Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1911 — SAID THE WRONG THING [ARTICLE]

SAID THE WRONG THING

THAT’S WHY THE DRUMMER LOST HIS BOOKED ORDERB. i Disputing Customers Ask Him for Decision—He Fears to Side With Either and Loses the Business of Both. The 'drummer sat upon a baggage truck and waited. The train was late —not uncommonly late, for it was common for it to be behind time. He had not known this, and had broken up an exciting game of dominoes at the hotel in order not to miss it. Also he had wanted to see Smith & Wilkerson again, to ask if they hadn’t better change theft mind about those goods, but the domino game and the time of arrival of the train prevented. Therefore he sat and waited and smoked and fumed idly and wished he were a hod carrier rather than a drummer. Business had been bad all week, and In his pocket was a letter from the firm asking him why he hadn’t done business. As he sat two* men appeared, two men he knew, having sold goods to both. They were arguing fiercely. ‘Til leave it to that feller on the truck,” one said as they approached. Then he recognized him. So did the other. “All right,” said the other. “You ask him.” “Lookye here, Ed,” said the first. “Me’n .Andrews here want to knoty whether or pot Napoleon ever crossed the Alps. I say he never got across.” The drummer thought swiftly. Then the other chimed in. “I say he did get across,” he said. The drummer thought some more If he sided with one the other might cancel his business relations. “Well,” he said. “Napoleon got right smack on top of the Alps.” “A-a-a-ah!” jeered the business man; “he didn’t get across then.” “Now, here,” said the drummer, Weakening, noting the other’s face; “it ain’t just that way. Napoleon would have got across—it depends on what you call across, you know.” The two looked at each othher. “Am I wrong or right?” both asked In a breath. -The drummer rose, for his train was coming in. “You’re both right and both wrong,” he said. “I’ll write you about it.” “You needn’t,” said ode. "Not to me,” said the other. “We asked you a plain question,” said both* “Cancel that order.” Then the drummer went into the smoking car and threw himself Into a dusty plush seat. “Oh, th’ diwle!” he said. “Who’d be a traveling man?”