Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1885-04-18
PRESENCE OF MIND.

though apparently cool an" selt-posts-
sed know lust what TO do In An emers-
encv. 1t is good thing to have an
.c,;ve mind, we'll stored with useful
know ,cdeu. bnt some,lmts it is better TO
have less expansive sty'e OF mind ana
have it calm and unraflled at time
wien it Is needed
A friend of mine once pnt large req
poker-chip in the church plate by ms
take. Few people would have known
what TO do: bat he just wen, to the pas
tor alter the services were over an"
said that he had tue money with WHICH
e. re!sem that chip. He told the min-
lister that the chip was worth i've dollars
un town. and he would cash ir at that
price. The preacher took the five dollars
and said he always knew that these little
red souvenirs came high. but he didn't
know they were so expensive as that.
Another friend of NINE, who had no
presence of mind whatever. went to a
picnic, and, by mistake sat down on
baoy that was asleep under shawl in the
shade of an outrageous tree, breaking
,ts uose-the childs nose, I mean. lie
was candidate for the Legislature, and
did not wish to offend the mother or
lose the vote of the father, 80 he tried 10
turn the thing off as Il joke 10y saying he
didn't nose il was there.
He was terribly showed under at the
polls, and he deserved it. too.
lam rather cool In great emergency.
Some years ago there was shoting a.
fray in front of my office which terminal :
ed fatally, and no doubt it would have
been more so If it had not been for my
cool self possession and undaunted.courage.
The city editor, Mr.. Barrow, was just
reading me column puff in type OF a
new bank, and l was carefully revising
his grammer with large mallet and CHS
ell. when we herd shot in front OF the
office.
I said: ''Barrow, that's q shot" He
said he guessed not. and went on reading
the puff.
Pretty soon some one said "Bang"
again, in loud tone of voice and about
forty four calibre. Then every body
jumped for the stairs, printers and all.
saw that could not get down the stairs
In time to get shot, SO rushed out on
the balcony, and found myself directly
over the shootists. Windy Smith was
underneath, and had no weapon. while
a gambler was on top, armed with a
beautiful pearl handled, self-cocking
Smith & Wesson baritone soloist, worth
about twenty-three dollars, including
freight.
There was crowd of perhaps one huns
dred men standing around near by. Not
too near, but just near enough. No one
seemed to know what it was best to do.
Every one saw at once that it wasn't
right for those men to be shooting at
each other, aud, perhaps giving needless
pain, bat no one seemed to have any pres
ence of mind. That was the state OF
things when came proudly fourth upon
the balcony. saw what must be done.
"Gentlemen," said I, in tones that rang
out Ikea bugle call, take that mans gun
away. Cant yon see that il you don't
dlsarm the gambler he is going to kill
some One2"
Then there was slight pause, during
which everybody seemed to be perfectly
willing that the gambler should be dis
armed. Finally, seeing that each man
seemed 10 be waiting for the other, l
called to u tall, slim man who stood right
under me, and told him to take away the
gamblers revolver, but he said "No," he
was only visiting the town, and the gam :
bier was total stranger to him. He
wasn't acquainted with any one, and
didn't want to seem Officious.
But + didn't lose my self,controle.
kept calling on different ones to disarm
the gambler, until finally Baswell, the
sheriff, came along, aud he did as sug-
gested.
| Of course, Smith died of his wounds
but remember the thousands of other lives
| in the town that were saved by this cool
brave act; and still would do 1t right
over again If the circumstances we're thu
Same.
ssme of my friends say that, though
brave, am little rash. One dear friend
who knows me best, and who is very
closely related to me by marriage. ssy'