Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1899-06-14
Toms Revolver.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


- enough touches Of quiet good
taste about 1t TO make us wonder at
sight OF n common four-onnce glass
bottle which occupied conspicuous
place on the corner what-not, further
honored by a worsted mat under it and
small bouquet of dried grasses stuck
into its mouth.
"Yes. that's mothers whim-shs will
have 1t there" said the eldest daush-
ter. who was n teacher, now home Tor
the long summer vacation, during
which time two or three of us-city
resldents-were fortunate enough to
lind accommodation rs boarders.
''Shc calls it Toms revolver re-
marked another member of the family;
wEereupon set it down with a sudden
ness which made Tom laugh.
"Oh. there isn't anything about 1t
now.' he said. "rve told mother lots
Of times I'd spend every cent I've got,
and buy her the handsomest vase down
to Pinevile if she'd let me smash that
old bottle against the stone wall, but
she won't"
"Tell me what there has been about
it." | urged. There's a story, isn't
there?'
Tom was big boy-just as the
"gawky age" his sister had conhden-
TALLY informed me-but was neither I'M
couth nor ill-mannared So, without
more than Il reasonable amount of
coaxing and encouraging from others,
and the modest disclaimers proper
from a boy who figures as his own hero
in his own story, Tom began:
1T was in early spring, and the doc
tor had been here and left prescriptions
for something father had got to have
lust as quick as we could get 'em. And
he thought-the doctor-that If we got
them over to Pinevlle 1t would be bet
ter. for they didn't have very fresh
drugs down here at the Corners.
$50 made up my mind I'd go over
the hills-it saves nearly half the way.
only four miles going and four back.
I'd have to walk, but | didn't mind
that, for l knew 1t would be about as
hard to go round on horseback, for
there'd been thaw, and the lower
roads were so slumpy folks could hard
ly get through at all.
II hadn't got more than halfway
over when | met Squire Plummer,
hunting all round, and says he TO me:
"'Tom, I've lost Old Blacky, sure's
you liver
'And says I:
~ want to know, squire!
sand says he:
eyes, indeed Tom. She's been gone
three days. She's the best COW | had
blooded stock-cost ME sight of mon
ey, and I'm offering three dollars to
anyone II find her.
II told him | couldn't go out of my
way on account of father, but I'd keep
sharp lookout wherever I'd go; and
been glad enough to get that much
money for so little work. But | got into
town without seeing anything OF her
/ sat down by the drug mans counter
TO rest bit while he was putting up
the stuff. thinking how I'd change my
route going back, and perhaps I'd
strike her yet.
1.-THE man brought two bottles, and
set one down while he was wrapping
up the other. l took 1t up and took out
the cork.
"'Take care, there he says; don't
you smell that"
"'Why not?' says I.
Wand ha ~ did IN
1T would knock YOU down quicker'n II
you was shot
"He went on to tell me Ii was q most
awful strong kind of ammonia that
was used for drawing blisters. Would
do 1t In less time than you'd take to
| tell about it most.
''Then | asked him if it was any kin
! to smelling salts, and told him how I'd
| got hold of mothers smelling salts In
| church. unbeknown to her, long ago,
when l was little shaver, and had
| taken the biggest kind of 4 sniff, be-
cause 1t was the first chance I'd ever
| had at it. and l thought 1t something
good they'd been keeping from me.
And how I'd kicked and screeched, and
how mother d had to haul me ont of
| church and use up no end of lemon
drops and ginger cookies TO bring me
| to.
$50 the drug man laughed, and says
| the stuff in the bottle was something
| Of the same sort. only they weren't to
| be mentioned in the same day for
strongness-or, II you made any co;u-
parison at ali, 1t would be to compare
the smelling salts to the smallest mite
Of Q baby. and that ammonia to its big
| Gelisth Of great great grandfather.