The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-06-02
WHERE HE
LEARNED 1T
BY LOUISE B. CUMMINGS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

This is a story of Kentucky nearly
century ago.
One day 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 tav-
ern and called for supper and room
1t was at the end Of the stage route,
and 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 he found In
such a place. and aft I supper, hear
ing the strains of 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 bar, and
at the other was the fddler, who, sit
| ting on a platform Of boards set on
barrels, was playing '"rhe Arkansaw
Traveller" There was a story con-
| pected with the music. which the fid-
| dler told. every now and again STOP
ping to go on with the tune. At ta-
blcs scattered here aud there were
men, most of them in hunting cos
tunes, playing cards.
at the entrance Of young man in
civilized dress ever one looked I'D.
Tho newcomer, being embarrassed,
was about to retreat when one of the
card players called out:
Don't go, younker. Yo're the pur-
dest thGg we've ever seen in these
parts. Let's have a look at them
clothes"
"Those Clothes" said the stranger,
"came from long way off, AS soon
rs get settled at bone I'll probably
so In for the costume OF the country"
"Whar did yo' come from, anyway"
"I've been to Germany"
"Gernany" exclaimed every one in
the room. They had never before
heard of any one who talked pure
American coming from across the At
,antic.
What war yo' doin tharP' asked
one. Sst.ss,.,-., n .,.,,,.
studying" ~ ::f, IT,.
did you so from 'ynr?"
Eyes. My father ives IN the blue
grass region. Ny name is Morgan"
"All right, sonny. If yo' hail from
old Kaintuck yo're all right, no mat
ter what kind of a rig yo' got on. My
names Speers. Step up and have
somep'n." q ev7d-
Il don't drink anything except beer.
reckon l can't get that here"
Beer! No. We don't drink notbin'
but pure Kaintuck corn juice down
hyar. Step up and have some O. that"
THANK you; l don't drink whisky"
Don't know how, eh? Well, We'll
teach yo'."
"You can't teach me, for l won't
learn"
The speaker reached down between
his shoulder blades and drew forth
bowie knife a foot long and began to
poke the young man with its point to-
ward the bar. Several of the others
protested that the young man should
not be forced to drink what he didn't
wish to drink. Others maintained that
if there was to be a fight he should be
furnished with arms to defend himself.
"Is it drink or fight?" asked the man
with The knife.
"It isn't drink" said the other reso-
lutely.
"Well. then, it's fight. What weapons
do you like?"
'1'd as soon have knife like the one
you're fiourishing 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 bowie" cried his enemy.
A man in the crowd handed Morgan
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 drilped 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 refrained.
The interest in the fight among the
onlookers was intense. The skill of
Morgan won d number to his side, who
kept calling, "Now's yo' chance, young
un" "Let drive!" Finish himT' 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
enough?"
"Yes. Finish 1t up"