The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-28

Several gentlemen in the smoker were
telling how they had sworn off from
certain things the other day. 81 have
sworn off in the matter of wet pool, "
said travelling man.
"And what is wet pool?" the student
with the bang and a chaperon was heard
to inquire.
at is pool at the end of each game of
which," said the bagman, as we call
them in England, ''the loser has to stand
the grog."
"And what made you swear Off" came
the birdlike voice of the boy with the
noiseless bang.
"Well, last Thanksgiving was sort
Of practicing with the pool balls when a
tall, thin man strolled up to the table
and asked if I'd like to play. / said
yes, and we played one game, which
was on him, and he drummed on the
floor with the butt of his cue and asked
me what it would be. told him, and
we had the order filled. So it went on
till we had played twenty-seven games
wet pool. l did not sell any more
goods that week, and when l got ready
to go at it again found out at the hotel
Office that my tall, thin adversary had
been three days in his grave.
When play now it is for the natural
exhilaration of the game, and the most
arid pool there is is the pool l prefer"
Il have sworn off from drinking in
drug store any more" said large, pow
erful man, who handles millinery goods
on the kerosene circuit in Kansas. Il
have to make Kansas twice a year, and
you know of course that there the pre-
scription business runs largely to vini
galici, tonics and the frumenti side of the
pharmacopoeia. One evening we gath
cred in the back room of drug store,
three of us-Ellis, who handles overalls;
Bascom, selling grain elevators and
union depots by sample, carrying three
trunks with street numbers on them in
stead Of names, and myself. We took
port wine three times around. Iskipped
the last round, because l had promised
my wife before left home that would
not touch liquor of any kind-unless l
wanted to very much indeed.
Ellis went home with me and Bas-
com went to another hotel at the station.
Ellis snored so in his sleep that l tried
to wake him up, but couldn't, so got
mad and emptied the ice water all over
his head. Then | poured the contents
of the big pitcher on him and got him
on his feet. l gave him everything
had in my valise, including package of
common baking soda and mustard
plaster that was a Christmas present
from my wife. Just as l got him so
that | could walk him around the room
and knew that he had given me a gen.
eral idea of what his diet had been for
day or two, there was big racket In
the hall and a pounding on the door. A
big doctor rushed in, and with him
sobbing drug clerk. The doctor rum
mayed around among Ellis vitals with
a stomach pump, and finding that, bar
ring a few fOllicles and the everyday
coat Of his stomach, he was pretty
empty, he got his breath and told Us
that Bascom was dead and il Ellis got
through it would be due to my wonder
full foresight. sor the clerk had given Us
laudanum the last round by mistake
SO get along now without a preScT7p
ton IN Kansas. and hope TO die a naeu-
raj death, greatly beloved and mourned
by all who know me, casting 4 great big
gloom over our quiet little community
and generally mourne1 on account Of
my charming qualities both Of mind
and heart. Eastern papers please copy.
Then the conversation gradually drift
ed into other channels. and a man who
handles truSses for the northwest got Il
talking about hunting de could shoot
with uiferritIg accuracy he said. and
loved dearly toaehoot ali kinds Of large