The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-04
A TRUE TALE.
A Drummer Who Exhibited mis- Wares
to Two Inquisitive Ladies.


all those people who ere eternally harp
ing on the wickedGess of .drummers'
will read and reflect on. We have met
hundreds o. people, who, if you tell them
8. certain Iman-say strangers q
Drummer, will hold up their hands in
their horror and declare that there can
be nothing good about him. In other
words, no matter how much of a gentle
man lie may be, the mere fact of his be.
ing drummer damns him forever.
4 little fact has come under our OBJ
ser7ation that shows what foolishness ii
is 10 Judge man by hi; looks.
The other day we were on the Chicago
& Eastern Illinois road starting on a
shooting trip. Just in front of US wero
two women-we won't call them ladies,
for they were of the stripe of women
who are regular fanatics and ALWAYS
know more than anybody elsa, especial
ly about other peoples business. With
them was poor, hen-peckea looking
man, who was probably the husband Of
one of them. At station there got on
the car nice looking man WIFI large
fat valise in each hand. He was well
dressed, wore a duSter, and had q good,
honest face. He had a sandy beard and
light hair, and his face was horid, as is
always the case with men Of his style.
Re nodded his head in our direction and
sat quietly down in one CT the front
seats, and commenced reading the
paper.
Cd
Did you see that nasty drummer GIT
on?' said number one.
Yes, said number two Il list de-
spise them. They 90 around like Il pack
of wolves and they do aQythine that's
mean and low; wouldp | trust one of
EN- minute"
How do you know l.c is a drum
mer?" meekly interposel ahe hen-pecked
husband
Know? How do l kt.Ow?" said num-
Der one. why, can telI EN- as fur
as l can see EN-. Them things they
call grip-sacks give EN- away This
fellow has got two. I guess he's got a
lot of samples in one and big whisky
bottle, and a pack of cards, and whole
lot of letters from girls ali over the
country in the other one. o, pity his
poor wife.
How do you know he's marriedpn
ventured the husband.
know! Why them fellers have got
wives all over the country. They list
bewitch these innocent girls and marry
EN-, and then 90 off on trips and leaves
EN-, but they generally have one poor
20 1a+ al,
where, and the poor thing has to sup
port 'em all, while the drummer is CAD
din round the country playin' cards"
Yes" said number two. You're
iist fright; they oughter all be in the
They're a depraved set.
Now, just look at that fellows face. |
See how red it is? I'll bet he drinks a |
quart of whisky every day. l never
seen anything so red in my life. Now,
just know he's got big flask in each |
If them sample cases. And did you
zee the check he had to bow to us when
re came in, and here we never saw him
before; the cheeky wretch"
Now, we happened to know the gen
!eman, and knew his business, and we
hought it a good chance to put in our
'ar, especially as we knew it was to us
lie nodded and probably never noticed
he virtuouS females at all, so putting
m sweet smile, we leaned forward
md said:
Ladies', l see you know something of
he world. Drummers are hard set,
rent they?"
They looked at us moment, and then
aid: Yes, sir, hope you don't as
ociate with them"
20, no, madam, not for the world.
live down in Evansville. and down
here the people won't walk on the
anne side of the street with them at
II. (HOw was this for gall from a
Glow that went on the road when ONLY
eyenteer, and drummed ten years?)
''Well, I'm glad they treat EN- as
hey deserve down in Evansville. Do
on know that whisky faced fellcr up in .
'ont?n
Never saw him before" said we, ;
18th q truthful air; ''but I'd just like to
lay trick on him and make him show
lose whisky bottles he's got in his
lliseS."
20, wouldn't that be nice" said one; {
now could you do it?"
You Just leave it to mo-" we went !
4. III rope him back here, and tell !
i'm that two ladies are very much inter-
'ted in him, and it will be Just like his I
leek to come back and open his yaIises
nd show YOU a lot Of letters from girls
st to show you what masher he is.
80, how meet they cried, clapping
eir hands with glee. You get him
,ck."
We went forward and simply said to
e alleged drummer: Henson. there
e two nice Christian ladies back there :
no wan! to look at your samples. l
ink they can help you along"
Henson threw down his paper and
'abbed his valiSeS, and came back. 2
e threw back seat and while opening
e valise said:
Ladies', l thank you for sending for C
e. | am minister at Milford, and of =
Itse l don't get much salary, and d
Iring my summer vacation l try to s.
axe little money for my wife and
bies by working on commission for
e American Bible Society; now. do g
II see any of these that YOU ike?' a
ID he tirew open both valises COM
etely filled with copies of the Bible. s
1m the cheapest up to the nicely
und ones that are usually kept on P
inter- tables.
What the women said we don't know;
, lit out for another car; we didn't .,
INT to be snatcaei bald-heaT-d, but =
, had kind of sweet feeling that u
, had shown those vinegar-faced :