Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-14
Romance Of a
Toy Pistol
B. WILLARD AA,rMAN


sauntered up 10 the bar and called for
Z cigar.
Now. the apparel Of the citizens Of
the town consisted Of q sombrero. Q
dannsl shirt. trousers held up BY q
cartridge belt, to which were slung usu-
ally two revolvers. and cowhide boon.
No such costume ~ that worn b. ths
man in the checkefboaed suit had ever
been seen In that region. In the east,
taking together the pattern Of his
clothes and q clean shaver face, he
would have been ~ down at once a.
an actor: In the west where theatri-
calls at that time were unknown, the
gentleman was . puzzle. Two men
who were drinking together at the 9th.
er end Of the bar began to ut up and
take notice Of the stranger.
what do you think 1t II, JimT" said
one.
Dunno, Pete. Reckon It's one o.
them balloons they hev In dime mu.
seums In st. Louis or Kansas City
dressed MP fancy"
'Reckon we'd better And out"
The curiosity at that moment had
| lit his cigar and was turning away.
| Pete accosted him:
"See here, stranger. what kind Of a
game do they play on you. anyway"
l. Checker" said the smoker imper-
turbably.
Reckon y hev to lay down. don't
y'Y
"Oh. yes: I always lie down and let
'em play on my back. IT'S rather tire
some. though. I have to lie quiet or
spill the checkers and knock the gamc
into pi."
Jesse. Do you carry 4 weepon un.
der your coattails?"
"Oh. yea Why do you ask7''
"Well. I was thinkin' when y hev
| nothin' to do y might take OF yer coat.
hang II up and see how many o. them
squares y kin PUNK. Lemme see yer
guny'
The stranger put his hand under his
coat. pulled out revolver Of diminu.
tive size and handed It to the man
Pets-who was firing the questions ut
him. for examination. Pete took 1t.
laid It In the palm Of his hand and
seemed very much amused.
"CunnIn'. isn't it?" he said. whats
It fory'
"Well. in Kansas City, where come
from. there's several Of us wear this
kind Of suits, and we all carry pistols
like this whenever We meet on the
street we try to see who can put the
most bullets in the little squares worn
by the other fellow"
Pete cooked and unlocked the pistol
several times. evidently much pleased
with 1t. then. raising 1t. pulled the trig
ger and the cigar hew out Of the check.
erboard mans mouth. The shot at.
tracted the attention Of almost every
one in the place. who looked up to see
who had been killed. They saw moth
ing more warlike than the stranger
calling for another cigar. lighting 1t
and pufing away like ferryboat.
1T shoots all right" said Pete. and
IN 4 moment there was another shot,
and the second cigar spun around in
the air and fell on the door somewhat
shattered.
"Now that you sec how It shoots !
wouldn't do that any more" said the
checkerboard man. 1T isn't worth
while" He called for a third cigar
and while lighting It added: III you're
bound to try It another time better do
1t at longer range. Anything'll shoot
straight close up"
At the nrst remark Pete's brow dark
ened. At the second It cleared again.
AN right; you 60 to the other end
O the bar and Ill stand at this end"
"Done." said the stranger. and he
walked slowly toward the designated
place. his back being exposed to the
man with the pistol.
The inmates Of the saloon watched
for the result Of this singular trial Of |
the efficiency Of what they called 4
toy gun. The "target" walked with
the cigar IN his mouth. while Pete held
the pistol ready to ars ~ soon a. he |
should turn. Az he WAS about to swing |
round the stranger put bis hand TO the |
back Of his neck. When he was half |
turned there was q crack, and the cigar |
followed tn predecessor. But almost |
o. the same instant. the checkerboard |
man having faeed Pete. his hand dew
out from the back Of his neck. some.
thing glittsred along line parallel With |
the bar, and Pete sank ON the door. |
Jim bent over him and pulled q ten |
inch knife blade out Of his left breast.
This was q novelty at weapon prac.
tice In the place. and NO one interfered |
With the checkerboard man ~ he quiet 4
y walked out Of The saloon.
by gum" exclaimed one. that was
- slicksst thing I ever saw done"
"Who u he7"
"Dunno."
The same afternoon several Wagons 4
containing the performers ana pan. h
phernaliA Of show came into town. II
and Ut the 6rst performances the man
nf the blackboard suit h spaugied II
dghtS incloeed one Of ths troupe with II