The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-16
MR.. COLLINS OF SAN ANGELO

ii
! he got past Kansas City he commenced
| 20 realize that 1t was a big thing to
/ be from Chicago. and whenever he could
! get into conversation with a stranger
| who looked western he would lead the
| talk up 10 his(favorite topic, which was
| Chicago, or my town." as he liked 10
cali il. II he found that his conmuni-
cative acquaintance had been there he
was bit guarded in ms enthusiasm. but
an admission that his victim had never
seen the City Of the Unsalted Sea evoked
some statements. comparisons and Won
| drous illusions that could not fail TO
| edify each listener.
After leaving Fort Worth the sleeper
was almost empty. but Spoford lcitered
irto the srokinG-room and saw =
stranger sitting by the window rolling q
cigarette OF straw paper. Here was .
lchance for the loquacious city man, 50
he pulled out a cigar and proffered IL
with:
Have a cigar. friend?"
Nope. thankee," answered the west
erner, looking a bit startled. but lighting
his cigarette AMI blowing the smoke out
of the window. He was a tall. red-necked
black-haired man, with short. brist-
ling beard and mustaehe, hish-heeled
boots. big black hat of generous fit
and hands that showed the evidence of
outdoor toll and Il face that bespoke the
frank, ingenious fearlessness OF \ plains
man. The two men sat silently smok-
ing till the conductor had come through.
When he was gone Spo1ord moved along
side the stranger and said:
How far are you going?''
San Angelo answered the westerner,
trifie uneasy and Sizing up the Chi
cagoan.
Cattle town. continued the latter.
Yep
My name is spofford, spoford of Chi
cago," very proudly, and presenting
card I'm in the wholesale cigar bust
ness. Just taking a run over TO Key
ing to do in N'Yawk: thought I'd look
over this part of the country"
My names Collins" vouchsafed the
Texan. impressed by the city mans ire
pressible friendliness. I'm in the cattle
business
do you know. guessed that?" laugh
ed Spofford. with assuring confidence.
I've made a study of men and can
pretty near always tell mans profess
sion, or business, OF trade, by just look
ing at him. You're a cattle owner, I
presume p
We'll, yaas. I've got quite few, thirty
or forty thousand head. p'raps. I been
up here lookin' at some grain lands,
could use ten or twenty thousand acres,
but great Scott. It'd take bout $4,000
TO git what l want"
Ever been to Chicago?" asked Spot
ford.
Nope, never been there git Ship most
o my stuff to Kansas City. Always
wanted t see that there town o. Chi
cago, too. Must be quite a place. eh?''
Now, here was Spofford' chance, and
he seized upon it with that avidity which
distinguishes the boaster who is not
afraid of being tripped up. He described
some OF the sky-scrapers in such terms
as made those undetermined buildings
seem like towers OF Babel; he talked
about the parks and the boulevards till
Collins innocent gray eyes bulged with
visions of Paradise upon earth; he told
weird and blood-curdling stories about
the horrors Of South Clark street, Whisky
Row, the levee, and the tenderloin till
the adventurous Texans mouth fairly
watered with anticipation OF the "doings"
he would have if he ever visited Chicago.
He vowed" he would ship his next
bunch to the Chicago stock yards, and
this gave Spoffard a new and inspiring
impetus.
I'm give you tip, though, Mr.. Col
Inns said the Chicagoan, sitting closer
and becoming more, confidential; ''!f you
town is full Of them. They hang around
the depots. and q fellow that isn't posted
is pretty sure to get caught"
well, I'll swami" CALCULATED the cat
tleman. What do they. them con men,
look like?'
That's it. What do they look like?'
said Sponord. warming to his subject
You can't always tell what they're going
to look like Sometimes they dress up
like preachers-some of them look like
perfect gentlemen millionaires.'
'Aw, so long. stranger" guffawed the
Texan, highly amused.
Yes. they do. But the way they work
is the cutest part OF it." continued the
wise man from the city. Sometimes they
get on trains coming into Chicago and
spot their man. II you were in the
smoker. for instance. and laid your hat
down. one Of EN- would be apt to peep
into your hat. and then he'd know where
YOU came from. Thatd give him a
chance TO ask: Amt you Mr.. Smith or
Mr.. Jones from San AngelO7" Wen, OF
course, you'd UP and say. No. I'm not
Jones. Ny nSme is Collins, but I'm from
San Angelo ell right Well, then, he
knows your name, don't he?'
Yes, but what goods that goin to do
him." wondered Collins.
Wei. now, wait a minute, You get off
the train, say at Polk street, and walk
around TO State street. wondering at the
big stores. the crowds and the rushing
wagons and street cars. A we'll dressed.
agreeable looking man comes up 10 you
and says, Beg pardon. Mr. Collins. But
you are Mr. Collins Of san Angelo,
Texas. aren't you? Excuse me for stop
ping you ike this the well-dressed man
Will say, but I'm the manager Of the
Western Union, and I've got e description
OF you from our San Angelo Office.
There's q telegram for you down at the
Office, and l was afraid we mightnt find
YOU. That's the kind Of a talk they put
up sometimes. Well. you want 10 get that
telegram. don't you? You think maybe
your wife IS III, or perhaps your house
and barns have burneu. or one Of ycur
children is dead, and you go along with
the manager, who seems very anxious and
ssad 10 help you. A 'bracer' is sometimes
a good thing before you read an unex-~
peeted telegram. and you accept the
managers offer 70 treat You 90 into
a saloon Perhaps its whisky row but
YOU don't know t. You take a drink Of
whisky. we'll say. Then you forget
things. When you wake up you re on at
ash pile in back yard. or maybe out 10
an alley. You feel drowsy. and when you
examine your pockets you fin1 that you
have been robbed, skinned. buncoed.
That's all"
Lord. bat that's slickr' gapcd the
aduiriugs Texan How j you suppose the
feliow'd know me BY sight1 : mean the
fellow as said he was telegraph man
sger7"
why. the fellow you met on the train
got your name and home town. didns he2
" ell. IL was an easy matter for him %
meet his pal Oh the street, point you out
give him your name and let him Do The
rest
Gosh dang il, bat them fellows Eauss
81 smart marveIed The cattiensn. rising.