, 1890-01-25
HE ATE THE HASH.
A West Tennesseean Persuades n Dude
Drummer to Eat Supper.

A West Tennesseean Persuades a Dude
to Eat Supper.
Speaking of hash,n said the drum
mer, helping himself beautifully and
hitching his napkin above his ample
vest, reminds me of an incident saw
in West Tennessee. Ihave made a good
many trips in those parts and always
have some rich experiences.
The first time | went TO n, the
train slowed up at the station Just
about dark, and | was hungry as a
hunter. | looked out obviously on the
two or three dim lights twinkling
among the trees on either side the
track.
Looks like a POI shoin' fur a nun.
CRY man out there, said the porter, as
handed him his quarter.
That's what, said |, as | stepped
down and the train pulled out.
Hotel, bossI' said a voice on the
platform beside me.
Yes, Stree, l answered as a negro
boy held out his hand for my grip. 4
want a good un, and | want it quick
Yes. sir, jess dis way, sir said the
negro.
II stumbled on after the boy, stump.
ing my toes over every root and stump
in the road, and finally came TO a lit
tie, new, whitewasled house inside a
yard, whose gateway was empty.
One genlman, said the negro to
the man who came out on the little
porch as we stepped up.
'HungryF said the man giving a
jerk to his s%uspenders and jamming
his hands in his breeches pockets.
las the mischief | answered.
We'll, jess keep er walkin' an
yerll strike the dinin' ROOM
Supper was on the table and smok-
ing hot. | think | ate about a quart
of hash and a peck of biscuits. The
old man eyed me pretty closely. He
vas a good eater, but l phased him.
He got through, leant his coatless ell
bows upon the table and watched me.
Plague take the drummer, he said
after awhile, 4 b'ieve he'll eat up all
the butter. Joe, move the plate
Il calmly helped myself to the last
quarter of a pound of butter and
moved the empty plate across to the
trimming negro, who was both porter
and waiter.
After that visit the old fellow and l
were side partners. With a little sub
stantial urging | used to induce him to
kill game for me. He was a famous
hunter, and told me wonderful tales
about his exploits with ole meat-in-
the-pot, as he called his gun, which
hung upon two pegs over the fireplace
IN the dining room.
As | got elf the train one night a
youugfellow got out of another coach
and came up to me on the platform,
He was Il little bit of Il fellow, diked
out in a tweed suit, wearing a crush
hat and a pair of eyeglasses, and car
rylng u brand new grip. l sized his
pile at once. He was "A dude, a green
horn drummer, on his first trip out.
g" Sag, can you tell a man where to
find a hotel in this God forsaken
placer lie said.
Just keep your eye ON me and
follow our nose | answered.
The old man was expecting me,
and had a stewed squirrel ready for
my supper. The dude watched me as
| helped myself to some.
Paid extry fer it." said the old
man, eying him. Hep yerse'f ter
the hash that's public property
=" Thanks, awfully,' said the dude;
but never eat hash away from home.
One wants to know the prehistoric ex-
istence of hash,' lie added, with a
laugh.
Don't eat hash, chr said the old
man, Strengthening himself up.
Not much, said the dude. I sup
pose you've heard that you can take a
horse to water, but you cannot make
him drink
Don't eat hasn't Gimme ole meat
in-the-pot, Joe, an we'll flavor the
hash to his TASTE
The fellow turned white around
the gills AS the old man took the gun
and cooked it.
He looked at me helplessly, but 1
only helped myself to the last morsel
of squirrel and said nothing.
"'He'pyerse'f to the hash, stranger
said the old man, pushing the dish
across the table with the rifle.
"Nuf said; he ate hash. "-Philadel-
phia Times.