Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1879-10-23
HAlMlLEF NJ WITH A NAVY
o..,;f.,,,s..u PISTOL.
A Crazy -Arkansan Makes n
DrqmmerI Follow Tragedy
With. Comedy. - -
Little Rock Gazette.

SiO fsVck UhLeUe.
George Ninafnan, a st. Louis drum
rner who arrived at Little Rock YES
terday, stopped one night les: week
at g, small crossroads hotel in Grant
county, southern Arkansas. The
house contained four rooms and a
kitchen. After supper Ninaman was
told he must spend part of the night
alone, as the family would attend a
protracted meeting in the neighbor-
hood. The host with his wife and
daughter left the house and Ninaman
sat in one of the rooms alone. His
Loneliness was added to by an owl i'm
the yard which hooted dismally, and
an old red clock on the shelf which
licked solemnly. The drummer, not
having been assignetl to a room.
could not go to bed, and he tried to
keep awake by reading the ssLife of
st. Paul." the only book he could
find. The hog grease lamp was sput-
tering in unison with the ticking of
the clock, when the door of an inner
room opened and tall, wild-eyed,
bushy-haired man entered. Without
speaking he seated himself and stared
at Ninaman, who natu, ally showed
surprise. Presently a conversation
was begun, and the man exhibited
such Intelligence that Ninaman's fears
were allayed, especially as the man
claimed to be the landlords brother.
The conversation turning on literary
subjects, the man remarked:
Ibid you ever hear Hamlet's solil-
oquy recited properly?'
81 think so," said Ninaman. 81
have heard Booth"
.t ''Booth does not catch the spirit
said the. Strengthening man. ssHe
fails to engraft the twig of despair in
to the twig of Hamlet's nature.
Would you like to hear it recited
properly?"
"Yes." -
"Iou shall hear it. 1 hope moth
ing tragic will occur, but, by Moses,
you shall have it,"
Arising, the wild-eyed man darted
into ali adjoining room and returned
with navy pistol. Placing the pis-
tol on a table, he began to recite in a
voice so deep and with an air 80
wild that Ninaman was startled.
When he came to "take up arms
against sea of troubles and by op-
posing end them," he seized the pis-
tol, cooked it, and placed the muzzle
against his head. "Shall end them?''
ne yelled, fiourishing the pistol.
"Shall L end them with you?''
cIinaman suggested that his troubles
were not greater than he could bear,
and asked the man to lay aside his
pistol.
''Ah, l 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 Nina
man pulled off his coat and began to
dance.
"Whoop it up" yelled the man,
"or I'll end them. Pull off your
trousers"
The trousers came off, and the
dancing continued.
Pull off your drawers ;"
The drawers dropped to the ground.
''Off with your shirt"
The shirt 1lew into the air. A neise
was heard outside, and the landlord,
his wife and daughter were on the
porch.
''Let me go, for Gods sake"
pleaded Ninaman.
"No, sir. I'll kill you if you at
tempt TO leave. You are a comedian"
The door-knob turned. Ninaman
sprang towards door and rushed up
stairs as the pistol snapped.
In few minutes the landlord came
up and handed Ninaman his clothes.
Il forgot to tell you," he said, ssthat
my brother is deranged. He has an
Old pistol, but you couldn't hurt any,
thing with it. He is harmless, but
likes his little joke
The next morning the wild man
was in such good humor, that he Of
fered TO beat Ninaman throwing rocks
at an oyster can.