The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-01-15
HAz1NG A DRUMMER.
RATTllNc RECEPTION GIVEN A CON-
MeRclAL TRAVELLER.


at was while | was stationed at Fort
Colonel George Barry began as
he lighted q fresh cigar at the Lotus club
the other night, that the first commercial
traveler-drummers some people call them
made his appearance in Valentine. He
was slim little fellow, and he seemed TO
have given a good deal of care to his per-
sonal adornment. Where he made his
mistake was in taking too serious view of
himself.
ale dropped into Valentine on one Of the
first trains that got through over the new
road. lie had couple of fancy yellow
grips that must have looked very pretty to
him, for he lugged them with him when he
went into Dutch Georges saloon to get
drink. His other accouterments were a
very light striped suit and jaunty little
straw hat which aroused the mirth of the
cowboys.
TITS surprising how little some fellows
can pick up in travelling around the earth.
Now, that chap didn't know any more
than to drop those yellow grips right in
front of Dutch Georges bar and call for
Manhattan cocktail. Yes, sir, he wanted
Manhattan cocktail, and he wanted it
quick too.
1Ou ouBnb " nave sttil Duuth ptOike
look at him. Then he winked couple Of
times at the row Of cowboys sitting along
the side of the room and turned around
and began to mix lot of things together
for dear life. The little drummer leaned
one arm ON the bar and looked around at the
row of cowboys without seeming to see the
chap that had edged up behind him. Just
~ Dutch George had finished mixing what
ever it was he had fixed up for the drum
mer there was pistol shot, and one of the
boys sitting at the side of the room gave
yell and fell out of the chair in heap on
the floor. A big six shooter fell to the floor
beside the little drummer and little
cloud of smoke rose between the drummer
and the bar.
well, sir, you can believe it or not, just
as you like but | am telling you that there
was row. Those cowboys yelled like the
devil and swore that the drummer had shot
the fellow who had fallen out of the chair.
Three or four of them pulled their guns
and were for shooting the drummer right
there, but one fellow proposed to lynch
him, and that proposition went through
with a whoop. Some Of them carried out
the cowboy who was supposed to have
been shot, and Dutch George began looking
for rope. The drummer just gasped two
or three times and wilted down into chair
white as ghost and scared almost to death.
Once or twice he tried to say something,
but all he could get out was whispered,
Why, gentlemen, I-why-what-I assure
you p
80 they started to take the little chap
out to hang him. There wasn't tree that
would serve in 40 miles, and they were a
good deal puzzled as to how to get a salts.
factory gallows on such short notice. They
kept talking it over before the drummer in
the coolest sort of way, and tell you he
was scared. Just as they got to the door
of the saloon there was shout that the
sheriff was coming. and before any one
could say Jack rabbit the sheriff and an
other man were there with their six shoot
ers In their hands, demanding the prisoner
in the name of the law. The little drum
mer was so relieved that he could have
Rugged the sheriff, and he began to try to
talk again. The sheriff told him to shut
up If he wanted to get out alive and
started with him for the door. But Just as
soon as his back was turned one of the
cowboys shouted:
"'Shoot himl Shoot himl Don't let him
get away like that
1.-The sheriff and his man swung round
and whipped out their six shooters again.
Keep backp he shouted I'll shoot the
first galoot that touches this man so full of
| holes he won't need n grave
The cowboys took the challenge, and in
less than IA quarter of a second more than
40 pistol shots were fired. 1t sounded like
| an engagement of infantry. The room was
| full of smoke. Two or three of the cow
| boys fell to the floor, and the man who was
| with the sheriff went down with n groan,
crying that he was done for Somehow or
other the sheriff got off all right, and while
the shooting was liveliest dragged his man
out into the street. The little drummer
was near having fit from fright, and the
sheriff had lost his hat. 1t was particu-
larly fine sombrero, with a band heavily
ornamented with silver, and the sheriff
wouldn't have lost it to save IA men from,
being lynched. So he took the drummer tc
the corner of the saloon and said
"'Now, Pm going back there for my hat
Don't you wiggle out of this spot till
come back. If you do. you'ra mighty iiabl,
to lose your life mighty sudden and un
pleasant
with that the sheriff left the drummer
standing there at the corner and went bach
to the saloon. He hadn't any more thar
opened the door before the shooting begar
wasn't marker to what it was that time
| The little drummer listened to it for n min
ute and then all of sudden seemed to re
alize that he was alone and that the roat
was before him. The next sixteenth of
second he was off up the road like a quar-
ter horse, with never n thought of his two
fancy yellow grips.
He'd got about 150 yards away when tn,
door of the saloon opened, and Dutch
George and the sheriff and half n dozer
cowboys jumped out into the street witt
their guns in action. Well the way tn,
bullets dropped around that drummer
feet would beat n Kansas hailstorm. AND
the more they dropped the faster he ran
You can talk about your Salvatore and al
the rest Of themi II had horse tina
could run the way that little drumme
footed it out of Valentine, I'd bet Their
wouldn't another man get a race. I'd VIII
'em all; by CAD, sir, would. I'd break NJ
the horse racing business. And when i
was all over and the bullets wouldn't carr,
to the little drummer any longer the sheriff
and the cowboys, including all the dea,
and injured, danced II jig in front Of the sa
loon and then went inside to drink tn,
place dry, md guess they pretty near die
1t. And what dye suppose that fool wa.
trying to SELF Ribbons, by CAD; yes, sir
ribbons. Trying to sell ribbons in Valen
tine. Was it put up job? Yes, sir, II
was, and well put up, too, for they haven't
seen him since. New York Sun.