Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-27
SATURDAY NIGHT IN A KANSAS CATfLE.
TOWN.

The dullness which had so weighed upon
us through the long. uneventful afternoon
was but "A lull, we soon learned. and not
stagnation. With the first approach Of
darkness. the lethargic town rubbed It's
eyes. SO to speak, and leaped to his feet
and in twinkling, it seemed Oike an in
cantation, Eastman said) Grand Avenue
was carnival OF light. and motion.
and music The broad board side
walks were crowded with promenadcrs;
smiling groups passed in and out Of the
drink saloons and gambling places; in
every quarter glasses clicked and dice rat
tied lis there another sound in the world
like that of shaking diceP; violins, flutes
and cornets sent out eager. inviting strains
of waltz and polka from Il score or more
establishments. and brass band was
playing patriotic airs in front Of the thea
ire. where. oddly enough. the crude NOR
ality of '.Ten Nights in u Bar-Room'' wss
about to he presented. with the full
strength of the company in the caste"
Everywhere. the cowboys made them
selves manifest. clad now in the solled and
dingy jeans of the trail. then a suit Of
many -buttoned corduroy. and again in afll-
uence of broadcloth. silk hat. gloves. cane,
| and sometimes clerical white necktic.
| And everywhere. also. stared and shonc
| the Lone Star of Texas-for the cowboy,
| where he may wander, and however he
may change. never forgets to be Texan,
and never spends his money or lends his
presence to concern that does not In
some way recognize the emblem of his
native State; so you will see in towns like
New Sharon general pandering TO this
| sentiment, and lone stars abound of
all sizes and hues. from the big disfig-
uring white one painted on the hotel-front
down to the little pink one stitched in silk
on the cowboys shilling handkerchief.
Barring these numerous stars. the rich
lights. and the music, we missed sights of
any special efforts to beguile or entrap
passers-by, perhaps because we were not
| looking for them; nor was there ior some
hours sound to reveal the spirit Of coiled
and utter vileness which the cheerful out
side so well belied. twas in main much
the kind of scene one would be apt to con-
lecture for an Oriental holiday. ,,
But the night sped on. the festivities
deepened. and the jovial aspect Of the pic
ture began to be touched and tainted with
a subtle. rebuking something, which grad
ually disclosed the passion, the crime, the
depravity. that really vivifed and swayed
it all, and made it Internal The saloons
became clamorous with profanity and
ribald songs and laughter. There were
no longer any promenaders on the side
walks, save once in u while n single
bleared and staggering fellow, with sdifIi-
Guilty in his clumsy lips over some such
thing AS ''Thc Girl Left Behind Me-
An inhamed and quivering ferceness
crept into the busy music. The lights
paled, flickered, and here and there went
out. Doors were stealthily closed, win
dow-shutters slammed to with angry
creaks. And at length, as we looked and
listened. the sharp, significant report Of a
pistol. with n shrek behind it. was borne
toward us from turbulent dancing hall
to certify its tale Of combat and probable
homicide, and to be succeeded by q close
but brief halt in the noisy quadrille--
presumably for the removal Of the victim.
l-Henry King IN Scribner.
| The bipOcst thing out is what the druU.