The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-21
HE WANTED A KNIFE.
HOW "BLAck HARRY" TESTED THE
DRuMMER's SAMPLE.

He displayed Marvellous Skill In Throw
ing tho knife. and His Ability In That
Direction Did Him Good Turn, as the
Drummer Saw.
One day in Leadville, Colo, 1 had
just finished dinner, when stranger
spoke to mo i'll the hotel. We chatted
for a minute or two. and then the stran-
ger, whose name I afterward learned
was Harry Connor, or Black Harry for
short, asked me if was not selling
hardware. told him was, and he said
he wanted to buy knife. said had
some knives with me, but only as sam
pies. and that, of course, I never sold
samples. "Well, ho said, that's tho
reason came to you. HUNTED the town
over this morning to find knife, and I
couldn't find one that was worth carry
ing. thought probably you might have
ono or two good ones, and that you
would sell one. don't care what the
price is, SO it suits mo-. Z" finally con-
sented to show him what 1 had
never saw man examine knife
as he did one that he selected. had
perhaps DO different ones, but he gayo
only glance at tho lot and picked out
the best one there in an instant. Picking
it up, he weighed it in his hand, turned
1t over and over, ran the edge of it
across tho back of his thumb nail, as a
barber tries razor, f1icked tho point
with his nail, scrutinized every frac-
tional part of the blade and hilt, and
then, grasping it firmly, swung his arm
Ill the prettiest sort of knife play, rs if
testing its weight and balance still moro
carefully. Then, stepping over to a
wooden bottomcd chair, he drove tho
blade squarely through the IL inch
wood with Il powerful blow. Then ho
threw it mt Il knot i'll the wooden parti-
ton that separated my room from tho
next and left the knife sticking suuarely
i'll the knot
"That'sa pretty good throw" I said.
do you think sop he answered in
differently, and he stepped over to tho
partition and drew out the knife, still
smiling, and stepping back 10 feet
threw it again.
This time he struck the exact spot
he had hit at first could see but one
mark after he had drawn tho knife ont
the second time "Oh, that's nothing, {"
he said, and with the point of the knife
he scratched n rough circle OH the wood
about the size of mans hand. Step
ping back to where he stood before, he
turned his back to tho target, and then.
looking at it over his right shoulder, no
threw the knife over his left, sticking
1t fairly i'll the target. Then he reversed
the trick, throwing over his right shout
der, and finally. planting himself care
fully III the samo place, he looked quick
~ over his shoulder. and then, turning
his face directly away, he threw tho
knife over his head, striking the same
target and leaving the knife an inch
deep i'll the wood.
Il want that knife he said, rather
peremptorily, and I want it Just 500
worth. F." And he pulled $50 greenback
out of his pocket and laid it OH the Ia
BILE took the money. I Thought man
who could use knife like that ought TO
have good one.
had started out in the evening to see
what was going on and had looked in at
three or four gambling hells before
came to ono where Black Harry sat play
ing faro. He sat with his left hand to-
ward the door, and as sauntered up to
the table he smiled IL little and nodded,
but did not speak.
noticed that he was watching tho
door. He did not turn his head, but his
eyes seemed to BIO everywhere at once,
and, though he was playing steadily,
and with fairly good luck too, I was
certain that he saw every motion that
anybody made anywhere in the room,
excepting of course right behind him.
Presently noticed thatf1e was watch
ing man who was just coming in. Tho
newcomer was q stout built, ugly look
Ing fellow, who looked carefully around
as he entered and who almost immedi-
ately saw Black Harry He started
little, and then, evidently thinking that
Conner did not see him, stepped care
fully to his right till he was almost be-
hind where Conner sat Still Conner
did not turn his head, but 1 could see
him watching the other as he stepped
slowly around until he was fairly out
OF the range even of Connors remark
able eyes. Then I saw Connor suddenly
look full ut the dealer with Il question
as plainly expressed rs it could have
been i'll words. So l naturally looked at
the dealer
He gave no sign at first that could
see OF even knowing that Connor was in
front of him, but went OH dealing rs if
there was nothing else i'll the world to
do. Then ill an instant his eyes seemed
TO blaze. When saw the Dealers sig
nal, looked back at Conner and i'll an
instant saw a tragedy. The newcomer
was drawing arevolver, and at the same
time Conner was turning his head and
throwing the knife had sold him He