The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-16
THE PIANO MANS FLASK.
now business of Wrong Sort Was
Thrust Upon Him in Kansas.
From the Kansas Citv Times


in'es from the railroad to see his nros-
pecuNe customer The town on tho rail
,oau Is not a large place, but il is exceed
hgly interesting. The piano man baa
peeh there once before, and knew voI1no
man who lived in the town. who however
ulu not know the nature of his business
ne nao learned that the man in the other
own was away, and would not be home
W. odys' SO he determined to pass
them On the railroad town.
he was looking out the hotel ,,,;,7o,,,
when he saw on the opposite Side of The
street the man he knew He rushed out
anu called to the native for he was pet
e'hg ured of himself. After The usnal
iSetlAlss the piano man said, with the ne
cuiiar mods and winks in Kansas.
Saht we get drop of beer around here
NOT smell in town." answered the
naive. You can get some stuff at the
uruS store they call whisky. but n xyo,,Ia
Durn hole in boot
Never mind; I've got a Iittle GOOD s,,,r
IN my grip. Come up to the hotel and
nave drink" said the piano man.
All fl5ht' answered the native. "FJello
ehere my dad over there I'd like to have
you meet him." 80
sure said the piano man, bring him
over I'll be in the Office"
me piano man had brought along with
MN pint of good whisky for medicinal
purposes ohiy-for coughs and colds and
mat sort of thing In a few minutes bis
Trend entered, followed by six native whis-
kers' eager eyes and drooping rnouth=
Inc piano man could see the ignorninols
hnlsh OF his pint of whisky in the crowd.
for some time he hesitated hoping thew
would grow tired and go away. but thew
an sat around the stove and talked poli-
tics until the piano man, seeing that fhev
would stay until the next morning if moth
ing happened, seid, in as hospitable
tone as the circumstances would permit.
gentlemen, have a small bottle of fine
whisky here Won't you Join me in
drink" The men all looked around fear
fully, with their fingers on their lips. and
sad: "Hus-s-shi" like a comic opera cho-
rus. Inen the oldest man arose and tin
toed out of the room, the others follow
ing. They filed along a hall and STONED
IN the dining room before water cooler
The piano man produced his pint Of liz
Cor aud gravely handed it to the old man.
who took a 'snorter." The bottle was
handed down the line. A door creal<ed in
the back part of the room The piano
man looked around and framed in a
square place in the door was the face of
the landlady of the hotel
ITS all right, madam" said the piano
man, I'm only showing a few samples"
The face disappeared. When the bottle
got back to the piano man there wasn't
enough liquor in it to make his eye smart
The next day he met each one of his
guests of the bottle, and each called him
to one side and whispered confdendally;
Jest send me up a gallon O. that there
liquor" at the same time trying to slip
some money into his hand. It was in vain
that he explained that he did not sell whis-
| ky. A few minutes later, as he was walk
ing up the street, he heard "EIistr and
, a man beckoned to him from the door of
| blacksmith shop.
Il hear you sell mighty good stuff. Jest
| send me gallon. Amt got sample about
ye hev YEP
"See here" the piano man shouted, I'm
! no whisky peddler. What do you mean?'
"Tha's all right Tha's all rightr' said
the blacksmith. 81 amt saying nothing.
Just ship me a gallon by express" And he
winked significantly.
Wherever the piano man went he was
taken to one side ana given an order for
any quantity of whisky, from gallon to a
keg.
When he went to the livery stable to en-
gage a team TO take him to the other town
the liveryman winked and said:
Better wait until this afternoon. The
man you want is not in this morning"
At don't want any special man. Any old
man will do answered the other.
mo, the man that knows all the places
is out" explained the liveryman So, rath-
err than argue and explain, ne waited until
the afternoon.
Just Before he left he stepped up to the
hotel desk to pay his bill.
1.-The landlady wants to see you before
YOU 60" said the clerk. And he went in
search of her Presently a door opened
and the landady came in carefully lock-
ing the door behind her. There were two
other doors, and these she carefully ex-
anined, looking out for eavesdroppers,
then locked The piano man was becoming
alarmed He thought of the Benders and
other horrible things.
The landlady came close up to him with
an a wful aud mysterious light in her eyes,
and leaning oyer, whispered in his ear:
81 sometimes handle your goods. Let
the bill go. Send me five gallons right
away by express.
"Whatr' exclaimed the piano man. Five
gallons of what? Piano polish?
us that what you call II now?" she said
with a knowing wink. You gave my old
man drink the other day. He says Il
was the finest he ever swallowed. I can
use about five gallons of that sort of piano |
polish twice a month.
"Great heavens, woman! said the man,
'let me pay my bill and go. sell pianos
/ don't sell whisky"
If there is moral in this at all 1t Is
Don't give a Kansas man drink out OF
a hottie unless you are certain that he
knows YOUR business. You may get the
reputation of having It TO sell
-s-e-e--
Charlton County Timber Diminished