The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-02
|HE COULD PLAY POOL.
A New Jersey Countryman Sur
prises q Very Fly New
York Boy.
He Looked and ACTED Rough but
He Gould Handle a Que
Like q Master.
He Came TO Town to Soil Peaches but
Before Dsing so He Gave Captain
Killilon a Story.

He was q tall, slim young man. says the
New York Sun, and as lie ambled up tho
ateps Of tho police headquarters building.
where Capt. Killilea was sitting several
nights ago, the big doorman smiled and
said: "~Countryman."
There could be no doubt about that. His
boots looked as though they had followed
. plow and his rough gray trousers, which
tapped over legs that were out OF drawing,
atopped short above tho ankles, as il tired.
He wore a narrow-brim felt hat of mo- par
tioular shape. His face was sunburned
md his lower jaw was dropped. After
clanoing curiously ut several men who were
sitting on the steps he caught sight OF tho
captains braid and said;
"Howd'y', boss?'
It had been q slow night at headquarters
and Capt. Killilsa was looking for amnse-
msnt.
s.Here's my card--commission mercnans.
Salem. N. D." continued the man.. land l
Jess came up to town to sell some peaches.
Tho crop is tol'bls this year, and kinder
thought I'd got a market here. You don't
know where Phil Sprague, OF WashinRtoA
market lives, do your" 4
Capt. killilea did not, and Mr.. sprague'a
house address was not in the directory.
The man from Salem fidgeted from one foot
to the other, and said ho guessed he'd nave
to stay in tho city until the next day to ind
him. ~ don't spose the folks'n worry 'em-
selves sick about me-" he said, but they
expected me-"
Then Capt. Killilea asked %anxiously
about the condition of business and the
crops about Salem. The commission mer-
chant was we'll informed. He caught sight
Of a poolroom across the street and inter
rupted the captain.
''Sa-a-y, how much Is IL q Gus over
there?"
Five csnts,'' said the captain.
Gee whiz! but that high. belong 70
the Garfield club in Salem, ana We onlY
charge a cent a cue. Pretty toPbls players
there, too ),
"What kind of u game do you play?"
"Pretty smart at times. | have raked q
table fora an aft Thought missing a ball.
dropped into GREEN'S place here fore com
ing up, and cleaned it out, They wouldn't
let me play long. / was too strong Ior en-.
This WAS said in a very Boosting way, and
every one laughed. One OF the best pool
players at headquarters . 3 sol nom msn w sns .
his game, and Tommy promptly invited
him to play pool. ,A,
s'Weli, Expose I've got to amuse myself
said the eountryrnan, and he accepted tne
challenge. Tommy invited all his friends
in to see the fur. The countryman &C.
lected his cue very carefully, and when tho
balls were put on the table every one III the
room was smiling in anticipation OF seeing
a game of Garfield club pool. Tommy
winked at his friends and broke tine bHlis
The Salem man in a few cariessiy-mad
shots pocketed six balls. and Tommy 90
4uuo Tina = ulen man CQDt0fGO the GAM
by getting two more balls. None Of MI
shots had been difficult, and Tommy en-
couraeed his friends by limiting that h'
was playing off a bit to test his man
The Salem man got around tne taDi
very %awkwardly in the next game anc
PLAYED eatelossly. Again he won easily
and Tommy changed his cue. IN thu
third game the Salem man made SOM
won erfnl shots, and when he had rocketet
eight balls Tommy had only three balls OF
his rack.
Tommy wrs getting nervous and nisse'
his first ball OH the fourth game. lhel
the Salem man started in and rnked tn
table in a way that surprised the old poo
players present. He banged the balls acros
the table, against the cushions, and bacl
himself IN his hurry to make difficult shots
When he had run eight balls Tommy pu
up his cue, saying that he wasn't feelin'
vefy strong. The Salem man cleared tn
table and then Tommy said:
SAY, young fellow. who are you, any
way?
.sI'm . dealer in peaches,' said the Gar
fsld club man.
Tommy muttered Ounce" and left tn
room.
''Anybody else want to pick mp a simpl
Jersey farmer at pool?' asked the Saler
mar. No one accepted the invitation, m.
he put up his cue and went down the street
Some OF the messenger boys at hendquar
tors think that the simple Jerseyman WIN
not What he seemed. They even hin
that Can't. Killilea put up q job on tn
boys. Capt. Killilea smiles at this him
and says, Jersey peach-dealers are curiou
people,"