The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-07-06
WHERE: HE
LEARNED 1T.
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

- SCdtuly ago.
one DAY a young man dressed not
IN the buckskin or linsey woolsey of
the times. but In a costume that
smacked rather Of Europe than Amer.
lea. alighted from the coach at a tay.
ern and called for supper and a room.
IL was at the end Of the stage route,
ana the young man was obliged to
proceed to his home farther south on
horseback. This was the reason for
his remaining overnight. There was
not much amusement to be found in
such place. and aft :. supper. hear
Ing the strains Of q violin In a saloon
across the way. he concluded to walk
over and see what was going on. At
one end of the room was u bar. and
at the other was the fiddler. who. sit
ting on platform of boards set on
barrels. was playing The Arkansaw
Traveller" There was q story con-
nected with the music, which the I'D
dier told. every now and again stop
ping to go on with the tune At ia
bies scattered here and there were
men. most Of them In hunting COS
tunes, playing cards.
At the entrance Of q young man in
civilized dress every one looked up.
The newcomer. being embarrassed,
was about to retreat when one Of the
card players called out:
Don't 60. younker. Yo're the pur-
TEST thing we've ever seen In these
parts. Let's have look at them
Clothes"
Those Clothes" said the stranger,
"came from a long way of. As soon
as l get settled at home TIL probably
go in for the costume Of the country"
"Whar did yo' come from. anyway p
1--WE been to Germany"
Germany" exclaimed every one In
the room. They had never before
heard Of any one who talked pure
American coming from across the At
lantic.
What war yo' dom tharr' asked
one
"Studying."
did you go from hyar?"
ayes. My father lives in the blue
grass region. My name is Morgan"
"All right. sonny. If yo' hail from
old Kaintuck yo're all right. no mat
ter what kind of rig yo' got on. My
names Speers. Step up and have
somep'n.'
Il don't drink anything except beer.
/ reckon l can't get that here"
"Beer! No. We don't drink nothin'
but pure Kaintuck corn Juice down
hyar. Step up and have some o. that"
'"Thank you: don't drink whisky"
Don't know how. Ell? Well. wen
teach yo'."
"You can't teach me, for won't
learn"
The speaker reached down between
his shoulder blades and drew forth q
bowie knife foot long and began to
poke the young man with Its point to-
ward the bar. Several Of the others
not be forced to drink what he didn't
wish to drink. Others maintained that
If there was to be fight he should be
furnished with arms to defend himself.
SIS 1t drink or fght?" asked the man
with the knife.
lutely.
"Well. then. it's fight. What weapons
do you like?'' ~. ..
"I'd as soon have knife like the one
you're fourishing as anything. But l
don't wish to fight. I'd much prefer to
go over to the tavern and let you drink
all the whisky you like"
"Give him bowler cried his enemy.
A man In the crowd handed Morgan
q knife of the exact length OF that OF
his antagonist, and he had no sooner
got his fingers about its handle than
his enemy made dash for him with
his knife raised high in the air. The
youngster caught it on his own knife.
making a cash in his enemy's hand
from which dripped the red blood.
Speers unlocked his knife and made an
under pass Again the weapon was
caught. and a fresh stream ran from
Its owners hand. Then followed a
series of passes by Speers. Morgan
standing solely on the defensive. A
dozen times he could have punctured
his enemy in any part OF the body he
chose. but he refratned.
The interest in the fight among the
oniookers was intense. The skill OF
Morgan won a number to his side. VINO
kept calling, ''Now's 20 chance. young
un.a LET driver Finish him" But
Morgan contented himself with block
ing his enemy's thrusts. Finally Nor
gan called to the crowd:
"Do you think this has gone on long
enoughT
Eyes. Finish 1t up"
"All right"
Every one expected to see him plunge
his knife into Speers' body. but instead
of that he wedged his own blade In
between Speers' fingers and the hilt
of his knife. gave his own bowie
fling. and Speers' weapon went up to