Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-10-14
Hamlet with q Navy Pistol.

George Ninaman, Bt. Louis drum
mer, who arrived, in Little Rock yester-
day, stopped one night last week at a
small cross-road hotel In Grant county,
Southern Arkansas. The house con-
tanned four rooms and kitchen: After
supper Ninaman was told that he must
spend part of the night alone, as the
family would attend . protraeted meet'
ing in the neighborhood. The most,
with his wife, sat in one OF the rooms
alone. His consequences was added to
by an owl in the yard, which hooted
dismally, ana an c.a reu cock on a
shelf, which licked solemnly. The
drummer, not having been assigned to
q room, could not go fA bed, and be tried
to keep awake by reading the Life Of
st. PAU" the only book he could find.
The nor grease lamp was suffering in
unison with the ticking o. nc c.Sca,
when the door of an inner room opened
and 2 tall, wild-eyed, bushy. haired man
entered. Without speaking he seated
/ himself and stared at Ninaman, who
naturally showed surprise. Presently
q conversation was begun, and the man
exhibited such Intelligence that Nina
mans fears were allayed, especially a.
the man claimed to Ie the landlords
brother. The conversation turning on
literary subjects, the man remarked -
ibid you ever hear HAmlet's solilo-
guy recited properly %
II think SO, said Ninaman. II have
heard Booth.''
"Booth does not catch the spirit" said
the strange looking man. HE fails to
engraft the the twig of despair on to the
tree of Hamlet's nature. Would you
like to hear it recited properly ?"
"Yes.n
"You shall hear 1t, hope nothing
tragic will occur, but, by Moses, you
shall have it."
Arising, the wild-eyed man darted in
to an adjoining room, and returned with
a navy pistol. Placing the pistol on a
table he began to recite in voice SO
deep and with an air so wild that Nina
man was startled. When he came to
take up arms against sea of troubles,
and, by opposing, end them" he seized
the pistol, cooked it, and placed the
muzzle against his head. "Shall I end
them ?" he yelled, fourishing the pis-
tol. "Shall end them with your"
Ninaman suggested that his troubles
were not greater than he could bear,
and asked the man to lay aside his piss
toll.
"Ah, see you do not like tragedy
You no doubt like comedy. Pull off
your coat and dance or I'll end your
life."
The pistol was leveled and Ninaman
pulled off his coat and began to dance.
s"Whoop it up" yelled the man Tor
I'll end them. Pull off your trousers"
| The trousers came off and the dancing
continued.
"Pun off your drawers"
The drawers dropped to the ground.
"Of with your shirt"
The shirt flew into the air; a noise
was heard outside. and the landlord,
his wife and daughter were on the
porch.
"Let me go, for Gods sake" pleaded
Ninaman.
mo. sir; Ill kill you if you attempt
to leave. You are comedian"
| The door-knob turned. Ninaman
sprang towards a door and rushed up
stairs as the pistol snapped.
| In a few minutes the landlord came
and handed Ninaman his clothes.
II forgot to tell you," he said, "that
my brother is deranged. He mas an old
pistol, but you couldn't hurt anything
with it. He is harmless, but likes his
little joke"
The next morning the wild man was
in such good humor that he offered to
beat Ninaman throwing rocks at an
oyster can.-LSttle Rock Gazette.