The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-20
TOMS REVOLVER.

common IOuE-OulCc x lass UOiIlo w ulCI
occupied conspicuous place on the
corner what mot; further honored by {
worsted mat under it and a small bou
quet of dried grasses stuck into it
mouth.
Eyes, that's mothers whim-she vii
have it there" said the oldest daugh
ter. who was a teacher, now home fol
the long summer vacation, during which
time two or three of us-city resident:
were fortunate enough to find &C
commodations as bOarders.
Ihad taken up and was examining
the bottle, with view to finding ou
if it had about it any unseen beauties
or virtues which might seem to entitle
it to such distinction. But not was
surely nothing more than Just such s
one as might be served to YOU at any
drug store, filled with anything in the
drug line, from unpretending camphor
to the most carefully elaborated pre-
scription.
''She calls it Toms revolver" re.
marked another member of the family
whereupon | set it down with sudden
ness which made Tom laugh.
80, there isn't anything about il
7aow!r he said. I've told mother lots
of times I'd spend every cent I've got,
and buy her the handsomest vase down
to Pineville, ifshe'd let me smash that
old bottle against the stone wall, but
she won't"
Tell me what there has been about
it" | urged "There's a story, isn't
there?"
Tom was a big boy-jHst at the
''gawky age" his sister had confiden-
TALLY informed me-but was neither
uncouth nor ill-mannered, as too many
farmers boys think it the thing to be
at that rather indefinite period of life.
So, without more than a reasonable
amount of coaxing and encouraging
from the others, and the modest dis,
chalmers proper from a boy who figures
as his own hero in his own story, Tom
began:
at was in early SPRING
Eyes, indeed" broke in his mother,
with a shake of the head. 'EThree DAYS
after that dreadful fall father had from
the hay-loft. Such a sight as his arm
/ never did see! SWOte1"-
Friday, the twenty-eighth day OF
last March, four year" put in father.
And the DOCTOR" went on Tom,
had been here and left prescriptions fol-
something father'd got to have just as
quick as we could get 'em. And he
thought doctor-that if we could
get over to Pineville it would be better
for they didn't have very fresh drug;
down here at the Corners.
80 made up my mind I'd 60 over
the hills-it saves nearly half the way
only four miles going and four back
I'd have to walk, but 1 didn't minC
that, for knew it would be about a:
hard to 90 round on horseback, fol
there'd been a thaw, and the lower
roads were SO slumpy folks could hardly
get through at all.
Il hadn't got more than halfway
over when L met Squire Plummer
hunting all round, and says he to me:
Tom, I've lost Old Blacky, sure,
you liver
And says L:
81 want to know, Squirrel
''And says he:
"'Yes, indeed, Tom. She's beer
gone three days. She's the best cow
had-blooded Stock-cOst me sight o
money, and I'm offering three dollar!
to any One'll find her.
Il told him couldn't 90 out of my
way on account of father, but I'd keeI
a sharp lookout wherever did go; anC
you'd better believe l did, for I'd a
been glad enough to get that mucE
money for so little work. But l 90
into town without seeing anything O
her. L sat down by the drugman'l
counter to rest q bit while he was put
ting up the stuff, thinking how II
change my route going back, anC
p'raps I'd strike her yet.
The man brought two bottles anC
set one down while he was wrapping VI
the other. took it up and took Iou
the cork.
Take care there he says; don
you smell thatr
'''Why not?' says |.
You'd be sorry if you did, said he
,'Twould knock you down quicker
YOU was shot
''He went on to tell me it was mos
awfully strong kind of ammonia tina
was used for drawing blisters. WoulC
do it in less time than you'd take to tel
about it most.
''Then L asked him if it was any XIII
TO smelling salts. and told him how II
got hold of mothers smelling salts il
church, unbeknown to her, long ago
when | was a little shaver, and haC
taken the biggest kind of sniff, because
it was the first chance I'd ever had q
it, and I'd thought it something gooC
they'd been keeping from me. AnC
how I'd kicked and screeched and hol
Tered, and how mother'd had to hau
me out of church and use up no end o
lemon-drOps and ginger cookies to bring
me to.
$50 the drug-man laughed, and
says the stuff in the bottle was some
thing of the same sort, only they
weren't to be mentioned in the same
day for strongness-or, if you made
any comparison at all, it would be t.
compare the smelling-salts to the small
est mite of a baby, and that ammonis
to its big Goliath of great-great-
grandfather.
i didn't smell it, but started fol
home with Old Blacky and father on
my mind-Old Blacky, to see if ]
couldn't find her and get that three
dollars, and father, because wanted
TO get back as quick SIS 1 could.
1T seemed rougher going back over
the hills than it had coming-I sup
pose because 1 was little tired. Some.
times the way was through pastured
lots; but mostly it was over fellow
ground, bushy and stumpy, and plenty
OF rocks, but not many trees. There
wasn't any roadway.