, 1891-05-24
sToRIEs I1 A sMohrR.
How II Party Was Entertained On a
Short Railroad Trip.

speaker was a TOugh aud ready looking
man, with a rather breezy fraukness 10
his manner aud a curve 10 bis jaw which
showed that he nigh prove a rather uu-
pleasant subject to wake VI Il had
lust finished II contract 10 Boston and
had reached New York with a very big
wRd OF greenbacks il my clothes. As |
expected to start for the West that even
ing ! strolled out l~cisurely trying to GIL
in the time by seeing the sights. | hadn't
gone very far before | was accosted by a
rather respectable looking man who said
to me, How do you do Mr.. Jones, how's
MS. Jones and the children OF course
l dropped to him at once because I'd Of
ten seen the game ATTEMPTED in the West.
| thought hero was q chance to have a lit
tie fun so | told the fellow he was mis-
taken, that my name really was James
Brown, my home vas Denver and in fact
gave him quite Il little history of myself
He left me with many apologies and. as |
expected. in the middle of the next block
| was again accosted by another man who
addressed me as Mr.. Brown and made
several inquiries regarding his friends in
Denver He said he was a nephew Of
Dave Moffatt and had came East to
buy machinery for a mining ven
ture. He said he had lust
concluded his labors and would 20 West
in a few DAYS. | proved a very easy sub
ject for hun and we walked along for
some time. We finally stopped in front
OF what seemed 10 be a restaurant, but in
reality proved to be a dummy Feeling
my gun safely lodged ID my hip pocket
| entered without any hesitation. In
front was a cigar stand IN the rear Of it
tables were set as though in an ordinary
restaurant. There was no outlet in the
rear. We sat down at a table chatting
quietly, with my back to the wall 10 as
to be safe from hat side. Pretty soon a
man dressed like a farmer and with the
accent Of a Missorian entered. He
called for some oysters but was told that
they were out Of oysters. He said he
didn't care much anyhow and soon enter
ed into conversation with US. Somehow
the other two got to betting. / declined
several times to enter into II. Then the
pretended Missourian began to taunt me.
| suddenly got up and covered them with
my our Now, you're a fine lot Of
suckers aren't you2 Why | come IRON
the country where the bunco game
originated. | don't think you fellows
can do up one of Dave Cooks men in
such a fimsv game as this. so now
march Three of them marched meekly
to the front entrance and when a police
man came along | turned them over to
him. They were sent up sfrerward,
My experience was not quite as pleas.
ant, remarked another member of the
party. Il was then quite a young man
though had seen something Of life. |
took a trip to Washington with a cousin
who had never been off a farm. | left
him at the hotel ono day and when | re-
turned found him in conversation with a
PAIR Of engaging strangers ! sent him
back 10 the hotel and got into converse
ton with them myself Finally we started
down town together, They asked if
| cared Tor ioa cream. | told them 1
didn't object to a reasonable amount. We
dropped in for some aud sat At a little
round table. As | sat down threw
back the lapel OF my coat and uncons.
ciously exposed the top Of a long Rus
sian leather pocket book containing all
the money 1 had with me. A moment
later the man opposite me reached across
the table and deliberately snatched the
pocketboOk. For a moment was
stunned but the next the blood lingled
through me clear to the toes. Quick as
thought | grabbed up the common
wooden chair on which | was sit
ting aud swinging it over my head
| dealt the thief a blow that sent him to
the floor like a fellcd OK. | didn't wait a
minute. | simply flow out the back way,
rushed iranticAlly to the hotel, got my
cousin and made for the depot. Forum.
atelY we had ouI railroad tickets. Tho
sight of a policeman sent a cod chill
through me. | expected every moment
TO be arrested for murder. When the
train finally pulled out | was the happiest
man in Washington. We got to PhilA.
delphia safely, put up at a hotel and then
telegrnphed our delegate in congress. it
was the late w. w. Corlett, Tor 500
1t was some time afterward hat | ex
planned to him the circumstances, and to
say we both laughed over the adventure
expresses 1t very mildly"
II had a little adventure with a burg.
lar once. said a mau in the corner of the
car, and IdwAys think Of It with a good
deal OF pleasure. IL was in midsummer
aud my family was out of town. | was
having the rear part of the house altered
so that the only room that wasn't torn up
was the one | slept in. | usually slept
with the window up a little ways, held
there bya catch which was just out ofrcach
from the outside. BY my bedside was a
little table and on 1t | always placed my
revolver. A little spaniel slept on h rug
near by. Sometime during one very
bright moonlight night the dog jumped on
to the bed and placed his paws on my
brea t. He never made a sound but |
was wide awake IN an instant. The win.
dow was directly opposite aud | could see