Arizona republican., 1900-09-10
BECAME A TRAGEDY.

The recent tragedy in Rhinslander Ca young travelling man killing a promi- nent merchant in hoteD is fearful illustration of what serious conse- quences may follow on q seemingly | trifling indiscretlon. The drummer. " who was but g years old, was on his first trip. IL was Saturday. and Sun day away from home was before him. He had done good days work in so- l liciting and no doubt was in high spir- It's and rejoicing in his youth. While doing business in one of the stores he ventured to suggest to a lady clerk that they meet on .he morrow It does not appear that the youths over lures were more reprehensibIe than fre- ouent invitations Of this sort. unwise and indecoroUS, to be sur, in the ab- sence of any previous acquaintance but often enough accep.ed in the care !css flirting spiri, in which such over lures are made. Unfortunately the young gallant addressed the wrong wo- nan. She was the wife of the propri- etor, and he promptly and fittingly ex- pelltd the fellow from the store
 Had the young drummer been hard ened in the ways of the world. and much given to liberties of this sort, sometimes encouraged and sometimes rebuffed, he would have carelessly gone his way, counting the game lost and casting about for some other girl whose company should divert his lei sure hours in a strange town But the incident had grown serious. The hus- band naturally made an ado about thA insult The young mans imagina :ion was fevered by stories he had read of agricved husbands. The publicity and discredit of the escapade which would reach his home, his friends and his employers filled him with alarm and terror. It was not easy to ezcape read fly from the city. It was a small com- munity and the possibility of a mob may have frightened him. He wen: to his hotel in growing apprehension.
 Now the other side of the story. It does not appear that the husband had any idea of further violence in follow ing up the young man who inzulted his wife. The merchants idea was 10 get his address and report the occur- renee to the employing firm, a very proper redress to take. On entering the hotel the two men met, anI it is al together likely 'she stranger thought his hour had come. According to tra- ditions of invaded homes" it should have come. In terror. fearful of his life, the young man who had armed himself for such a scene as his excited fancy conjured up, shot and killed the man who he wrongfully supposed had come to take his own life.
 It is an unutterably sad story of mis understandings predicated on what is fortunately always a perilous act in American life, the offer to a woman cf what may possibly be construed as an insult We don't know tha; this is the correct interpretation of what hap pened in Rhinelander, but the reports would indicate it. Had the aggressor been a veteran libertine the initial ov- erture at ,he store counter was of a character to make a tragic ending most natural. But we suspec7 the train of devel pmsnts hinged on what ssem- ed to strarg-r in town an effort son.- what bold but not inherently vicious. Young men of a free and easy type dai- ly suggest a walk or an excursion to girls whom they chance to mes,, and sometimes it is accepted and often it is refused, laughingly or scornfully. That is the nd of 1t. The death of a SOu ClllZ1u Cl f(HlnSldilItE ana the blasting of the future of a gay young man are terrible reminders that it is a short cut from jest to earnest in matters involving the honor due our American women; that it is peril0us for a stranger to speak to one of them unless the man had something perti- nent and respectful to say.-La Crosse Republicar and Leader.