but a ball sent through the thin door soon…
source date: 1889
availability: public-domain

when Cummings started to come up the steps. Pearson pulled his gun (a 32 caliber) and com- menced shooting. Cummings tumbled down the steps and ran into the restaurant next door, closely followed by his partner with the 32 in action. Cummings tried to get into the pantry, but a ball sent through the thin door soon soon brought him out, and he made Spokane time for the back door, through which his manly 225 pound form dashed as the last little lead pellet whistled past his head. Pearson then returned to the sidewalk and commenced to reload his toy gun. Mr. Gaddis came out and asked : “Well, did you get him?” “No,” replied Pearson, “but I will next time.” A crowd then commenced to gather around, and Pearson was soon placed under arrest by Al. Card. At the time of the arrest he appeared to be about the coolest man in the crowd. He did not seem to be any more excited than an average dude over a game of “Pigs in Clover.” He ought to feel heartily ashamed of such marksmanship, and besides that, if he again desires to engage in another such enter- prise, he should first procure a gun. Those little things will do well enough for children to practice with in Omaha, but they don’t amount to much when a man means business.