The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-01-23
TESTING A TALkER.
Every Man Is Not Ready to Back His
Own Opinion.

Every Man Is Not Ready to Back His
Own Opinion.
Well down toward the front end OF
the smokingcar sat four or five men
and one OF them was CAB. Not only
That, but he was positive man--an
aggressive mana decided man. He
was free with his opinions and beliefs
and one listening to him got the idea
that he was the sort of man who be-
lieved he was dead-right and was will
ing to put up his cash in defense of his
opinion. Opposite me sat drummer
for Cincinnati house and, as l saw
him looking over the top of his paper
and apparently trying to size the man
up, / observed:
Don't you like to meet with posi-
tive man?"
positive -" he blurted out. 81
can make him take water in five min
utes.'
"WelI, don't know about that
''Then I'll show you. Lend me your
handkerchief, please. Now, if you
will trust me, let me take what small
bills you have"
I10 tOOh nlS anu AAihO
and made a 'wad" Around it he
wrapped about $40 in greenbacks, max
ing a roll of Doodle which he could
hardly put in his pocket. Then he nod
ded to me and we went forward and af-
ter minute he said to the man of CAB:
81 have little wager with my friend
here. How many times did Abraham
lincoln Servo nrpSldenfcb
"Two of course" was the reply.
''Are you positive?"
Certainly am"
Didn't he serve three?"
''No, sir. What's the matter with
you?''
'The matter is, I think he served
three terms and am willing to bet on
it. Come, now, how much have you
got that says he only served two terms?"
How much? Why, man, I'll bet
you hundred to one.'
Put 'er right up" said the drummer,
as he pulled out his roll 81 don't want
no such odds as that, just say two or
three to one.
II don't want to rob YOU" replied
the man of CAB with his hand in his
pocket.
Put 'er up! Here's one thousand
dollars to two thousand dollars that
says you're dead wrong.'
"rll-rll take you even for five
hundred dollars
''Put 'er up! Money talks howled
the drummer 81 say three terms and
here's the long green,'
"Why, man, we all know that -"
Eve don't either! You say two terms
and 1 say three. l offered you even
money, but I'll do better. Here's one
thousand dollars to five hundred dol
lars Select your own stakeholder.
sit doesn't seem as if could be mis-
taken" unused the positive man.
Put up, l say!" shouted the drum
mer. as he waived his Doodle in the air.
"I'u go you one thousand dollars to
two hundred and fifty dollars that he
served three terms"
"Well, it may be possible, of course
but I'm so sure of it that -"
Then put up. Here's one thousand
dollars to two hundred"
Il guess won't bet We are all liza,
BILE to be mistaken, you know, and per-
haps it was three terms"
The drummer and walked back and
sat down and lighted fresh cigars, and
as he returned me my property he
said:
You see, you don't want to size a
man up too quickly. There are pos
itive men and there are men of CAB;
there are aggressive men and there are
men OF brag. When you can't tell the
difference try my way. When You
shake big roll at man one OF two
things will happen-if he's a positive
man down comes his cash; Il he's only
a windmill on legs he'll crawfsh. /
could have bluffed that chap over a
stone wall with ten-dollar bilL-De-
troit Free Press