The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-01

recalled the time when | was learning
how TO be what am now by selling
goods on the road. My territory. for three
years of the twenty l was taking lessons.
was Texas. and Lampases--the same
Lampasas the story tells about with the
Lawrence house, not the Hotel Law
renee that's modern, and the lady land
lord-was one OF my star towns But
while the story told OF what happened to
any man who dared 20 wear a plug hat
In those days in Texas II missed telling
about one man who did wear a plug hat
despite the traditions and the practices
OF the country against the custom.
This man was Doc Vincent. as we
called him. I don't remember his first
name-William Penn. l think-but ne
Travelled for a drug firm in Philadelphia
and that warranted the application Of the
title OF Doc He was a quiet sort of n
chap, Of Quaker parentage and tendencies
and like the Mckee in the Sun story he
liked to wear a plug hat, but unlike Me
Kee he stuck to IL. A plug hat seemed TO
suit hts style OF beauty somehow. and a
SLOUGH on him would have looked more
out Of place than 1900 Hover bonnet on
one OF his female ancestors He came
into Texas the last year I was there, and
told hIm as soon as saw him that We
there were places where he might wear n
plug hat with some degree Of safety for
ten or fifteen minutes there were others
where II would be shot fun Of holes as
sure as guns went of In Texas. had
known him for dozen years in the South
and East and talked 10 him like brother.
but II didn't do much good. He smiled
gently as a woman. saying he wished TO
give ofYense to no one and sincerely hoped
no one would give offense to him In mere
~ exercising his rights as a citizen under
the constitution.
II told him the principle sounded all
right in expression and was all right IN
theory, hut that the practice in Texas was
TO shoot a plug hot full Of holes. whether
the wearer was offended OF not. He said
he hoped I was mistaken. and I babe him
farewell next morning with tears in my
eyes. for he stlil had on his plug hat and
was headed for Lampasas. where he had
been ordered to remain for some time on
special business of the firm connected
with explorations for some kind OF
medicinal herb thought to exist in that
region.
Three months later struck Lanpasas
and Doc met me at the train. He had on
his plug hat. too, but on. what a hat II
was slick and shiny In places but most
Of II looked like a coiander. and at
single glance I counted dozen holes
Ugly looking holes they we're. too OF the
unmistakable kind made by cold lead at
short range.A lot OF Lampasians were
standing around and it occurred to me
that possibly hadn't better take any
notice OF Docs hat and didn't. When
we got into a room at the hotel I asked
him about II and he said ne thought
might get the story straiahter IL asked
some of the people about town, 7 did So
including In the list to be seen the lady
landlord the harkeper, the town marshal
and several friends I knew In business
there.
Nobody knew how he managed to get
tho hat safely through TO Lampasas. but
ne arrived there with II on his head and
in te usual state ~ glossy repair.
When ne put anne on that old hc-
count book which III duty as register
At the Lawrence house. the lady land
lord looked him over critically.
Stranger in these parts said she.
"r am. madam" replied Doc. with
bow and the grace Of Chesterfield. which
he was.
Better get new hat said she, with
kindly suggestiveness.
This one l have. madam, Is prac-
ticaily new Doe explained. innocently.
'T amt douhtin' that said the lady.
but that kind Of hat Is plzen to Lam
pasas gents
How, madam inquired Doc. opening
wide his mild gray eyes.
'Dinged II I know. but they'll shoot
II full Of holes the fust chance.
Then will be time enough 20 get a
new one madam, said Doc. and followed
stable boy upstairs TO his apartments.
He didn't come down till supper time
which was an hour after his arrival, and
after supper ne went into the barroom.
which had no one In it at that hour ex-
cept the harkeeper. That worthy vas
actually struck speechless ~ the stsht
Of Doc and tho hat. and he made signs
with his hands In defense n he had
EN- again. There table ia one
corner % the room with a lamp On u
for the accommodation OF some drum
mers as miGht want 70 write a letter, and
Doc took a seat beside Il with his back
TO the room and the bar Putting himself
in position % get the best light. he took
u book from his pocket-he was an In
veterate reader-and he was soon lost IN
hts story. Pretty soon one or two Lam
paSas hoods dropped tn. took look at
Doc and his plug hat and dropped our.
Others. IN one. two, three or moro lots.
did the same. md in the course u an
hour they came hack again and stayed IN.
The man IN the SILK hat sal quietly read
ing BY the table and the crowd NJ the
TAR more or less unqutetiv were SLING
their tAnks References we're also ecinE
made 20 tho man In thc SIR rat
"T'n het hog farm In Illinois said
ope fellow. Z can put "a hoie Through it
and never skin hts scalp
GO you.' responded tho man next. AMI
the hrSt one rot aut hts xun and cooked a.
doc wasn't 80 4 aoyhei w hia hook
that ne hadn't head ire utte hv-talk
among me gentlemen - fha har. hWt he
had made uv Ria mio3 ta show TIRE pluR
rat shooters ssmathIrr fhey were NOT
arrsia.4YueA 20. ari aH - Afa vas 20
nuN the vat 'trs -'eser 4owr 90 hts
heaF rs y 80 q~aie rs eyes ans 20 90