The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-05-31
IN A FRONTIER SALOON.
clever .unpiny ~ n Youth Was Not
80 Much of - "T~ndrr-t"ot"
o.. lie seemed.

a stripping OF cTrminatc r%osincHs
and neat attire sat In the corncr ~
frontier saloon, modest. silent. aud as
far out Of the why M he could get.
lie had stepped from the train. and he
was waiting for the stage. II was
starchcd linen that he wore; the city
showed quite plainly In his hat, and II
IN still In dispute whether any down
was visible upon hls lip. Hut he was
old enough Ia he smoking 4 cigar with
all the appearance 81 habit. The
cigar. also. Mns not u native of the
town. In fact, the young man made
NO purchase upon entering the saloon,
nevertheless the proprietor could
scarcely complain of him. The stran-
ger had asked II he might wal, there
for the stage. aud had thanked the
proprietor for his permission. relates
owen Wistcr, In Every body Maya
zine.
Then he had sought his quiet corner
and lighted his cigar.
A citizen walked out Of the back
room aud up to the bar. lie had left
n faro game, and the proprietor was
Friendly with him. but respectful; that
sort of respect which IN favored deli.
catrly with just enough familiarity
To- bring It out. II II probable that III.
citizen had had more drinks than the
one he now took. II IL also likely that
faro had not gone ns well with him
this morning m he considered his due.
HE dissatisfied eye fell upon the rosy
youth aud the cigar, aud he took the
glass from his lips and held II, consld.
ering the stranger.
~ length, without removing his
eyes, he inquired; "What Christmas
tree did that drop orY"
The proprietor FASTENED Ia take this
view. "lts express tag has fiuttcred
AWAY, ! guess" he whispered. jocos-ly.
The citizen remembered his whisky.
swallowed H., set the glass gently
down, gently drew his siN.shootcr aud
shot the cigar Ia smash out ~ the
young mans mosiih.
Now. | do not At all know what
should have done In the young mans
plncc. Something sensible. I hope.
What the youth did | know | should
not have done. You will see hat his
behavior was out ~ the common. lie
stopped down, picked up his cigar,
found Il ruined, put II In the spitioon.
got "a fresh one out Of his pocket,
found u match In his w~aistcont, slid II
along the seat 81 his nice brooches,
lighted the new cigar and settled him.
self unce more In his chair. withouta
word ~ protest or nm attempt AT re.
sentiment. The proprietor saw him
do II all. aud told about II aftcrwnrd.
The citizen took the second cigar.
smash! like the first. Perhaps he went
n iriilc nenrer the youths lip.
What were the card players In tho
back room doing at all this noise?
They all lay Nat On the floor. like the
well trained. indigenous people that
they were. mindlng their own bust
ness. For there was no rear exit.
The youth felt In his w%alstcoat
pocket, but brought no match from II.
So he rose with still another fresh
cigar In his hand, and walked To the
bar.
"Ill have 10 ask you for a match"
he said to the proprietor. who at once
accommodated him.
Once ngain he slid the match he.
meath his q tails, and, bringing up
his own siX-shooter. shot the citizen
rs instantly dead MS that can be done,