The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-23
THE STORY OF A FLASK.
What Resulted From It's Display in a
 Kansas Prohibition Town,

What Resulted From It's Display in a
 Kansas Prohibition Town.
 A Kansas City man who sells pianos takes frequent trips into Kansas. Not long ago he heard of a man who wanted piano out in a little town in Marion county. The town was off the line of the railroad, and he would have to drive ten miles from the railroad down to see his prospective customer. The town on the railroad is not a large place, but it is exceedingly interesting. The piano man had been there once before and knew a young man who lived in the town, who, however, did not know the nature of his business. He had learned that the man in the other town was away and would not be home for two days, so he determined to pass them in the railroad town. | He was looking out the hotel window when he saw on the opposite side of the street the man he knew. He rushed out and called to the native, for he was getting tired of himself After the usual greetings the piano man said, with the peculiar mods and winks | in Kansas:
 "Can't we get drop of beer around here somewhere?"
 Mot smell in town" answered the native. You can get some stuff at the drug store they call whiskey, but it would burn hole in @ boot"
 'Never mind. I've little good stuff l fn cr,,if1 fn tha hnfd1 and l have drink,' said the piano man.
 "All right answered the native. 'Hello, there's my dad over there. I'd like to have you meet him"
 Sure" said the piano man; "bring him over. I'll be in the office.''
 The piano man had brought along with him a pint of good whisky for medicinal purposes only, for coughs and that sort of thing. In few min- utes his friend entered, followed by six native whiskers, eager eyes and droop- ing mouths. The piano man could see the ignominious finish of his pint of whiskey in the crowd.
 For some time he hesitated, hoping they would grow tired and go away but they all sat around the stove and talked politics until the plano man seeing that they would stay until the next morning if nothing happened said. in as hospitable tone as the cir cumstances would permit: Gentle men. have a small bottle of fine whis- key here. Won't you join me in g drink?" The men all looked around fearfully, with their fingers on theil lips, and said, "Hus-s-s-h!" like the l oI,a ll- man arose and. tiptoed out of the room the others following. They filed along hall and stopped in the dining-roon before water cooler.
 The plano man produced his pint o. liquor and gravely handed it to the olt
 man, who took a "snorter." The bottle was handed down the line. dool creaked In the back part of the room The piano man looked around. and framed in square place in the door was the face of the landlady of the ho tel.
 "It's all right, madam" said the pia no man; I'm only showing a few sam ples." The face disappeared. Wher the bottle got back to the piano mar there wasn't enough liquor in it t make his eye smart.
 The next day he met each one of hi guests of the bottle, and each called tt him to one side and whispered conf dentially:
 Jest send me up a gallon O tha there liquor" at the same time tryin. to slip some money into his hand. I , was in vain that he explained tha , he did not sell whiskey A few min utes later, as he was walking up tn