Omaha daily bee., 1873-05-03

Deacon David Dulldozer and
the Chicago Conf
dence Man.
Prom Our Fireside Friend.

Deacon David Dulldozer had the
reputation of being a very shrewd
and sharp man. No one in Snooze-
boro had a greater faculty of clearly
demonstrating that black was white
and white was black. Few of his
neighbors had ever dealt with him
without being worsted. No man in
the country could get the advantage
of him in a horse trade for he was a
very cautious and plausible man.
He was very stingy and selfish, ne
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 conflict
ing statements of his neighbors, he
invariably believed hat all were
sincere in their affirmations. He was
an industrious and and hard-work-
ing 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 occa-
sion to visit Chicago; What his
motive in making the journey was
does not matter. 1t might have
been the contemplated purchase of
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 without the bounda-
ries of the town he lived in. As soon
as Deacon David Dulldozer heard of
Moses Knapp's proposed journey he
made due haste to call upon him to
give his credulous neighbor a little
gratuitious advice.
"Take plenty of money Moses, he
said, so if the cars run off the track,
or anything else happens, you won't
be helpless among strangers. Don't
git your pockets picked or git taken
in by any of them confidence men
that stand around the street rne
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
kindly interest in his welfare and
promised to be very cautious and
careful.
Shortly after he started for the
Garden City. After riding a few
miles a well-dressed and pleasant
looking stranger approached him and
begged leave to share his seat. Moses
was just wishing that he 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.
olive in SnoOzeboro ?"
eyes," pleasantly responded Moses.
"Ah, very fine farming locality"
Yes, have you ever been there ?"
Gotten"
"Do you know Deacon David Dull
dozer, an Amasa Tompkins, an Rod
ney Green ?"
"Why yes. The Deacon is a sort
Of a second cousin of mine"
oval, wal. Yes. I've yeard him
speak of lots of times. Your name
is Featherly, amt it a."
eyes"
@From Flags Flats ?"
eyes, I'm the man."
$50, so. Wal Pm mighty glad to
see you; going to Chicago +"
"Yes, it will be real pleasant to
have you for company"
So they rode on for some hours, un-
til Featherly 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' sleepy 2" asked
Moses meekly.
eyes, l believe I'd take a nap if
it wasn't for the thieves and pick,
pockets that are so thick on these
trains a mar can't go into a doze
without their going through him."
"Goin' thru him." asked Moses in
establishment, not fully comprehend
ing the term.
ayes, picking his pockets and tax
ing his wallet and watch from him."
"No" Moses clapped his hand
upon his pocketboOk, to assure him>
self that it was not gone.
"Its unfortunately true" contin-
ued Mr.. Featherly. "Now I'll tell
you, Mr.. Knapp, what I'll do. If
you'll just take charge CT my valua-
bles, III lay down and sleep till mid
night. Iou wake me up thea, and
I'll do the same favor for you"
This proposition greatly pleased
Moses. He began to think Mr..
Featherly a very honesr and clever
man, when he handed out his valua-
BILE gold watch and we'll filled pocket
book to him and charged him to