The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-24
SORROW OF THE TALL MAN.
Catastrophe of the Maine, With Sun
dry Unuaid-for Drinks.

Philadelphia Times: The tall individ-
ual in the shiny cutaway coat, home
spun" necktie and blush trousers stood
at the Continental bar.
Whisky" he murmured hoarsely,
and with trembling hand he poured out
a good three fingers and filled the tum-
bier to the brim with water. Then h
| Iounged rloodily at the bar. one hand
around the tunbler. IN the other he
shook slowly a lonely coin.
! Il tell you SIR said short. frock-
J coated man in a group of three next
/ to him, Il tell you, sir. it viii be war!
! Spain won't pay ana she'll have to
| fight" 1r u
The moody individual pricked up his
ears ard he returned the coin to his
| pocket.
Excuse me. sir" said the tall in
dividual. touching the short man on
the arm; pardon my interrupting you.
but 1 see before me patriot, and 10 a
patriot I uncover my head" and he
slid the hat a bit further back on his
head. You are right, sir. No one. sir,
ard 1 speak advisedly,' continued the
tall man. after that awful night could
say otherwise
"You have come from Havanai" ex-
claimed the short individual, excitedly.
You saw the explosion
Sir. l have just arrived in your beau
tiful city-an American city, sir; pa
triOtic city. How the blood of the an
cient martyrs of liberty under the
shadow of the old bell must boil, What
an explosion, sir! What flames, What
agony" He drained his whisky at a
gulp and took out a dirty pocket hand
kerchief and blew his nose.
Have another" said the now excited
short man. Boys, here's chap from
Havana who saw the explosion. Now
we can get the straight story. Mr.
Mr."
'Crimmins. sir" said the tall man as
he poured out big drink and pushed
his check under one of the other party.
Mr. Crimmins. late of Havana-of
Havana, is it not, sir?''
"A friend of the world and a lover of
the beautiful, and of patriotism, sir.
Lord it was awful" continued Mr.
Crimmins. Think of that peaceful
night: think of the reckless gaiety of
Havana--the lights, the music, the gui-
tars and the senoritas' he blew
a whisky laden kiss to the ceiling
and then. sir, to think of that huge
white vessel Of war lying in the moon
light All was peaceful" He gurgled
another drink. Little did those brave
men think of their fate lying curled in
their hammocks-the men, not the
fate"
mat cOnHr1nS the Story tnat men
were found with their bodies curved
shouted the fat man.
Il doc't care if l do" said the tall
man, and his eyes filled with tears. 'Ah,
sir, and then that awful explosion. that
iural glare-I mean that lurid glare;
tn awful shrieks. the dead bodies of the
men and the sudden hush of the city.
Bar boy, attend to the gentleman's or
ders.'
There was ano-her drink, another and
another.
AN -hic-pardon me
shee," said the tall man after the
seventh, "old Sicksbee shouting out
'Alls well, dom give up ship Brave
man, neolfeller-besinbiz-
ness
But Sigsbee didn't gay that. ole
man" said the short gentleman. with
his hand on the tall mans shoulder.
Pom my soul, Sisbee didn'. An how
could you hear i'm? Pom my souP'--
The tall man looked at the clock and
drew himself up. ''I-m-sorry," he