The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-04-14
A PLUG HAT IN ARIZONA.
BY WILL vIsscHER.

Pisen Spider creek in Wyoming Ter ritory, and who is now sojourning in Chicago. "Jist few days ago think ing to myself that I'll do as the Romans does, whilst Pm h'ar in this Rome, or more like Babyl lon city, goes and buys me one of the latest style of plug hat. It war shiney as new tin cup, an' homely as I am, looked real booty under it. But blast if don't bleeve Pm a Judas CT Jonas, Case | hadn't had it on more'n two hours fore they came up "a spring showah. An bless yo' life I bleeye Pm glad of it. I didn't feel nateral under it, an every time 1 met feller that was latfin', thought as how he were laffin' at me and that ar hat An yit he mighta ben laffin' at show that he seed last night. An this sorter reminds me of little thing that tuck place one time when I war livin' in Arizony. Seth Smith was wun of the boys, am we had kinder collogued to- gether and 'lected him to the legis- later. When tell yer that Seth war one of the boys l mean it. He could snuff candle at forty rod with a double action Smith x Wesson; he could ride any broncho that you could git lariet on; when he bet agin' faro he piled lem up high as stack 'ud stand, an yaller chips at that he war morn an average drinker an alto- gether he war monstrous good fel- Ter, with heap of book larnin', Pm told. Fact is they tell me he war a graduate of some college down in Ferginny. Wal, Seth had ben havin' some booty hard times; good many prospects had petered out on him, an while he sorter purtended to practice law, there wasn't much buzness in that line, 'kase you see booty nigh every man wuz his own lawyer-him and his gun. So we 'lected him to the legislatur'. Jist about this time sort of drummer from Chicago come along thar with his trunk, an he had in it plug hat that he wore in salu- brious places. It war nice, new plug hat, and while Seth an me and some of the other boys war drinkin' in this 'ere drummer's room one night, the drummer tuck out his hat, he did, an' showed it aroun' among the boys. Hit fitted Seth like the cup of an acorn. Seth seemed to sorter take a fancy to it, an the drummer says: 'I'd feel mighty proud if you'd take that ar hat an' war it 10 the legislatur'.' Seth sez: Wal, I'll do it if it takes leg He wuZ goin' ter start next mornin' for Prescott-and this here, mind you, were in Tucson.
 We didn't go to bed that night, none of us, but we jist stayed up and drunk round town so as to be up in time for the mornin' train. Seth was got up regardless, and he had a good par of navies in his belt, and but toned over lem wuz one of these here Prince Albert coats.
 Us fellers seed him off and he went sailin'.
 "lt was only hundred and twenty miles across the prairie from Tucson to Prescott, as the crow flies, but to save time Seth had to go 'bout nine hundred. The kyars run up into New Mexico by the way of Deming. A little above thar they jined the Santa Fe, then up to Albuquerque, and from thar went west ag'in to little station, Pve forgot the name of, about forty or sixty miles north of Prescott, whar the legislators and common peo- pie tuck stage-coach and rid in that good old fashioned way down to the capital of the territory.
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 at tavern an soon as he got his sup per, materially huff, he strolled out amongst the boys. All of one side of the plaiza wuz gamblin' houses and saloons, and saloons an gamblin' houses. When Seth strolled into one of them places, materially huff the boys piped that plug hat. Hit war sich charm that they begun to throw dice to see which would have the first shot at it. We'll, you can sorter reckon that Seth war pipin' them at the same time. The boys got into sort of wrangle, and finally it war sort of agreed that three of lem shoot at it at once.
 "All this time Seth were stackin' 'em high-open on the nine and cop- perrin the queen. Suddenly Seth's plug hat war busted, but he reached back and he parted that Prince AL bert coat in the middle behind, he did, and fotch out navy in each hand, an Pm told that durin' the rainy season the roof of that teepee leaks monst'us bad. But there war heap of fun for morn a minnit, and they do say that the crowner of Prescott come mighty nigh gettin' sick next day. Seth had some trouble with hole in his left arm, but he come out all right and made big speeches in the legislatur'. He ordered new plug hat by tele- graph, that come quick as the trains could fetch it, an if you'll b'leeve me, he's a w'arin' that plug hat wit. Hit