The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-21
MARK .TWAIN'S ACCOUNT OF
GYM SMILEY"


As Related by Simon Wheeler, Etq.,
ofAngcl's Camp, Cnl0vcrUS county,
California, ON Being Asked for ln-
formation. Concerning II Certain
Rev. LCOnidas VIM. Smiley.
There was fellow here once by the
name Of Jim Smiley, in the winter Of 40
or may be it was the spring OF '5O-l
don't reCollect exactly, somehow, though
what makes me think it was one or the
other Is because remember the big ilume
wasn't finished when he first came TO the
camp; but any way, he was the curiosest
man about always betting on anything
that turned up you ever see, IT he could
ret ANYBODY to bet on the other side; and
il he couldn't he'd change sides. Any way
that suited tho other man would suit him
ANY way Just SOS he got bet, he was
satisfied. But still he was lucky, uncom'
mon lucky; he almost always come out
winner. Hewas always ready aud laying
for chance; there couldn't be no solitary
lhing mentioned but that feller'd offer TO
bet omit, and take any side you please, as
was lust telling you 1fthere was horse
race, you'd find him flush or you'd find
him busted at the end Oft; il there was
dog fight he'd bet on it: II there was o cat
tight, he'd bet on it; If there was chicken
fight, he'd bet on II; why, II there was
two birds setting on o fence, he'd bet
you which one would fly first; or II
there was camp meeting, he would
be there reglar to bet onsParson Walk
or, which he Judged 10 be tho best eX.
hOrter about here-and so he was too,
and good man. The even saw strad.
dle-bug start to go anywhere, he would
bet you how long it would take him to
get wherever he was going 10, andif you
took him up he would follow that strad:
dle.bug to Mexico but what he would
find out where he was bound Tor and
how long he was on the road. Lots OF
The boys here has seen that Smiley, and
can tell you about him. Why, 1t never
made no difference 10 him-he would bet
on anything-the dangdGst Teller. Parson
Walkers wife laid very sick once, Tor
sgOod while, and it seemed as II they
warn't going TO save her. But one morn.
ing he come in, and Smiley asked how
she was, and he said she was considerable
better-lhank the Lord for his infinite
mcrcy-and coming on so smart that,
with the blessing Of Providence, she'd
get well yet; and Smiley, before he
thought says: "Well, I'll risk two and a
half that she don't anyway"
This yer Smiley had marc--the boys
called her the fifteen minute nag, but
that was only In fun you know, because
Of course she was faster than that-and he
used to win money on that horse for Sll
she was so slow, and always had the
asthma, or the distcmper or the cOnsump
ton, or something Of that kind, They
used 10 give her TWO or three hundred
yards start, aud then pass her under way
but always at the end ofthe race she'd gel
excited and desperate like, and come cav
orting and straddling up, and scattering
her legs around Timber, sometimes in The
air, and sometimes out to one side among
the fences, and kicking up IN ore dusI
and raising more racket with her cough
Ing and sneezlng and blowing her nose
and always fetch up at the stand JUS
about a neck ahead, as near as you cOult
cipher Il down.
And he had little small bull pup, thu
tolook at him you'd think he wasn't wortl
u cent but to setIaround and look ornery
and lay for a chance to steal something
But as soon as the money was up on hin
he was a different dog; his under jaw'I
begin TO stick out like the lo'casilo Of
steamboat, and his teeth would uncover
and shine savage like the furnaces, An
dog might tackle him, and bullyTa
him, and bite him, and throw him owe
his shoulder two or three times, an
Andrew Jackson which was the name {
the pup-Andrew Jackson would neve
let on but what he was satisfied, an
hadn't expected nothing else-and tn
bets being doubled and doubled on III
other side I'll the time, till tho none
was all up; and then all Of sudden
would grab the other dog just by the jim