The Grand Haven news., 1865-12-06

1Cot tAiSA NSiA w t0iScs
/ was silent. s#t as
ave will give you ten minutes to say
your prayers, and also allow you The
privilege Of being shot or hung"
Suddenly an idea struck me, I remem-
bered something that might save my life.
/ burst into n violeut fit Of laughter, in
fact it was hysterical, but they did not
know il. They looked at one another in
amazement."
"Well, he takes il mighty cool any
how" said one. aH ~
Suppose he don't think we are in ear.
nest" said another.
"CotDe, stranger, YOU had better say
your prayers said The man who had first
spoken, +" time flies" ste
My only reply was 6t of laughter
more violent Than the fist.
"The mans mad" they exclaimed.
"Or drunk" said some. rs' 'N 4
swell, boys" said | speaking for the
fist time, " this is The best joke / have
ever seen. What, hang pal"
"a pal-you palp
/" ain't nothing else," was my elegant
rejoinder.
"What is your name?'
"Did you ever hear Of Ned WillettY" ]
replied.
You may he certain of that. Amt
he head of our profession u
"Well, then, I'm Ned"
"You Ned Willettr they all exclaim-
ed. Ah1e
"You may bet your life on ihat," /
returned, staggering up TO the corner
where had seen the old woman count
ing and packing the counterfeit half dol
lars.
Fortune favored me. None of the
men present had ever seen Ned WilIett,
although his reputation was well known
to them, and my staggering, insoleut
manner had somewhat thrown them of
.heir guard, yeti Il could plainly ::see that
their doubts were not al. removed.
"And you call these things well done,
do yous" ] asked, taking up roll of the
money, "Well, all | have to say is, that
if you can't do better than this, you had
better shut up shop, that's ALL"
"Can you show any bcttcr!" asked
one of the men.
~ rather think ! can. II couldn't
Id hang myself" -
Lets see it," they all cried.
This was my last coup, and one on
which my life depended.
"Look here. gentlemen" exclaimed,
taking one Of the counterfeit half dollars
from my pocket that had been rejected
at the bank, "here's my last job, what
do you think of iti" p
1t was handed from hand to hand,
some saying il was no counterfeit at all,
and some saving il was.
show will you provejtis is a counterfeit r.
asked one.
"By weighing il with genuine one '
l replied.
This plan was immediately adopted
and its character proved.
Perhaps he got this by accident l
heard one man whisper to another.
"Try these" | said, taking thc.o,her
two out of my pocket. "a as
All their doubts now vahisned. ;sa
Beautiful" exclaimed one, very splen-
didw ,t. t gs
When they bad examined them TO
their satisfaction they all cordially took
me by tile hand, every particle of doubt
having vanished from their minds. ] car
ried on my part well. Some questions
we're occasionally asked me involving some
teohpicalilcs of the business; these, how
ever, / avoided, BY stating that was on
a journey, and would rather take glass
of wbiskey than answer questions. The
whiskey was produced and we made a
night Of it. 1t was not until morning
dawned that we separated.
The next day returned to Chicago
and brought down the necessary assistance
and captured the whole gang of counter
feters in the very act. The den was brok-
en- up forever, and most Of them were
condemned to serve n term in State
| Prison. Ilaf rMfs s
have those half dollars still 10 my
possession, and never intend TO part with
them, for they were certainly the means
Of saving my life. '.am R 'Naa
IT Is good sign TO see a man do an
net of charity to his fellows. 1t is d bad
sign 10 hear him Boosting of il. 1t is a
good sign 10 see the color Of health 90 a
o,.c,s Caca II IL N hal )s;,,n A., coo n a II