Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-04-13

wasn't it?"
"Brown never lost an opportunity to
rub it in, but Adams kept his temper
and waited for his chance. It did not
come until last week, one evening on
the $3.50. 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 q 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 q laugh and
the woman whose. skirt had been ripped
naturally resented it.
"sYou 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 dayslater 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 want your advice. Per
haps you remember my stepping ON
woman'a 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 an
explanation of this at once"
"'''This" was a letter addressed to
me which read:
"'"sir, 1t is my misfortune to live in the
may bring us together socially, am going
to write to you frankly. Last night you
nearly tore my wife's skirt of, and instead
of offering her an apology you laughed in
| her face. I have learned that you are
churchman and the father of a family.
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 tntoxi-
Gated or you must give me the reparation
which one man owes another after such an
insult. We Smadas are proud race. We
frequently wipe out insults with. blood.
Yours, sir,
"s"RACSO SMADA."'
"'Thatis pretty ferce,' said Van Tas+
sell.
"'Fierce,' said Brown. why, it's
bloodthirsty. Think of it! He wants
me to either say was drunk. and thus
disgrace myself for life, or fight him
and probably lose my life. My God, I
hardly know what to do. I couldn't
sleep last night. Mrs. Brown and my
daughters received my explanations
with suspicion. I am a disgraced man.
What did do? I wrote Mr.. Smade
pacific letter. explained the circum-
stances and offered an apology. told
him that could not say that I was
drunk, because I never got drunk. !
told him that had never foughta duel
in my life and that I didn't believe
in them. I concluded with little pen
picture of my happy home and how it
would be ruined unless he showed him
self reasonable man. T nailed that
letter this morning. lean find no such
man as Smada in the directory. andI
have sent the letter to the post Office.
I don't even know what he looks like.
He might come up and stick knife
in me. Oh. Lor1!
ivan Tassel comforted him as much
as he could and so did Adams and the
rest, of us. Brown was changed man.
A haunted look came in his face. Adams
advised him to get a police permit to
carry revolver. Brown watched the
mails closely, and the fact that no re-
ply came to his letter Indicated to his
disordered mind that his explanation
had been unsatisfactory. Adams
stirred him up every time that he met
him. Two daysago, on the nine-thirty,
when Brown was telling his troubles
to lot of usin the baggage car. Adams
askedr
"'What name was it that the dago
signed to that letter.
ga curious name,' said Brown. 1T
was Rasco Smadh."
Ever try to read it backward"
"'O,sc-a-r,' said Brown. why, that's
Oscar, your name. A1d-a-m-s-Adhm
Why, Oscar Adams! You miserable
scamp. understand it now. A joke
is a joke, Adams, and I enjoy one as
well as the next man, but this goes .
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 have
wrecked my nerves. You have treated
me shamefully, Brown, and am 60
ing to resign from every organization
in SuburbanNille with which you are
connected, and don't want you to
speak to me again, not even in church,
|. adams resented these remarks. and
by every fireside in Suburbanville that
night the Brown-Adhms feud was dis
cussed. They are both good fellows