The Press., 1897-11-11
HE WANTED A KNIFE.
HOW BLACK HARRY" TESTED THE
 DRUMMER'S SAMPLE.

He Displayed Marvellous Skill In Throw
 ing the Knife, and His Ability In That
 Direction Did Him 8 Good Turn. as the
 Drummer Saw.
 One day in Leadville, Colo, had just finished dinner, when a stranger spoke to me in the hotel. We chatted for minute or two. and then the stran- ger, whose name I afterward learned was Harry Connor, or Black Harry for short, asked me if I was not selling hardware. I told him was, and he said he wanted to buy knife. said had some knives with me, but only as sam samples. Well" he said, "that's the reason came to you. I hunted the town over this morning to find knife, and couldn't find one that was worth carry ing. I thought probably you might have one or two good ones, and that you would sell one. I don't care what the price is, so it suits me- I finally con- sented to show him what had.
 never saw man examine 8 knife as he did one that he selected. I had perhaps 40 different ones, but he gave only a glance at the lot and picked out the best one there in an instant. Picking it up, he weighed it in his hand, turned it over and over, ran the edge of it across the back of his thumb nail, as barber tries a razor, licked 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 its weight and balance still more carefully. Then, stepping over to 8 wooden bottomed chair, he drove the blade squarely through the 1R inch wood with powerful blow. Then he threw it at a knot in the wooden parti- tion that separated my room from the next and left the knife sticking squarely in the knot.
 ''That's a pretty good throw" I said.
 Do you think so?' he answered in- differently, and he stepped over to the partition and drew out the knife, still smiling, and stepping back 12 feet threw it again.
 This time he struck the 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 rough circle on the wood about the size of mans hand. Step ping back to where he stood before, he turned his back to the target, and then, looking at it over his right shoulder, he threw the knife over his left, sticking | it fairly in the target. Then he reversed the trick, throwing over his right shoul- 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 the knife over his head, striking the same target and leaving the knife an inch deep in the wood.
 "I want that knife,'' he said, rather peremptorily, land want it just $50 worth. :" And he pulled $50 greenback out of his pocket and laid it on the ta- ble. took the money. l thought a man who could use knife like that ought to have a 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 I came to one 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 little and nodded, but did not speak
 I noticed that he was watching the door. He did not turn his head, but his eyes seemed to be everywhere at once, and, though he was playing steadily, and with fairly good luck, too, 1 was certain that he saw every motion that any ybody made anywhere ill the room, excepting of course right behind him. | Presently noticed that he was watch ing man who was just coming ill. The newcomer was stout built, ugly look ing fellow, who looked carefully around as he entered and who almost immedi- ately saw Black Harry. He started a | little, and then, evidently thinking that | Connor did not see him, stepped care fully to his right till he was almost be- hind where Connor sat- Still Connor did not turn his head, but I could see him watching the other as he stepped slowly around until he was fairly out of the range even of Connor's remark l able eyes Then I saw Connor suddenly look full at the dealer with a question as plainly expressed as it could have been in words. So naturally looked at the dealer.
 He gave no sign at first that l could see of even knowing that Connor was in front of him, but went on dealing as ii there was nothing else in the world te do Then in an instant his eyes seemed to blaze. When 1 saw the dealers sig nal, I looked back at Connor and in an instant saw tragedy. The newcomer was drawing revolver, and at the same time Conner was turning his head and throwing the knife had sold him. He rose from his chair as he threw it, and the strangers revolver exploded, but the bullet went wild, for he sank to the floor as he fired, with the point of the knife in his brain.
 "Gentlemen,' said the dealer before any one else could speak, ''I say Black Harry done just right That white liv. cred cur had sworn to kill him on sight and was shootin from behind. And, gentlemen, it's none of our business what the quarrel was about''-a suo. cinct verdict in which those present unanimously concurred. New York Sun.
 | Auburndale. --. E.-
 Until few years ago little Wis -1-