The Republican., 1899-05-04

pleasantly: 1t was a 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 6 30. Adams and Brown were in the
party, and as we were getting off 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 laugh and
the woman whose skirt had been ripped
naturally resented it.
"'You are a 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 a
woman's skirt coming up in the train
night before last. Well, when l 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
l, 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, it 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. l have learned that you are
1 am an Italian and of noble family. Our
race is quick to resent a wrong. Now,
sir, you must send me an absolute apology
for your rudenesS to my wife, and in 1t
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 proud race. We
frequently wipe out insults with blood.
Yours, sir,
"RACSO SMADA"'
"'Thatis pretty fierce said Van Tas-
sci.
Fierce, said Brown. Why, it's
bloodthirsty. Think of it! He wants
me to either say l was drunk, and thus
disgrace myself for Life, or fight him
and probably lose my life. My God, l
hardly know what to do. l couldn't
sleep last night, Mrs. Brown and my
daughters received my explanations
with suspicion. l am a disgraced man.
What did | do? l wrote Mr.. Smade
pacific letter. | explained the circum
stances and offered an apology. told
him that L could not say that | was
drunk, because L never got drunk. l
told him that [ had never fought duel
in my life and that | didn't believe
in them. | concluded with little pen
picture of my happy home and how it
would be ruined unless he showed him
self a reasonable man. I mailed that
letter this morning. 1 can find no such
man as Smada in the directory. and l
have sent the letter to the post office.
l don't even know what he looks like.
He might come up and stick knife
in me. Oh, Lord!
ivan Tassel 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 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 unsa tisfactory. 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 in the baggage car, Adams
askedr
"'What name was it that the dago
signed to that letter"
"'A curious name said Brown. 1T
was Rasco Smada."
Ever try to read it backward?'
"'O-stc-a-r,' said Brown. Why, that's
Oscar, your name. A7d-a-m-s-Adams!
Why, Oscar Adams! You misera BILE
scamp. understand it now. A joke
is a joke, Adams, and + 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 L am GO
ing to resign from every organization
in Suburbanville with which you are
connected, and 1 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.