Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-04-10
HE WANTED A KNIFE.
HOW "BLAcK HARRY" TESTED THE
DRUMMER'S SAMPLE

DRUMMER'S SAMPLE.
He Displayed Marvellous skill In Throw
Ing the knife. and His Ability In That
Direction Did Him a Good Turn. rs the
Drummer Saw.
One day in Leadville, Colo. had
Just finished dinner, when a stranger
spoke to me in the hotel. We chatted
for a minute or two. and then the stran-
ger, whose name afterward learned
was Harry Conner, or Black Harry for
short, asked me IL / was not selling
hardware. / told him was, and he said
he wanted TO buy knife. l said had
some knives with me, but only as sam
pies. and that, of course, never sold
samples Well he said, "that's the
reason ! came to you. HUNTED the town
over this morning TO find knife, and 1
couldn't find one that was worth carry
ing l thought probably you might have
one or two good ones, and that you
would sell one. / don't care what the
price is, so it suits me" / finally con-
scented to show him what had
never saw a man examine a knife
as he did one that he selected. 1 had
perhaps 90 different ones, but he gave
only glance at the lot and picked out
the best one there in an instant Picking
| It up, he weighed il in his hand, turned
it over and over, ran the edge of it
across the back of his thumb nail, as a
barber tries a razor, fiicked the point
with his nail, scrutinized every frac-
tional part of the blade and hilt, and
then, grasping it firmly, swung his arm
in the prettiest sort of knife play, as if
testing it's weight and balance still more
carefully. Then, stepping over to a
wooden bottomed chair, he drove the
blade squarely through the l II inch
wood with powerful blow. Then he
threw it at knot in the wooden parti-
ton that separated my room from the
next and left the knife sticking squarely
in the knot.
That's n pretty good throw, said.
do you think so?'' he answered in
differently, and he stepped over 20 the
partition and drew out the knife, still
smiling, and stepping back ~ feet
threw it again.
This time he struck Che exact spot
he had hit at first. i could see but one
: mark after he had drawn the knife out
the second time. "Oh, that's nothing, .
he said, and with the point of the knife
he scratched a rough circle ON the WOOD
about the size Of mans hand. Step
ping back Co where he stood before, n,
turned his back TO the target, and then
I looking at it over his right shoulder, hS
threw the knife over his left, stickinl
. ii fairly in the target Then he reversed
the trick, throwing over his right shout
/, der and finally. planting himself care
fully in the same place. he looked quick
ly over his shoulder. and then, turning
his face directly away, he threw tn
knife over his head, striking the SAM
target and leaving the knife an incl
deep in the wood.
81 want that knife" he said, rathe
peremptorily, land l want it just SO
worth. And he pulled $50 greenbac
: out of his pocket and laid it on the ia
1 BILE took the money. thought ma
n who could use knife like that ought
Z have good one.
had started out in the evening to SC
what was going ON and had looked in g
three or four gambling hells before
: came to one where Black Harry sat play
: ing faro He sat with his left hand t
ward the door, and as / sauntered up I
n the table he smiled little and nodded
but did not speak.
: noticed that he was watching I'll
J. door. he did not turn his head, but b
eyes seemed to be everywhere at onc
- and, though he was playing steadil,
n and with fairly good luck, too, WI
. certain that he saw every motion tn;
# anybody made anywhere in the room
y excepting of course right behind him.
Presently noticed that he was watcl
ing man who was just coming in. I'll
newcomer was a stout built, ugly loo
ing fellow, who looked carefully arouI
as ne entered and who almost immed
10 ately saw Black Harry. He started
little, and then, evidently thinking tn
70 Connor did not see him, stepped car
II fully to his right till he was almost b
S. hind where Conner sat. Still Conn
IS did not turn his head. but 1 could 8
re him watching the other as he steps
1T slowly around until he was fairly o
a, of the range even of Connor's remar
K able eyes, Then I saw Connor sudden
s, look full at the dealer with a questi,
s, as plainly expressed as it could ha
1t been in words. So naturally looked
m the dealer.
He gave no sign at first that l cou
a see of even knowing that Common was
fit front of him, but went ON dealing as
III there was nothing else in the world
ps do. Then in AN instant his eyes seem
be to blaze. When 1 saw the dealers s.
tn nal, looked back at Conner and in
he instant saw tragedy. The newcon
its was drawing revolver, and at the sal
it's time Conner was turning his head a
We throwing the knife had sold him.
ms rose from his chair as he threw it, a
nd the strangers revolver exploded, but
sal bullet went wild, for he sank to I
of floor as he fired, with the point of I
in knife in his brain.
mt Gentlemen, said the dealer bef
les any one else could speak, 81 say Bl;
ne Harry done just right. That white
in cred cur had sworn to kill him on sil
ick and was shoatin from behind. Al
me gentlemen, it's none of our busin
what the quarrel was about"-a s
avs cinct verdict in which those pres
ag- unanimously concurred. New Y
DIRK Sun.
At Long Range.
1--WE Just expressed my opinion