No Gentle men About.

Otago Witness, Issue 2523, 23 July 1902, Page 77

No Gentle men Abo ut.

EACH ASPIHAXT FOX THE HONOUR HAD A rnvxcE to pkove his claim. The dispute as to whether Arkansas Bill or Kansas Joe was the greatest gentleman had been going on for three month*, when the principals happened to meet in the Red Dog saloon. "I understar' d Arkansas Bill, as he 100-ed the y— "l understand that there is a pr. c who claims to be a gentleman?" "There be," iv^.ied Kansas Joe. "And would he know another gentleman if he met him?" "He sartinly would." "And has he got a sort of feelin' that there is another gentleman around just about now?" "He porter has that feelin', and he's lookin' right at you." "Then there must be two gentlemen present?" "There must." Both leaned up against the bar and gazed pf the opposite wall for three long minutes without saying another word. Then Kansas Joe queried : "Waal?" "Waal?" echoed Arkr.isas Bt' "I'm waitin'."' "So'm I." "I'm waiti if the other gentleman aro a rev gentleman." "Samf* here." "Gentleman 'nuflf to invite another gentleman to take a diink with him." "Exactly." "But bein' as he don't seem to be " "Nio ; he don't." "And bein' as I don't keor to drink with anybody but a gentleman " "D to." "Why. t'-e only way to do is " "For rac'i of 113 to order and pay for his own drink."

And they stood up side by side and crooked their elbows in unison, and each mentally vowed that the apparent gentility of tl-e other was but a thin veneer that could deceive nobody with two guns strapped to his back. — Arkansas Traveller.