The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1948-12-30
Ben Hayes Says .
SlObbovia Didn't
Have all the Fun!


tical jokes. Her program '"The
Best in Best Sellers" GAS p. m.
Tuesday,, seems open for any
thing, so 1 inserted Milford Ruck-
er and his notion of a good gag.
Milford went fox hunting with
the boys, suddenly slid over a
hillside to moan on the lower
flat. Milford said his leg was
broken. They were four miles, up
and down hill, from Dexter City.
The other hunters carried Mil
ford, taking turns. His moaning
continued. At the edge of town
Milford said his pain was so great
-"let me rest a while on the
ground" he pleaded. They put
Milford down. He leaped up and
ran away laughing.
That happened before I was
born. Because of his trick. Mil
ford will not be forgotten. To be
remembered, it seems a practical
joke must involve physical or
mental discomfort.
Mrs. Yontz' suggestion boiled
to the surface of my memory sev-
eral such instances. Most of them
concern Shep Rucker, Milford's
brother, who was a grocer of my
boyhood> The Rucker family
seemed full of FRANKS
.ohep had a friend, Doug Nolan.
who loved to trade horses. Shep
| took advantage of this yearning.
He waited until a winter night
when a terrific blizzard was
blowing. By phone, Shep called
Doug, who lived three miles
away. ''There's a man from West
Virginia here wants to trade
horses-I thought of you," Shep
said. Doug hurried to town
through the blizzard. All he
found was Shops laughter.
Shep fell for tricks too. He
once paid $50 for some ducks &
farmer told him his foxhound had
killed. We laughed when the far
mer handed back the money six
months later. But the Ruckers
never seemed as uncomfortable
as their victims.
The women took part in some
Of this triCkery. Mrs. John Nose
ley, Mr.. Hayes 81-year-old granC
mother, recently told me about
an autumn day of long ago wher
she helped the John Hardesty ia.
mily butcher.
II took one of the pigtails anc
pinned it to John Hardesty's
coat" Grandma said. "When he
went to town, the tail was dang,
ling behind him"
| No one was sure who did this
Everyone thought Grandma was
too kind to cause John such EN-.
| barrassment. But that Christmas
a nlcely-Wrapped package came
for her in the mail. 1t was the
same pigtail.
| Now after 80 years or more
she has admitted the prank.
Back to Shep, He would pu
much effort into his pranks. One
New Years Day he paced bach
and forth in his grocery. He
! looked SO worried he looked sick
He kept running outside. Finally
the loafers got curious. They tolc
! him to sit down; he was making
them nervous.
Smoke amt home yet" Sher
said. I'm afraid she will ge
shot" Smoke was his front-run
ming foXhound. Shep named {
farmer who had sheep, anc
would shoot foXhounds.
Last I heard her she wa.
heading that way" Shep said.
Shep offered $25 reward. Foul
loafers got up, left to find Smoke
1t was a cold day. They walked
a mile, then got colder. Maybe
they said, Shep was fooling.
They returned and founc
Smoke comfortable in Shep's
barn. They were ready to kidnar
the hound and hold her for the
$25. Shep came running into the
barn, shouting like a man abou
to lose $25. He grabbed Smoke by
the hide Of her back. The story
is today that it would have taker
| 20 span of mules to have Ioosenec
Smoke from Shops grip.
That one almost backfired.
Joe Spook says a maple yard
stick spiked to the flood is a hare
and fast. rule.