Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1884 — Really Didn’t Know. [ARTICLE]

Really Didn’t Know.

A passenger who boarded a train coming east over the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Eoad, at lonia, took a seat in front of a woman who was very curious-minded about the country. She asked about the crops, the price of land, the characteristics of the people, the climate, and many other things. To each and every question he returned a respectful: “Don’t know, ma’am—l really don’t know. ” “Is this as good a climate as New York?” “I think so, ma’am, but I ain’t sure.” “Do the people seem cheerful ?” “I think they do, but I’m not certain.” “Whom do they seem to prefer for a Presidential candidate ?” “Can’t say, ma’am.” “Are the farmers low-spirited over the price of wheat?” “They may be, but I can’t say as to that.” “Should you say this was a good State for a young man to begin life in ?” “I shouldn’t like to say, ma’am. ” His non-committal answers seemed to annoy her, and, after a brief silence, she continued: "Have you been in Michigan long ?” “Three years, ma’am.” “And yet you don’t seem to have posted yourself much.” “Well, ma’am, to tell you the truth,” he replied, as he turned* about, “I’m a resident of Ohio. I came up here and stole a horse, and was sent to the lonia prison for three years. I haven’t been out more than two hours yet.” She rose up and took the fourth seat back in a way to make the dust fly, and she didn’t open her mouth again, even to the conductor, until the train was running into Detroit. —Detroit Free Press.