Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-04-25
HERO IN HARD LUCK
FATx DEALS UNKINDLY WITH
WOuLD-BE REFORMER.
Youth Wins Rcbuked Fat Man for
Pro.a;>cuous Expectoration Gets
Into Serious Dif:isuity-ccarse Man
Wipes Up Floor With Him.

A fat man-fat and apparently
coarse, and with a prediction for
bullying over the common people
stirred up a big rumpus yesterday
morning on the Staten Island ferry
boat Robert Garrett, which left St.
George at 7:10 O'Clock.
This person chewed tobacco with a
noticeable vehemence, and with con-
secutiveness and frequency he was
obliged to dispose of the usual by
product. 1t was the fat mans method
of disposing of his by-product that
made the rumpus. Perhaps there were
cuspidors, but the fat man didn't hunt
for them. He picked out vacant spots
on the floor instead. There were wom-
en- passengers, and some of them be-
came almost panicky- Then it was
that a small, heroic man made his
appearance. He was a young man
with pale-blue eyes, a slim waist, and
an unhalting expression around his
chin. He had lodged the big mans
hydraulic efforts once or twice, and
felt called upon to do something. He
might have chosen a more original re-
mark, but under the stress of great
mental excitement he resorted to the
old saw. Catching the fat mans eyes
he said, angrily:
do you expect to rate yourself as
a gentleman"
(SwishD "Huh?" said the fat man.
Then don't expectorate on the
floor" added the young hero.
A lot of "serves-you-right-you
old-thing'' looks from the women re-
warded the young man, who thought
he had done his whole duty. Perhaps
he had, but
The fat man relapsed from his con-
templative mood into one of strenuous
action. He reached forth his big,
chubby hands, and hooked them fast
to the clothes of the young hero with
the pale blue eyes. Then he bore
down on the little fellow and doubled
him half up like a knife, and by sliding
him backward and forward on the
floor across the area of his temporary
tobacco-chewing domain, he removed
all traces of wet brown from the cabin
Hoor.
There was plenty of feeling over this
incident. The young man didn't like
it. He was in an uncomfortable po-
sition, as he afterward asserted with
great positiveness. The aim sought
for had been practically achieved, but
the means-the means! There was
the rub He was incensed at the rub.
Several coarse men gurgled with glee,
others swOre right out, and the women
set up such clatter that the attention
of deckhands was attracted. One of
these hands was chewing tobacco
himself, but long years of introspec
ton had enabled him to observe prop
er sanitary precautions. The deck
hands went for the fat man, but he
wriggled between the horses and
trucks and lost himself in the crowd
at the opposite end of the boat. The
young man with the misconceptions
Tag trousers and determined air was
hot foot all over the boat after the
, large person, but could not find him.
With the deckhands he stationed him
self at the gangway when the passen-
gers left the boat at the Battery, con-
fident of catching the large person.
But he didn't. Somehow, it is not
made clear just how, the 220-pound Of
fender wriggled past them and went
on his way, while the young hero,
after watching until the last man had
stepped ashore, went to his Office
chewing the bitter cud of reflection
New York Tribune.