The Washington times., 1908-06-14
Carleton an Advocate
Of BUtterHliIk Habit

AQropOs OF TIE recent feJda1 disturb
anves in West Virginia. ". T. Carrie
ton. who viii appear with the Aborn
Opera Company at the National Thea
ter this coming week as the Millionaire
Gufain. I'm "FlOrOdora." tells OF q some
what thrilling experience he mad some
years ago when travelling with mis-
opera company from Richmond 10
Louisville via. the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad
The train, with Mr. Cartoons special
coach and baggage car attached. had
just pulled into Morehead, which is on
the border Of West Virginia, when If
teen men of the mounJaineer type ran
into the depot and occupied an empty
coach next to the smoking car. The
men were heavily armed with Win
chesters and Colts revOIvers. and
Carleton, who was IN the smoking car,
adjoining the coach, was curious 10
find out who these formidable men
were. AS he stepped across the plat
form of the cars he discovered that a
fask of "Buttermilk' which was in his
hip pocket was leaking lie was about
to remove il on the threshold of the
door Of the coach. when two of the
mountaineers sitting nearest the door
covered him, one with a Winchester;
the other with a Colts. with a per-
emptory you stop there,"
Carleton, ut first at a loss to know
why he was held up, finally thought
of the "Buttermilk." and his hand on
his nip, but fortunately for him did
not move his hand from his hip pocket
otherwise there is no doubt he would
never have heard the musical strains
Of "Florodora" in later years. For, on
asking why this threatening demon
stration." the reply came We amt
talzin' no chances" In vain the bari
tone explained the inconvenience Of the
leaking ..Buttermilk" The only re-
Spouse was Don't you STRIP
At this 1uncture the conductor Of the
train appeared. and assured the men
there was mistake, that the victim OF
their suspicion was an innocuous oper-
attic manager. so at last they lowered
their weapons and Carleton walked up
the aisle and seated himself at the end
of the coach He soon discovered that
the man with the Winchester had COW
cred him again, and the conductor re-
appearing once more induced the blood
thirsty mountaineer &c ground his rifle
and promptly hustled the singer mana
ger out Of the coach. saying:
You git into your baggage car, that
fellows drunk and he'll get you II you
don't hide"
Carleton at once made for the baggage
car. and when the crowd got OF at a
little mountain depot about fifteen miles
up the road. he saw his frieHd with the
Winchester carefully watch and cover
every window of each coach as the train
pulled out If ever man felt relieved
il was Carleton. and strangely enough he
is now great advocate of real butter
milk. for the contents of that nearly
fatal flask could only be described as
such In d jocular spirit
The career OF w. I. Carleton IN a
prominent position. has probably been
longer than any singer before the pub
lie I'm America, at the present time, and
Judging from his vigorous and excellent
condition. both vocal and physical he
is justified in attributing much of his
good shape to the virtues of buttermilk,
which he is never tired Of eXtOlling Tor
its health-giviug properties On being
asked by friend how he felt 1t the
time of the mOuntaineer episode. MI
Carleton said the one thing that most
impressed his memory was the green
vedigris on the coniCal ends of the bull
lets. he saw murderousiy protruding
from the chambers Of the revolver.