American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-06-07
DEACON DULLDOZER AND THE
CONFIDENCE MAN.

DEACON DAVID DULLDOZER had the repu.
| tation of being very shrewd and SHARP
man. No one in SnOoZebOro had greater
| faculty of demonstrating that black was
white and white was black. Few of his
neighbors had ever dealt with him with
| out being worsted. No man in the coun.
| try could get the advantage of him in a
| horse trade, for he was very cautious
and plausible man. He was very stingy
| and selfish He never gave anything to
the needy and unfortunate but advice
with that article he was very prOfuse and
liberal.
Moses Knapp who was one of Deacon
David Dulldozer's neighbors was a very
meek and credulous sort of a man. His
extreme honesty and credulity were his
greatest failings and misfortunes. He was
bound to believe what everybody told
him and though often puzzled at the con-
fiicting statements of his neighbors he in
variably believed that all were sincere in
their affirmations. He was an industrious
and Woodworking man, but his worldly
prosperity was slow by reason of his lack
of what some men call legitimate enter
prise.
Now Moses Knapp once had occasion
to visit Chicago; what his motive in max
ing the journey was does not matter. 1t
might have been the contemplated pur-
chase of some agricultural implements or
from an irrepressible desire to behold the
wonderful wax-works in Woods Museum.
A trip to Chicago was an important
event in the life of Moses Knapp, for he
rarely went outside the boundaries of the
town he lived in. AS soon as Deacon Da-
vid Dulldozer heard of Moses Knapp's
proposed journey he made due haste to
call upon him to give his credulous neigh
Dor little gratuitous advice.
"Take plenty of money, Noses" he said,
" so if the cars run off the track, or any
thing else happens, you won't be helpless
among strangers. Don't git your pocket
picked or git taken in by any of them con-
fidence men that stand around the street
corners. They're plausible fellows, Moses.
But was always too much for 'em. Now
remember, don't believe nothin' they tell
you"
Moses thanked the Deacon for his kind
ly interest in his welfare and promised to
be very cautious and careful.
Shortly after he started for the Garden
City. After riding few miles a we'll
dressed and pleasant looking stranger ap-
preached him and begged leave to share
his seat. Moses was just wishing that he
had some one to talk with, and moving
along he cheerfully made room for the
stranger beside him and the two were soon
chatting with the familiarity of old
friends.
Live in Snoozeboro?"
EYES," pleasantly responded Moses.
"Ah, very fine farming locality"
Yes, have you ever been there?"
"Often."
"Do you know Deacon David Dull
dozer, an Amasa Tompkins, an Rodney
Green?"
"Why, yes. The Deacon is a sort of
a second cousin of mine"
oval, wal Yes. I've heerd him speak
of you lots of times. Your name is Feath-
erly, amt it,"
Yes"
From Flagg's Flattss'
Yes, I'm the man"
$50, so. Wal I'm mighty glad to see
you; goin' to Chicagog"
YES, it will be real pleasant to have
you for company"
So they rode on for some hours, until
Featherby began to grow drowsy. 1t was
late in the evening and they would not
arrive in Chicago until after daybreak on
the next morning.
BE you gettin' sleepys" asked Moses,
meekly.
Eyes. / believe I'd take a nap if it
wasn't for the thieves and pickpockets
that are so thick on these trains: a man
can't go into a dose without their going
through him?"
Coin thru him." asked Moses in as
constituent, not fully comprehending the
term.
"Yes, picking his pockets, and taking
his wallet and watch from him."
"No?" Moses clappcd his hand upon
his pocket-book, to assure himself that it
was not gone.
Its unfortunately true, continued Mr..
Featherly Now I'll tell you, Mr.. Knapp,
what I'll do. If you'll just take charge
of my valuables, I'll lay down and sleep
TIL midnight. You wake me up, then,
and I'll do the same favor for YOU
This proposition greatly pleased Moses
lie began to think Mr. Featherly "A very
honest and clever man, when he handed
ont his valuable gold watch and well filled
pocketbook to him, and charged him to
wake him promptly at twelve. Mr. Fcath-
erly then turned over and went to sleep
while Moses regarded the property com
mitted to his keeping with lynx eyes. He
was flattered by the confidence Mr. Feath
erly reposed in him. Mr.. Featherly was
fine sort of a man.
Promptly at midnight Moses gave his
companion violent shake, who awoke
with a yawn and professed much surprise
that the hours had passed so quickly
Moses returned the property that he had
so faithfully guarded to its owner Then
taking his own watch and well-flled wal
let, he handed them to Mr.. Featherly
who promised to carefully keep them
Then the unsuspicious farmer turned over