The Springfield herald., 1902-04-18
WHY HE DID NOT SUE
GOOD STORY TOLD OF ENTERPRIs-
ING FLORIDA MERCHANT.
Plate GAS WI, Something of n
Myatery to In liam Chief. hut Not s"r
Long - Cause for Laughter About
Equally Divided.

When Henry NJ. Flagler, the wizard
of the East Coast" began operations
that turned palmetto and scrub
oak" tangle into a tropical fairyland.
and gave to the world its greatest and
most delightful winter resort, Palm
Beach, there were many small invest
ors who followed him there.
One of them was C. o. Livingston of
jacksonville, Fla, who had built
brick block near Flagler's investments
in st. Augustine, and mad remarked
that he would follow him slam" to
| Cape Sable and around on the gulf il
Flagler should keep on going.
Mr.. Livingston had an ambition to
have the first plate-gass front in the
Everglades. So when his brick block
! in West Palm Beach was nearing COM
| pletion he made a special trip down
and personally superintended the plac-
ing of the polished plates in the frames.
They were of large size and reached
nearly to the level of the sidewalk. He
| was standing outside with his chest in
the air, swelled with gratified ambi-
| ton, admiring the crystal sheets, when
along came Tiger-Tail, big chief of the
once powerful but now fast disappear
| ing Seminoles.
When his foot treads his native
heath Tiger-Tail scorns to hide his no.
| BILE form with any of the habiliments
affected by his civilized brethren. but
| he has a white shirt hung up in his
| wigwam, which was given him by a
| commercial drummer in the early '70s
| and which he was wont to don when he
, made his monthly pilgrimages to Palm
| Beach for fire water" fire powder"
and lead. He was thus attired when
he walked up to Mr.. Livingston and
exchanged "Hows."
This was a good opportunity for the
| proud builder to impress the savage
red man with the march of civillza-
ton, SO he pointed out the building to
Tiger-Tail, calling his particular atten-
| ton to the plate glass front.
Tiser-Tail looked at the polished
surfaces. but his Impractical eye could
| see nothing except openings in the
| front windows.
He walked up close, and thinking to
get closer view. he tried to step
| through the window inside. His Ro-
man nose came in contact with the
| glass. which surprised him very much.
He rubbed his nose. gave grunt and
| looked hard at the window, and still
| not seeing any reason why he could
| not step inside, made a second essay.
| He bumped his nose harder this time,
| which caused Mr. Livingston to laugh
| long and loud.
| Now the Indian Is essentially a man
| of action and without emotions. With
| out the least sign of anger visible in
| his face, Tiger-Tail backed away to
| the edge of the sidewalk. picked up a
| scantling and went for that plate-glass
| front-the first in the Everglades
| before the owner could protest there
| wasn't piece left big enough for a
paper weight.
Mr.. Livingston stormed and cursed
but the big chief. adjusting his shirt.
and explaining the whole matter by ut
tering the single word HUH" con-
tinued his search for more mysteries
to unravel.
In telling this experience while on
visit to Boston, says the New York
Mail and Express. one of Mr.. Living
ston's friends asked him why he did
not sue the Indian.
What" he exclaimed, "sue Tiger
Tail? Sue man who amt got moth
ing but shirt? What would get?
The shirt?'
THIS COLORED MAN WAS WISE.