Mexico Weekly Ledger

JOKED BY HIS FRIENDS.

Old Mr. Francis, Dave's Father, Makes Some Fun for a Party of Missourians.

Mr. E. D. Graham, who has just returned from a two weeks sojourn in Florida, tells a good story of a joke played upon old Mr. Francis, father of Missouri's next Governor, at Jacksonville, the other day. Mr. Graham, R. L. Billingsly, of St. Louis, and John H. Garth, of Hannibal, were talking together in the St. James Hotel, Jacksonville, when an old gentleman came in. Mr. Garth at once recognized him as the father of the Mayor of St. Louis and mentioned the fact to Graham and Billingsly. The former at once saw an opening for a practical joke, and said: 'Garth, if you are sure that is the old gentleman, we'll have some fun.' Mr. Garth was sure there was no mistake, and, Mr. Graham leading, the party walked out on the veranda in front of the house and took seats. They were not there long when the old gentleman came out of the hotel and occupied a chair not many feet from the Missouri crowd. Everything was ready and Mr. Graham commenced something like this:

'I understand Francis, of St. Louis, is squarely in the race for Governor of Missouri.'

'Yes,' replied one of the other gentlemen, with a sort of a sniff: 'yes, and I don't think he is the man for the place by any means.'

The others assented and in turn gave their reasons.

'He's too young,' said one, 'much too young. And he deals in options,' said another.