On the Privy Trail…
This turned out to be a late- 1880’s privy which bottomed out at only 3 ft. It also turned out to be a lousy take with only 3 embossed bottles and a bunch of slicks. The property was situated on the Constitution Trail in Bloomington, but due to the sheer lack of privy proper I think they should maybe re-name it the Constipation Trail!
The highlight of the day was when the local archaeologists, who happened to be next door, came by to see what was going on. They nearly pooped their pants to see us flinging stuff out of the pit without a care in the world; I can still remember the disapproving tones in which they questioned what we were doing. I couldn’t help but think that they thought they were a little superior in some way as they were sitting there with a cup of tea in one hand and a cigarette in the other while talking about how to extract a rusty nail out of the ground without damaging it. After all, I guess going to college for 4 years has to account for something right? I gave them all the plate shards to stick back together and with the rate archaeologists work that should keep ‘em busy for a couple of years.
Has anyone seen my digging buddy Sherez (a.k.a. “Twilla”) in the picture? He always sung about his “magic stick” (50 Cent), I called it his “tragic stick” because every thing he touched broke. The last I heard the fuzz were after him… I guess he finally got to use his “magic stick” because one day he just disappeared!
The keepers were nothing to speak of.
A. Trask’s Magnetic ointment
Jaques chemical Company, Chicago Ill
…and a large druggy from Boston Mass.