The Dillon tribune., 1883-10-20
Wisftllamea.
spOONER'S BOGUS WILL.
vender Of Tanelefoot Was Taken In

How . vender of Tanglefoot Was Taken I'''
From the Salt Lake Tribune.l
It was in an Idaho mining camp and
we will ca. .,is name Spooner. Spooner
was a good miner when sober, an UNI
mitigated nuisance when drunk. He
had been ON many sprces in cam!,-we
will call it "Spooner's Run"--and his
credit was exhausted. 1t was grlevons
to state the fact, but Spooner was not
yerv conscientious about settling his
whisky bills, so the gentlemen who
dealt in tile tangleleg had learned to
rive him the cold shoulder. One morn
ing he said TO his employer: "Joe, said
he, II think there must he a letter for
me at the postoiiice, ard ] would, like
to LAY Off to-day and go down to camp
for it," "All right" was Joe's response,
"onlv / can see in your eye YOU mean to
get drunk. If you do and come back
here will have you thrown down the
Midas shaft" The Midas shaft was 800
feet deep in solid porphyry. Spooner
went away and made the round OF the
saloons. He had no collateral, and he
knew his credit was too dense to lie
fitted by any legitimate lever. At last
he s.rolled into the store Of the prn-
cipal trader-we will call his name
ketchum-and mildly said: "ketchnm,
when YOU can spare few minute s time
I want to see YOU" "All right; what
is it 2" said Ketclu,n, shortly. II w..nt
to tell you," said spooner. solemnly,
"that though look rugged, tn doctors
tell me I have an incurable heart dis
ease: that willie may live for several
months, may at any tine be seized
with fatal spasm, especially if I be-
come excited, and I want You
to write MY will" Wonderingly
Ketchum asked: "What in the world
have you to dispose OFF, Il have few
things" said Spooner, sadly; won't
you do little thing like that for an
old friend?" Certainly" said Ketch-
UNI, and, going to his desk, lie drew out
sheet Of foolscap and commenced to
write as follow y, Moses spooner, Of
so-and-so, being Of infirm body but Of
sound mind, ETC." Now about the
properly" said Ketchum. Spooner
waited moment until he could prop
erly control himself, then said: II de-
sire that my one-half interest in the
Big Fissure be sold and the proceeds,
after all debts and charges are paid, be
sent to my old mother, Patience
Spooner, in Pike county, No." Ketch-
um put it down. Spooner continued
my undivided one-third interest in the
Lame Duck wish to have sold, and,
after paying 81 900 to your head clerk.
Jones Che is q friend of mine), send to
my mother, with instructions that it he
paid to Missouri Price, also of Pike.
Then, with increasing emotion, he add.
ed: "Sou would before this have been
my wife, but I could not think OF max
ing the dear girl my nurse" Spoonel
continued to dispose Of his property
and finally said: THAT is all except
$1,000 which I have put in the -
Bank at Salt Lake City. Put down
| $1,000 to your little daughter Nellie,
Mr.. ketchum, the other $500 O to your,
self. Also add tlat appoint you and
your clerk, Jones. my executors, te
serve without bonds. Then he went
off by himself, took seat on barrel
and for some moments buried his face
in his hands. ket.hum calle. Jones K
the desk, had him copy in a n,a'
clerkly hand, called up Spooner arc
two witnesses. had the will signc,l
sealed ard witnessed, folded the paper
placed it i'll a large enve.opa. had til,
envelope properly SUI e.scr.b,l an.
laid away in the safe. Thea sal,
Ketchum: "Spooner. let us tax. lit!
drink for old friendships sake" 9.
cannot" said Spooner. You know
my weakness. The doctors Say that or,
drink might kill me. and a l,.otractet
spree would he she to-" \ Fight s:son,
in ketchums eyes. "The doctors h;
blow, L." said he. "One drink woul,
not hurt any man. You are low
spiri ed this morning, Spooner; come
and brace up" After the nece .sary re
sistance 81 .ooner yiellt ard got out
side Of a -ous,r. "How is that?" asked
ketchum. Spooncr Admit ell That lie fell
no bad effects, that indeed. it made
him feel better. He took another. H,
kept t king them. He drank all da,
and night ut intervals. ket ..um ant
Jones alternated il supplying him. II.
Kept on for two weeks, but no symptoms
OF the fatal srasin M infested itself. ~
last one afternoon he lay prone aslre,
on some boot-loxes when u physician
came in. ketchum asked the lnaa o
science to examine Linn and see il he
had symptoms Of heart trouble. TIE
doctor om,lied. He felt his wrist
put his ear to his breast; felt his w,i...
again, and said: "He has heart like
an OK; it is beating like a trip-hamncr,
and as regular as the stroke Of steam.
engine. Spooner was kicked ont. and
hetchum and Jones figure NJ his &C.
count. 1t amounted to &,G7. Next
morning Spooner came in with his
..r',s Oh edge, and wanted . drink.
de was k ckel out again. The next
lay lie was rav,ng with delirium
tremens, and the men about town com.
PEELED kttchum to send him with !
:'urse and q physic an down to the
'pri'gs, twenty miles away. That day
Toe -, the owner OF the mine, came
low town. and ketchum tremblinoly
IN iuired ow much was due to Spoonc,
- the books If the mining COMPANY.
Its the other way" said Joe: =
's'u. 1T him suit II clothes. paid !
;:ck board hill in Salt Lake. and naid