The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-09-24

no weapon. opened my door 70 the
ha.. where the light had gone out
leaving 1t as black as my midnight
walk was and CROPPED my way down
the stairs to assist the person in
danger
At about the middle Of the staircase
| ran against a man coming up.
We had each other by the threats in
an instant. and after short life or
death struggle we both. still trying to
strange each other. fell and rolled.
locked together. to the bottom. There
in the darkness we fought and choked
and only stopped when my sister
bravely opened the parlor door and let
the lighted gas illuminate the combat.
Lucky indeed it was for all con-
cerned that she did SO, for had she de-
layed much longer my poor brother-in-
law. on whom was sitting and pound
ing. would have been seriously dam
aged.
The servant girl. ii afterwards turned
out. had an attack of nightmare and
her screams had made the trouble.
Here again was case where re-
have caused irreparable disaster.
In my mind comes one instance after
another Of the woe, that happen by
owning handy pistols.
A little boy know found his fathers
revolver carclessly left in bureau
drawer. Before he finished playing
with it he shot and killed his smaller
brother
A friend fearing burglars was in the
habit Of sleeping with pistol under his
pillow.
One night while in vivid. half
awake nightmare, caused by keeping a
pistol and thereby dreaming of burg
lars. he fired at some one moving across
his daraened bed chamber 1t was his
bride, and she died in his arms.
4 neighbor had an alteration with
his hired man. stung by his inso-
lence he left the stable. went in his
house. got his pistol and returned to
enforce his commands. In his fit of
passion he murdered the man, and
though lie escaped hanging he lost his
reason.
Another neighbor left his revolver
under his pillow one day. His daughter
on making up the bed tossed the pistol
on the floor. where it exploded and
MANNED her for life.
| knew of several men who carried
revolvers for security against ilnagin-
AIRY dangers aud shot no one but them
selves.
Then again ] know OF more who
h.,,- 1,,l ~
pockets and slept with them under
their heads for years without ever once
having occasion to use them and never
will.
| consider those people as very uE-
safe and undesirable folks to be near.
and sincerely pity their families who
are always in danger.
Long ago discarded the pistol i'm.
agined was SO necessary for the preser~
walton of my life and in consequence
live without the slightest thought of
burglars and have peace of mind sleep
ing or waking.
The average pistol-carrying man is
not only liable To kill his family. his
friends or himself but is in actual dan
ger of being shot by rogues who, at his
first movement toward his pistol
pocket" will shoot him down in their
'self-defense" and not be hung for it
either.
And where there is single case of
revolver being protection to its
owner there are thousands where it
has proved just the opposite.
When woman can alone go around
the world in perfect safety a man GER
tainly need not be afraid.
In fact only coward in these civil
lied times will 60 arm ed, although. we
must confess, that man must have
courage to have about a
weapon almost sure to hurt him sooner
Or later.
The old farmer who fixed gun in
his chicken house SO when the door
was opened it would shoot the chicken
thief found that out. For he forgot
the gun was there when he went after
the eggs in the morning.
May his fate and the fate of others
have mentioned make men sensible
enough to rely only on their fists. A
pistol is danger and a nuisance and
of no use at all. ''Shoot it, before il
sho OTIS you'll. c. Dodge, in Goodall's