Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-07
NERVOUS PINK FIRKIN.

The little man who scrubbed illesibly
on the st. James register bore an innocu-
Gus name. says the Denver Republican.
Ii was Pink Firkin. New York. that he
spelled out somewhat la~boriously. He
pore also an innocuous appearance, for
he was not more than five feet four in
height. with slim frame, narrow Shout
ders, and eyes of the mildest and most
appealing blue. His spirit was timid-
for, in fact. when he was addressed he
gave little starts of fright.
Notwithstanding all this. Pink Firkin
is a dangerous man. This dangerousness
rises not from the inward man, but from
his occupation. When he stepped up to
the desk to put his name on the register
il was with the most painstaking care
that he placed upon the marble counter q
little black bag which he carried in his
left hand. 1t was a little bag, black,
rusty. innocuous looking. just like it's
owner. bearing the initials, "P. F., N. Y"
But PM Firkin handled it as if it were
the most valuabl thing in the world.
Carefully. gently, he placed it by his side,
and between almost every letter he wrote
he looked out of the corner of his eye at
the little black bag to see if it were really
there. AS he wrote IN. Y" he put out his
left hand and rested it upon the satchel
to make sure that it had not been moved.
"Dynamite," said Mr.. Firkin, with a
faint smile. MY firm in New York
makes the best dynamite in the world
goes off at the slightest shock, especially
in hot weather. Great hot weather stuff.
Want TO see sOme?" inquired the drum
mer, his professional training getting the
uppe hand He took the satchel in his
hand with some ~roughness, and the pro-
fessional lounger set himself in position
for a quick sprint. Nothing. happened,
and the Iounger hastily d~isayoWed any
interest in dynamite.
yes. it is a ticklish profession smiled
the travelling salesman. as he showed the
satchcl under the lounge, where lie had
invited the interrogation to sit n chat
with him. "A little dangerous and incon-
venient-yes, deuced ~inconvenient at
times. We have to be careful" and his
| eyes wore a hunted look.
But we get paid for tive get paid
for it. You would not believe that l get
the biggest salary of any man on the
road, but ] do. 1t is a big risk, and we
have to lay up something. The COM
panies will not insure us"
He grasped a thin knee in both hands
as he crossed his legs, and continued:
That is not the worst of it. Incon-
venient travelling around with this stuff
exposes us to all sorts of discourtesies
from hotel arrangements. Sometimes we
can't get rooms in a town for love or
money. for people won't have the stuff
in the house, and the guests come in a
body and complain when they find out
that one of us is registered. There are
only three in my line, you know. Under
these circumstances, as we dare not leave
our samples, the police station is the only
recourse. I'm registered as a Sleeper III
a good nulnber of towns in this vicinity"
He paused a minute for this statement
to take effect. "Then there are the rail-
roads to buck up against. Some of them
have rules against carrying explosives.
Sometimes l get caught, and then Off l go
at the next station, or sometimes between
stations. and / ave to foot it the rest OF
the way. l am not particularly fond OF
railroad ira vel, at any rate. With h
cargo I carry a wreck is something to
be afraid OF. Even the jarring Of the
cars on a rough road makes me SO un-
comfortable that I have to take up my
satchel and pace the aisle to reduce the
shock.
1.-The one thing I fear is a wreck. If
ever get into one 1t means goodby to
Pink Firkin. Just imagine that stuff GO
ing off underneath you."
Both men on the seat shuddered. The
prospect disturbed the lounger. who beat
a haSty retreat.