Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-04-21

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| ington's home he grinned and said,
pleasantly: 1T was good one.
wasn't it?''
| Brown never lost an opportunity to
rub it in, but Adams kept his temper
| and waited for his chance. 1t did not
come until last week, one evening on
| the $50. Adams and Brown were in the
| party, and as we were getting of the
train Brown, who is very near-sighted,
stepped on the skirt of woman in
front OF him. There was the sound of
| ripping goods, and as the woman
turned around and Brown began to
apologize, Jones said: There is one
| train that you haven't missed, Brown
Browns apology ended in a laugh and
| the woman whose. skirt had been ripped
naturally resented it.
You are boor, sir, and you ought
| to be ashamed of yourself she said, and
| before Brown could admit that he was
| ashamed of himself she had gone.
"'She looked like an Italian, Brown,
| and it was lucky that her husband was
not with her or you would have had
| trouble said Adams.
1.-TWO days later, when Brown turned
up at the station for the nine-three to
| town, he looked worried. He confided
| to Van Tassel: I'm in serious trouble
| he said, and I want your advice. Per
haps you remember my stepping ON
| woman,s skirt coming up in the train
night before last. Well, when got
home last night, found Mrs. Brown
walking up and down the hall very
much agitated. My daughter was in
| the library weeping.
"'"Good heavens, Mrs. Brown said
| I, "what has happened"
"'"Don't speak to me, sir, don't you
speak, she said, and then, rather in
| consistently, she added: "Give me ar
explanation of this at once"
This was a letter addressed to
me which read:
'"Sir, 1t Is my misfortune to live in the
same town with you, and as circumstances
may bring us together socially, am going
to write to you frankly. Last night you
nearly tore my wife's skirt off, and instead
of offering her an apology you laughed in
her face. I have learned that you are
a churchman and the father of a family
I am an Italian and OF noble family. Our
race Is quick to resent wrong. Now.
Sir, you must send me an absolute apology
for your rudenesS to my wife, and in it
you must admit that you were intoxi-
Gated or you must give me the reparation
which one man owes another after such an
insult We Smadas are a proud race. We
frequently wipe out insults with. blood.
Yours, sir,
"'"RACSO SMADA."'
"'Thats pretty fierce said Van Tas-
sci.
Fierce said Brown. Why, it's
bloodhhirsty- Think of it! He wants
me to either say was drunk, and thus
disgrace myself for life, or fight him
n Il NV Ife Nv Cod 7
hardly know what to do. L couldn't
sleep last night. Mrs. Brown and my
daughters received my explanations
with suspicion. 1 am disgraced man.
What did do? 1 wrote Mr.. Smade
pacific letter. 1 explained the circum-
stances and offered an apology. told
him that I could not say that was
drunk. because I never got drunk. 1
told him that had never fought duel
in my life and that 1 didn't believe
in them. I concluded with a little pen
picture of my happy home and how it
would be ruined unless he showed him
self a reasonable man. mailed, that
letter this morning. I can find no such
man as Smada in the directory, and I
have sent the letter. to the post Office.
I don't even know what he looks like.
in me. Oh. Lor6!'
Ivan Tasse1 comforted him as much
as he could. and so did Adams and the
rest of us. Brown was a changed man.
A haunted look came in his face. Adams
advised him to get police permit to
carry a revolver. Brown watched the
mails closely, and the fact that no re-
ply came to his letter Indicated to his
L L
had been unsa ii sfactory. Adams
stirred him up every time that he met
him. Two daysago, ON the nine-thirty,
when Brown was telling his troubles
to a lot of usin the baggage car. Adams
aslledr
What name was it that the dago
signed to that letter?'
"a curious name said Brown. 1t
was Rasco Smadh-''
Ever try to read it backward?'
OSCAR said Brown. Why, that's
Oscar, your name. A-d-a-m-sLAdams
Why, Oscar Adams! You miserable
scamp. I understand it now A joke
is joke, Adams, and enjoy one as
well as the next man, but this goes a
bit too far
"'Do you remember that log you got
me to carry home last summer?' asked
Adams
That has nothing to do with it,
said Brown.
"'You have sown the seeds of dis
trust in my family, and you nave
wrecked my nerves You have tt Gated
me shamefully, Brown, and 1 am GO
ing to resign from every organi "a ton
in Suburbanvdlle with which you are
connected, and I don't want you to
speak to me again, not even in >hurch
Adams resented these remarks. and
by every fireside in SuburbanviIle that