Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-03-16
THE DRuMMER'S COFFEE.
An Eastern Tenterfoot Taught Lesson In
Western Table Etiquette.

An Eastern TenderfOOt Taught a Lesson In
Western Table Etiquette.
1.-The character of the typical den
izen of the wild and lawless west, "
remarked Representative Mercer OF
Nebraska, sis not exactly gentle and
childlike, but if you only know how
to take it you're apt to escape with
your life.
1T comes back to my memory in
vivid colors as ! sit here and sip this
delicious cup of coffee that witness
ed q coffee drinking scene once upon
q time under somewhat different and
less emollient conditions ] struck
q frontier town late one night, ill.,
tending to do some business there
and go on the next day. 1t was
lone town and q rough town, con.
sisting of one main street, with about
Is scattered houses ana a population
which, according to report, was not
averse to giving shelter to horses
whose ownership was a matter of
speculation. l asked the agent at
tho railroad station to direct re f.
hotel. He pointed out n ] me
house in the pale moonlight, and |
made for it. Everybody was asleep,
but l pounded up tho landlord, and
no assigned mo to room adjoining
tho parlor and dining room combin
cd, separated only by curtain.
at was frightfully cold, and the
cracks in tho walls of tho hotel were
largo enough to enable ono to enjoy
an unobstructed view c. the town in
the moonlight, but there wero plen-
ty of buffalo robes and bearskins on
tie bed to keep warm, and 1piled
in among the fur.
Il couldn't 60 to sleep. Every
now and then somebody would fire
q six shooter and follow it up with a
shrill 'yip-yip-yip! that raised the
goose flesh on my body, About 3
o'clock a. m. tho shooting and yell
ing ceased, and ! went to sleep.
"What awoke me was q Conversa'
ton conducted in the dining room
between two mon with gruff voices
Iparted tho curtain Of my room and
saw two frontiersmen IN flannel
shirts, broad hats and high boots,
with revolvers slung to their belts,
discussing their breakfast at one end
of the dining room table, while a
we'll dressed stranger, apparently a
drummer, who probably drove into
town tho night before, was sitting
at the other end doing likewise.
While the two knights of the lariat
were talking together / saw the
drummer push his cup of coffee
away with q very sour face, as
though 1t was poison.
What's the matter, stranger?
asked one of the men. Don't ye
like that coffee:
"'Naw, said the drummer CURLY.
'Tain't fit to drink.
Bang went the crack OF revolv
er, and the cup was shattered int
. q dozen pieces. One of the men had
pulled his gun and without taking
aim had shattered the cup and
splashed the coffee every direction
1.-The drummer didn't stop to fin
ish his breakfast, but went out OF
the room in hurry, and wondered
what sort of breakfast l would get
| knew something about the ethic:
of western chivalry, however, ant
stepped into the raom laughing.
"'Whats tho matter with tina
fellow?' said, assuming to speak il
my merriest mood. Isn't the COTE,
good enough for him? Pshaw, h,
doesn't know good thing when i'll
set before him.
well, somehow, my style tool
with them, and we We're soon Oh
such good terms that they wante,
mo to GO out and take a drink will
them, but I excused myself and es
capped with my life "-Washingtol
Post.
New Insult offered the Cow.