"'What about the 'undered quid?'
ses pore Beauty's uncle. catching old
O. Reddish as e passed i'm.
"'Eh? ses Reddish, surprised-'Oh,
that's off,
"'Ho! says Sam. 'Ho! is It? We
want 'undered quid off of you; an
wot's more, we mean to ave it.
But the tigers ate 'im,' says Mrs
Reddish, explaining.
81 know that ses Sam, sharply
But e was our wild man, and we want
to be paid for i'm. You should ha
been more careful Well give you five
minutes; and if the money amt paid
by that time We'll go straight off t.
the police station
We'll, CO. ses Ted Reddish.
He got up, and moved towards the
door. Ted Reddish didn't move
muscle, but Mrs. Reddish Topped on
her knees and caught old Sam round
the legs, and eld him SOS e couldn't
move.
"They moved off slowly, not know,
ing wot to do, as, of course, they knew
they daren't go to the police about it,
Well, what the blazes is up now?'
ses Ginger Dick, as they turned the