The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-02-25
TELLING A sToRK.
HB.c Da,t Hatis,edJ Secuted an 1ttefitiee
EisteHeF:

HB.c Dan HatiS,gdJ Secuted an 1tiefitire
tisteiteF:
Dan Holloway was a railroad conduc-
tor, who used to make his headquarters irtt
Richmond, Indiana. He Vas Introduced
to a lot of mad wags who rendezvoused
at Bill Bennet's livery-stable one day,
where they played practical Jokes, on
each other when there was no stranger
handy. One, of their standing jokes
c6hsistet In begJiling az t.tishspsctirss
man into telling story, and then get
ting up and walking off, one after an
other, leaving the poor fellow to conclude
his tale to Benefits dog, blinking and
doing under the stove.
Holloway was received by the crowd
with great cordiality, Il drink was pro-
posed iii a neighbsfins saloon, and after
that wis disposed Of they retdrRed to
Beiibett's office, and some one told q
short story jiist to draw the conductor
on to his fate. The trick succeeded,
and Holloway started off with a story
wolf. Before he had got on the track of
the wolf, or had even suspected there
was wolf in the neighborhood, one of
his listeners rose slowly up ont of his
chair, stretched himself, gaped, and
NslkSd otit With great deIibetati6n.
Dan didn't mind that' much, but E6Pt
right ON with his story, just as though
there wasn't a wolf within a thousand
miles of him. When he finally came
suddenly on The VOLTS trail another one
of his listeners got up and sauntered
lazily out, with his hands in his pockets,
whistling few low, soft notes. Dams
eye kindled a little at this, but he said
nothing. Indeed he was so busy press
ing after the wolf there was not time to
indulge in any parehthetical remarks
He had TO attend strictly TO business or
the wolf would escape him.
Then, by taking shorter cut than the
wolf was. pursuing, Dan managed to
head off his wolfship in q very narrow
passage between overhanging rocks, and
it was evident that he had reached a
crisis in the story of the most inter-
esting and exciting character. 1t is not
often that a stOry-teller is able to corner
up wolf so effectually as Dan had done
then and there, and one would have
thought every listener would have been
riveted to the spot until the denoue-
iiieht was reached. One broke the riv-
cts, i6Weeef, and walked away in the
deepest meditation. Only one other
listetet was left tto# besides Bennett,
Ana iast d5 Hatl5#aS vas EiinchinE tie
wolf, and both were rolling on the ground
in Hfe-and-death struggle, that man
appeared suddenly to recollect some
thing he must go right off and attend to,
aAd he Welt, leaving Bennett alone
with the story-teller. Mr.. Holloway
paused, then keeping one hand on the
wolf, so he wouldn't get away, he
reached around back with his other
hand and drew out revolver, which he
pointed at Benefits head, remarking
duiettB, There now, my fristS friend,
Fin id if you don't stay and hear the
rest of this woifstorB!"
And William staid. Yes, lie staid
and suddeni4 became Interested. Hal
loway could easily have killed that wolf
in two minutes, the way lie had the adj
vantage of him, but he delayed the
finale so as to instruct Bennett with re-
gard to the habits and peculiarities of
the animal, dwelling at length upon his
hafihte, Ind the various means employed
by hunters in capturing or killing hiifi.
He did this because Bennett appeared
to be so thoroughly absorbed in the story,
don't you see? Seemed as though he
couldn't get enough of it. Benefits
friends in a neighboring saloon, whittier
they had repaired, expecting the railroad
man would come in and treat the crowd
When he found lie was sold; became i'm
| patiett at lshgth, aiid they Went back to
see what had become of him. Looking
through the office-window, they saw Hal.
loway still telling that wolfstorx, and
now and tbeb digging cg5'ceed feEoltsi
into Benefits ribs to emphasize the
good points in the narrative. They say
the eager attitude of the listening Viii
liam and the intense, almost painful. in
terest depicted on his eotintenahse cal
never he eflaeed from their memory. ii
was dark long before William went home
to his supper that night, and he acted
wolfsh for several days to all who came
hear Hin. He has git % hc4, though
he can tell the wo'fstory with immense
good humor-better than we have told
it, if anything.