Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-03-02
Saint Maru's Beacon


Tricks ON an Amateur.
The Hon. Hugh Carlyn of Lyon
county was In Virginia City lass
week. He Is naturally good-natur-
ed and unsuspecting. but don . pre-
sumo too faI or he wiil he sure 70
drop on your little game. Sometime
ago Hugh was in Eureka Not hav-
ing anything to do when hs 6rst al
rived In town. he wore away o good
bit Of time ct q saloon kept by snold
acquaintance. whom be happened TO
fnd there.
One morning his friend had some
business out Of town and got Hugh
10 take charge Of the bar during his
absence. Hugh laid aside his has
and took up his position.
Some person who was in the So
loon when Hugh thus took command,
went ont among the boss joksrs Of
the town. In pursuance Of the plan
agreed upon. the first customer that
arrived said. as he marched up the
bar. Got any real first rate
whisky7"
Have ! got any good whiskyf-
Hayen's II You don't find anything
else passed over this bar. Never
was q finer package Of whiskey lug
ged into Eureka than what Is on tap
in she back room."
The man poured out o big horn,
took Q swallow oft and began cough
ing. He conghed 80 hard that he
was obliged toset down his glass. He
then clapped both hands upon his
stomach and coughed himself all
around the -coughed his hat Oh
and coughed till he, was black in the
fsce-coughed till the tears stream
down his cheeks-till he seemed
not 10 have breath enough left to
cough more, or TO utter o syllable,
when he took his handkerchief from
his eyes, shook his fist ct the aston
ished deputy bartender and rushed
out 0f the saluon without word.
leaving his glass Of liquor standing
on the counter.
Hugh was frightened and bewild-
cred. He took the whisky bottle.
held IL up TO the light. and carefully
examined IL, fearing he h-d made
some mistake-finally, tomake sure.
he tasted it. and found Il to be
whisky, and pretty fair whisky, too.
He had just recovered his usual
serenity Of mind when q gentleman
came and said: Have you got any
good brandy-real, good brandy
no manufactured stuff"
What do yor take US for7" cried
Hugh. There's not one drop Of
doctored liquor Of any kind about
this establishment. No such liquor
as this was ever brought TO Eureka.
IL cost Us s22 q gallon In Sar Fran.
cisco. It's like DILL"
The customer poured out o liberal
allowance, but had no sooner attemp.
ted 70 swallow il than he commenced
coughing and spat out what he had
in his mouth. He held both hands
TO his cheeks and whirled round on
one heel like q dancing Dervish, and
ran for the water pitcher and then
began coughing as though he would
cough up his lungs.
''ough -hooh, "coughed he. Cell
that brandy?" and, doubled up like
q half open jack knife. he couxhed
himself out Of the saloon.
Again was Hugh astouuded, and
again he critically inspected the
liquor no had dealt out. He was
finally convinced that il was all
right, but that the fault was in the
people-something wrong with In
che people.
About the time that he had srriy-
cd ut this conclusion q man came in
and spreading himself out before the
bar to good advantaeesaid: Have
you got q good article of giD-real
good. pure ginf"
of course we have-never keep
anything else. What do you take
as forf" And Hugh reached the
gin bottle with his left hand, while
with his right he brought up from
under the bar cooked revolver,
which he pointed ut the head of his
customer as be placed the bottle be-
fore him. saying. Nov you cough,
d-n you'll"
That customer didn't cough.