Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-02-13
DEACON pRE8c0TT'S NOTES.
The Deacon ON a Sprce--A Note
Given in a Gaming House
The DeacOn's Des-
r,ara ffan

-1nG DctCOu OCS~
peratiOn.
John Prescott and William
Kearney were both members of
the same church and dry-goods
dealers in Prairie City, Iowa.
Prescott, by dint of sharp
practice and hypocrisy, had a.
massed fortune, and became q
Deacon in the church.
Kearney, on the other hand,
although the soul of honor, was
continually embarrassed, a n d
having once denounced Prescott
in decidedly unparliamentary
terms for a very equivocal trans
action, came near being expell-
ed from the Church.
Since then Prescott had secret
Iy borne him a bitter grudge, and
one day he presented to Kearney
for payment a note for S2,l0O,
drawn by him several years be-
fore in favor of a man named
James Parker.
"How did you get that note, I"
inquired Kearney.
''That's my business" replied
Prescott; won't you pay it?"
"No, because l paid Parker
the amount. He had mislaid the
note, and he said he would de-
stroy it as soon as he found it. "
"Well, Parker is dead" said
Prescott significantly.
81 shall not pay it!' cried
Kearney, Indignantly. You are
AN ACCURsED SHARPER
For asking me to pay it. "
The latter went to a lawyer,
who Immediately brought suit
against Kearney.
''1'his will break me up" cried
Kearney, when his counsel told
him he could not get around pay
ing the note.
About that time Kearney's
cousin, Andrew Clemons, from
Chicago, came to Prairie City
on a visit. Having learned all
about the case from Kearney, he
said:
"You say this fellow, Prescott,
is a great religious hypocrite,
Billy?"
"As great a one as nc Is a
scoundrel," replied Kearney.
"I'hen, he doesn't drink, play
cards and 60 to balls and the
atres?"
II have no doubt he would do
it on the sly if he had a chance
without being found out by the
Church. / know that he drinks
stomach bitters."
"Does he ever visit Chicago?"
"Yes, every few weeks"
"Well, Billy said Clemons,
"wiIl you telegraph me the next
time he starts to Chicago, and
until then stave off the payment
of the note?"
Kearney promised, and a week
later, hearing that Kearney was
about to go to Chicago, he in
formed Andrew Clemons of it.
Deacon Prescott had no idea,
when he was accosted next day
in the office of the fremont
House, at Chicago, by
DAsHING YOUNG FELLOW,
That he had before him Andrew
Clemons, Kearney's cousin, who
had come to see him with malice
aforethought.
'Hallo, Deacon Prescott"
said Clemons, holding out his
hand to him.
Prescott said he really could
not recall the gentleman, where
upon Clemons boldly asserted
that they had met several years
before in St. Louis.
Having repeatedly been in that
city,and indulged in '.jamborees"
on the sly, Prescott thought it
more than likely that he had met
there this engaging young man,
and he visited with him in the
course of the day several places
of refreshmcnt, from which Dea-
cons should keep away, unless
they desire to get themselves in
to the condition in which Dea-
con Prescott found himself on
that day at setting-in of dusk.
His head was on fire, his tongue
heavy, and his gait unsteady.
Still he wanted more cham
pagne, and Mr.. Clemons not on