Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-02-25
BAD AS ffE LOOKED.
The Customer Seemed Tougii And
Proved SO Later.

nc (uS tuflGf 0S<htSA AVsAssH $500
Proved SO Later
1t happened in restaurant not
far situated from the busy down
town district: That there were no
arrests was due to the fact that The
policeman on that beat arrived at
the place about two minuets after
the waiter had finished cleaning up
the debris OF broken dishes, bottles,
and glasses, ard the victim had
been taken to a nearby physician for
repairs.
As the stran ser entered the res
taurant the trained eye of the waiter
sized him up as one of the class Of
big, coarse overbearing fellows met
in all public places Of big city; one
If allowed his way would terrorize
the peace loving people who hap
pened to be near, but who would
euccumb and confine himself to the
place occupied by his unwieldy self
if given to understand that the size
and"toughn manners had no special
terrors for man with pluck enough
to back up bis rights and self respect
In brief he was a good specimen of
the "bad" man whose shoulders, big
hands and ugly face terrorized wo-
men and children where ever he hap
pened to be.
He gave bis order in the manner
expected. The waiter received it
meekly, carefully arranged the linen
served the meal and inquired OF futh-
er wants as faithfully and promptly
as if serving one of the regular pa.
irons, who always concluded with
resemblance to John in the shape
of the odd change that happened
when the bill was paid. The meal
did not suit. The butter was vile,
potatoes not sufficiently fried, meat
an AKIN fact, everything connected
with the meal was unsatisfactory to
the "bad' man This was just what
was expected and accepted by the
waiter with the regisnation that &C
companies acceptance of the ineviti-
able.
When he give abusive, the pro-
prietor, who had been observing the
man since his entrance, was appealed
IT, The "bad' man refused to ac-
cept or pay for the meal, nor would
he listen to reason from the pro-
prietor. Reasoning wasn't his
forte. His arguments were made
with fists, and he has made up his
mind on the subject under discus
sion, and nobody could change it.
He also intimated q desire to clean
on. the restaurant in order that pos
sible future customers should not
be made victims of, as he had been.
The proprietor was endeavoring
to restrain himself. but from the
determined expression or his face
had the "bsd" man been observant
he would have discovered that un-
less he changed his tactics something
would happen, and that it would !
happen to him. When emphazing
an expressed determination not to
be swindled the chad" man appeared |
to forget himself and was brought
his big fist down on the table with
sufficient force to jar dish from the
table, causing it to fall to the floor
and break, the proprietor, known as
the man of determination, but few
words, lost his self restraint.
linen 1t happened lie took hold |
of the "bad" man started to drag
him out of his chair and to the front
door. When the excitement was
over, the walters dragged the pro-
prietor from beneath the mass of |
crockery, glassware, parts of the
table and other remnants accuma-
lated during the battle, while the
"bad" man walked slowly down the |
street and into place where, judg-
ing from the absece of excitement he
found the eating more to his liking. |
All Of which led to a remark by |
one customes who had been an APP
parently disinterested spectator that
sometimes people are as tough as
they look."-Cincinnati CONNER
cial Tribune.