The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-04-04
The "Mum" Soclab1e.

man, Win ms nose skinned, MS eyes
blackened, and his white necktie around
under his ear, and one tail of his dress
coat torn off, as he came into west side
saloon.
whats the matter with you?n said
the bartender, looking ugly at him.
"Do you suppose I'm going to lend you
a revolver to kill somebody, and then be
arrested for being an accessory? Not
much! But what's the matter? You
look as though you came out Of a win
dow. Was anything the matter with
the door?n
The young man took q wet towel and
sopped the blood off his nose, and then
said:
"You look like man that can be
trusted, and whose advice would be safe
to follow in an emergency, and | Will
tell you about this murder | contemp
late, and maybe you can give me some
points, as YOU have no doubt murdered
many people. The trouble is right here
Our lodge is to give a mum sociable
this evening. You know what a mum
social is. Young people go to a house
and sit around all the evening and keep
their mouths shut, and never say word
till signal is given; then they all make
up for lost time and talk for all that is
out. Is my nose bleeding yet? Thanks.)
They wanted me to go, and [ just came
from there. That is [ came from the
house next door. You see, | went to
the wrong house and rang the bell. A
man in his shirt sleeves came to the
door and said Good evening" but [
wasn't going to be caught speaking, be-
cause you have to pay forfeit if you
speak. So just walked right in and
pulled off my overcoat and hung it up,
and hung my hat on the hat rack. The
man looked little bit annoyed, but he
asked me if the weather was not soften
ing up little. | smiled, but didn't say
anything, and [ walked into the sitting
room. / thought I was the first one
there, and / felt very awkward. The
man watched me very closely, and fin
ally he said [ had the advantage of him;
and I smiled again, but didn't say any
thing. Now, that think OF it, [ noticed
that he unbottoned his sleeves and be-
gan to roll them up. He asked me to
what circumstances he was indebted for
the honor of this visit, and [ thought he
was trying to get me OF my guard, SO L
smiled one Of my best two-lor-a-quarter
smiles, and looked at him as much as to
say: You can't play any Of your games
on the undersigned. The man came up
behind me and Kissed in my ear: What
is your little game, anyway" Well, [
wasn't going to speak, and give myself
away, so looked at him sort of impu-
dent. as much as to say: 'Oh, GO and
chase yourself around your feet and
then / thought lightning had struck me.
He took me by the throat by one hand
and by the vicinity of the coat tail with
the other hand, and he choked me 50
my tongue ran out; and his wife
sci canned, and said: Don't kill him.
and the man hustled me out into the
hall, and opened the front door, and he
picked me up bodily and threw me out
into a snoWbank five feet deep. | strug-
gled little going out Of the door, and
ran my nose against the decreasing, and
I guess he forgot to let go Of my coat
tail when I went out. [ struck head
fist in the snow, and before | could dig
nv head out the door closed, and could
not explain my conduct to the man. L
was so mad [ could not have explained,
anyway. Just as | got out OF the snow
bank and shook myself the door opened
and the man threw out my overcoat, and
hat, and overshoes, and then told his
wife to hurry up with the shot gun, and
he would take me on the fly as | went
| over the fence. Well, [ didn't wait for
no shotgun, OUT graDDeu Nly coaI aHu
things, and came down the street on a
gallop. | met lot of the young people
going up, and as I turned the corner |
saw them going into the next house to
! the one that / visited, and that was the
| first knew Of my mistake. Now, what
| want is for you to tell me whether |
| had better shoot that man or kill him
with club I was raised in the south,
| and nv warm southern blood will not
stand any such treatment.
/ Tho intarinr of the arch on which the