Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
MATTER OF OTHES
IOriEnaL]

lieutenant he had been noticeable Tor
always dressing when in mutt in the
most fashionable attire. But suddenly
there had come a change. His fine
clothes were replaced by those of the
most ordinary type, and from that4time
forward he never again dressed Ias
swell
One evening when u number of re-
tired officers at the Army and Navy
club were sitting together one -of them
who had known him all his, life re-
marked on the splendor of hrs former
apparel and the sudden, change. where
upon Browning told the following
story:
Some forty years ago a gentleman
stepped into a dance house AZ a point
on the upper Missouri river where wag-
ons started for the interior. The gen
tleman could not have been more map
propriately dressed if he had attended
an Inauguration ball in a wooden shirt,
with his trousers tucked into his boots.
1t was n case of vice versa. The pep
Die in the dance house We're team
sters. gamblers. thieves. cutthrOats; the
women. the lowest of the lowest class.
The gentleman went among them dress
ed in the height of fashion. True. he
wore what are called business clothes,
but from their cut and texture among
the costumes i'll the dance house they
were as noticeable as if he had been
got up TO represerS a rajah of India.
The gentleman stood looking on at
the motley crowd dancing about TO the
music OF q scraped fiddle, and, being
nearsighted. slipped u pair of pince nez
glasses before his eyes in order the
better to take in the novel sight. He
had never before seen men dancing
with their hats on nor men and women
pausiug to walk up to the bar To have
a drink together And it is question
able if the dancers ever saw such a
swell looking young fellow in a sky
blue cravat spangled with white dots
looking at them through a pair of
eyeglasses without the slightest at
tempt to conceal his interest in their
dress. manners and customs.
Very soon he was made aware Of the
fact that the people he considered so
curious had feelings as well as him
self, though not as delicate methods Of
showing them. There were cries OF
"Bloker' "Tenderfootc' 'HDude!' and
such like appellations. and presently the
gentleman became aware that they
were applied to him. He was about to
turn and leave when Il man stepped
70, Ia nd GhnvirAor a rpN-nlVpr lln6nr
his nose said:
Stranger, we consider ourselves wo tn
u drink all round
BY this time the gentleman remem-
bered that he had heard of such people
as these and when they made n request
Of a man in their power it must be
obeyed.
"All right" he said. step upr'
The man who had made the request
shouted that the stranger would set up
the drinks. and every one present drank.
The stranger Joined. realizing that if
he did not he would very likely never
drink again. Then he paid the price,
which used up i twenty dollar bill, and
was about to depart when the man who
had forced the invitation said to him:
Now you'-here followed language
not to be repeated-"git."
The gentleman had not been unwill-
ing to pay for the show he had enjoyed,
though under cOmpulsiOn. but ut this
point he demurred. Nevertheless he
bowed politely to the man and remark
ed that he was sorry to have intruded.
Then he departed, walking brIskly
down to the river bank, where he found
boat tied up, on which were some
twenty recruits for the til United
States infantry stationed at Fort -.
They and the gentleman had arrived
only couple of hours before and We're
% proceed in the morning to the fort
Sergeant" said the gentleman, get
your men ashore and follow me"
The order was obeyed, and in few
minutes the men with arms at right
shoulder were marching up the road
way-it couldn't be called u street
the gentleman leading the way. When
they reached the dance house they filed
in and were drawn up in line before the
only door The gentleman then brought
them 10 an aim and remarked to the
assembly:
Every man on his head"
One or two who saw blood in his
eye obeyed instantly, but it was some
minutes before all followed.
~Turn somersaults''
Every man obeyed the order Then
the gentleman directed the man who
had insulted him TO get up on n table
and dance. When the sport became
tiresome the manager Of the show turn
ed the men over 10 the sergeant and
ordered him to march them back TO the
boat
Who was the gentleman? Second
Lieutenant Ned Browning-in other
words. myself. I had brought the
recruits up the river and on the even
ing Of our arrival had fallen into the
water and barely escaped drowning
had no change OF uniform. but 1 did
have a suit OF "cit's" clothes After a
rubbing l put them on and. having
nothing better TO do. thought 1 would go |
I'D and see something Of froYfie- life /