“How in the world was I to state that the man’s throat was cut from ear to ear when he had only one ear?”
The Power of Reputation
One night last week in San Antonio a tall, solemn-looking man, wearing a silk hat, walked into a hotel bar from the office, and stood by the stove where a group of men were sitting smoking and talking. A fat man, who noticed him go in, asked the hotel clerk who it was. The clerk told his name and the fat man followed the stranger into the barroom, casting at him glances of admiration and delight.
“Pretty cold night, gentlemen, for a warm country,” said the man in the silk hat.
“Oh—ha—ha—ha—ha—ha!” yelled the fat man, bursting into a loud laugh. “That’s pretty good.”
The solemn man looked surprised and went on warming himself at the stove.
Presently one of the men sitting by the stove said:
“That old Turkey over in Europe doesn’t seem to be making much noise now.”
“No,” said the solemn man, “it seems like the other nations are doing all the gobbling.”
The fat man let out a yell and laid down and rolled over and over on the floor. “Gosh ding it,” he howled, “that’s the best thing I ever heard. Ah—ha—ha—ha—ha—ha! Come on, gentlemen, and have something on that.”