The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-12

ard dropping mouths. The piano man
could see the ANONYMOUS finish or his
pint Of whaskey IN the crowd
For some time he hesdtated, hoping
they would tired and 80 away.
but they All sat around the stove and
talked politics until h piano man.
seeing tina they would stay until morn
ing N nothing happened. said. IN an
hospitabie e tone a. the circumstances
would permit. Gentlemen. i have n
small bottle OF fine whsskey here.
Won't you JOIN me IN q drink" The
men al looked around ~fearrully. WITH
their fingers on their lips. and said:
'HussS-h!" like a comic opera chorus
out OF the room. others following.
They filed aing a hall and stopped In
the Ginning room before q water cooler.
The piano man produced his pint OF
liquor and gravesy handed x 20 the Old
man. VINO tool a shorter" A door
creaked In the back part OF ne room.
The piano man looked around. and
framed IN a square place IN n door
was the face OF the landlady OF the
hotel.
TITS al right. madam" said the piano
man. I'm only showing a few sam
pies" The face disappeared. When
the bottle got hack TO the piano mar
there wasn't enough EQuor IN Il to
make his eye smart.
The next day he met each n OF his
guests OF the bottle. and each called
him to one side and whispered conf
~dentially:
Just send me a gallon o that there
liquor" at the same time trying to sip
some money into his hand. II was In
vain that n explained IN he did n
sell whlskey. A few minutes later, a.
he was walking III street, ne heard a
Hist" and a man beckoned 10 him
from the door OF a blacksmith shop.
II hear YOU sell mighty good stun.
Jest send me a gallon. Amt got n
sample about ye, hev We"
See here" the piano man shouted.
I'm no whiskey peddler. What do you
meant"
'sTha's all right! Tha's all right,'
said the blacksmith. II amt saying
nothing. Just ship me n gallon by ex-
press" And he winkec gnifcantly.
Wherever the piano man went he was
taken to one side and given an order
for any quantity OF whiskey. from n
gallon to a keg.
When he went to the livery stable
to engage a team to take him to the
other own the liveryman winked and
said:
Better walt until this afternoon.
TIE man you want Is not In this morn
ing"
'Tdon't want any special man. Any
ole man VIII do" swere the other.
places Is out" explained the liveryman.
So, rather argue and explain. he waited
until the afternoon.
Just before he left he stepped up to
the hotel desk to pay his bill.
1.-The landlady want to see you be-
fore you GO" said the clerk. And ne
Went in search OF her. Presently the
door opened and the landlady came IN.
carefully locked the door behind her.
There were two other doors, and these
she carefully examined, looking for
eavesdroppers. then locked. He
BILE things.
The landlady came close UP 10 him
with an awful and mysterious light in
her eyes. and, leaning over. whispered
in his ear:
IT sometimes handle your goods. Let
the bill go. Send me FIVE gallons right
away by express"
What" exclaimed the piano
give gallons Of what? Piano po1ish?"
rs that what you call 1t now?" h
said with a knowing wink. You gave
my Die man a drink the other day. He
says 1t was the finest he ever swallow
ed. I can use about five gallons OF that
sort OF piano polish wice a month"
Great heavens. woman!" said the
man, 'let me pay my bill and go. / sell
pianos; I don't sell whiskey."
If there Is a moral in this at all II Ia:
Don't give a Kansas man a drink out
of a bottle unless you are certain that
he knows your business. You may get
the reputation Of having st TO SELL
Kansas City Times.