The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-29
A Grim
Experience.
ny HANLIy GARLAND.

-onvr,ghted, 1895. by Irving Bachelor.
havs beer in mogt states Of the Union,
"a -rv friend and IN all the larger cities
go and South. az all times OF the day
:. rizl,t. and I've only had two moments
= fsar-that Is. apprehension of personal
assault
~-snh tn this mornings paper. I was on a
,...srsnc tour in the West and was spend
- ar "os night" FL A little town IN
ss.,sern Iowa There was no possibility
- -st,irx away until the next morning
- ,hsre was only one little hotel. still.
-. not complaining. u was glorious
e..o7ober. The smell Of ripenlng corn,
s,ssesIpg stubble and following vines
.sslrued the little village in its depths ~
- odor OF the sea closes round and over
sship.
.so-ors. and the night came cool and clear
- arornaffc. To the north lay the grain
s.lss. 10 the south ripening forests stood.
80 swift, clear little stream moved
bBsily.
was eyed with a certain suspicion. IL
.ss-aed 10 me- went out into the street.
rs5eh ran Irreguiariy away into the per-
a.. Harknes OF moouless night
sauutere6 with lettering step. enjoying
..a quaint. abrupt turns in the street, so
ss~srert from most towns Of the plain. IL
segaurnodated itself 20 the river. whose
S.xbInv roar below added 70 my thirst. and
watermaIon seemed the necessity OF my
Nfa
suddenly man appeared al my side.
.tndIed him through tho dusk with eyes of
s,culry. he was a heavy set man. dark
sasea and gleaming-eyed. He wore n wide
-sgte hat. and as ne spoke his breath
ssneled strongly % whisky
aTFeuo~ he said and pce-ed into my
,aee. laughing IN embarrassment Tia,
IA. la. Nice evenin'. amt it2'
syery pleasant, surely" j replica. His
eyes seemed fixed upon small silver
hsdse "a club badge which wore. He
,eok hold Of my lapel and laughed again
In stln more nervous way.
sstrolln' around little, stranger"
He seemed 20 have taken me for some
,aav else. and now wished 20 gracefully
retire To help him out j said pleasantly:
nYes. I'm looking Tor a good watermelon"
he laughed a third time more foolishly
than before.
"A watermelon"
syeg. | feel like nice juicy nlelon--a
native one. suppose they raise EN-
around hereT
NO We ship 'cnl all IT." he said. hast
nv sBut now I've accostsd you. by mis-
tskr. I'll ses you through. Come with
mr."
The fellows laugh turned TO something
harder and | did not exactly relish his
effIrtousnesg I was convinced OF his IN
toxicatlen. that this elaborate courtesy
was one OF the thousand forms drunken
ness assumes. However ] followed him
across the street toward the dull light OF
a pair Of windows.
II was evidently a fruit and cigar store.
As entered I looked first at the coun-
Ter there tobacco was displayed and be-
hind which a young man stood staring at
me with keen, hard. unwaving eyes. n
ragged. uncouth group OF men stood for
saO immovaby as IL my entrance had
smitten them into wax figures. Their
eyes were very much alike. noticed.
They did not change counteuance or make
motion There was something uncanny
in their analyziug stare.
NJ guide shouted unnecessarily loud CT
appeared 20 mel, Got any watermelons7'
No one replied and he crossed the room
and said TO the young man behind the
counter. Here's man who is ali rignt
or he's a-scamn"
There was n touch of explanatory en-
rhasis on the word scamp. He was shak-
ing with suppressed excitement.
Suddenly | OWNED what il all meant.
They took me for a detective. l had been
watched every moment since landing from
the train, aud my Inconsistencies had
been taken for the GOODNESS and poise or
an experienced officer. / have the habit
Of carrying my hands in my overcoat
pockets. and as l stood there l faced them
With both hands thus hidden. weighed