The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-10

DeltlEg is certainty II Ddu pTdctlce
and whether disastrous directly or in.
directly, il is sure to play smash with
the better and bettee before the wind
up.
Years ago, when the railroads had
not reached the northwest and all
travel and commerce came up the
Mississippi from st. Louis to st. Paul
and other northwestern cities, the
opening of navigation in the spring
was a great day. When large city
stood almost idle all winter, living GU
the profits of the previous summer,
the date when she would resume bust
ness in the spring was of great i'm
portance to her.
Therefore with much anxiety every
one looked forward to the time when
the ice would go out of Lake Pepin
and revive the dormant business.
Along in January and February ev-
erybody got to betting on the day
when the first boat would get up to
st. Paul or some other northern point.
At Hudson, of course, it was the
same, though we had to take some
chances on the opening of Lake ST..
Croix, on whose banks Hudson stands.
One winter, Coon and Platte got to
betting on various things to kill time,
and finally wound up with bet on
the arrival of the first boat at Hud-
son. They were partners in large
grain elevator on the lake, and Platte
wanted to bet pair of S14 boots that
the first boat wouldn't arrive before
the 10th of April. Coon took the bet
and time passed on.
On the 10Th of April no boat had ar
rived and Platte began to feel sure of
his boots. There were no telegraphs
then, and so there was no way to get
at the river news till late, everything
in the way of news coming slowly up
through the Big Woods by stage.
On the afternoon of the 18th, Platte
went up in the cupola of the ware
house with spyglass, ostensibly to
look over some fife wheat, but really
to see what he could see down the
lake. About sunset he saw little
steamer slowly round the point at Cat
fish bar, four or five miles below, and,
sticking the spyglass into dark cor
ner, he went down and hunted up
Coon, who was on the street up town.
He then, by easy stages, drew HIM in
to a conversation on the subject of the
opening of spring navigation.
''Tell you what I'll do. Coon,
you've got about four or five hours
left yet, and if no boat comes in be-
fore the times up, the Sl4 boots are
mine.''
1-Looks that way, of course" said
Coon, @'but there's still a chance
left"
~Yes, there's chance, but an infer
nallv slim chance. What will you
take for your bet, CoonP"
..Oh, / don't know. Probably I've
got one chance in three. I'll take So
for my bet.'7
Enough said. Here's your SIS.
There's a boat down at Catfish Bar
5hat'll be here in less than an hour.
There was crowd standing around,
md of course everybody yelled and
of the town put on its haiti
md rushed down to the levee to see
he first boat come in. Hour after
lour passed by and the crowd swelled !
% large mass meeting, all anxious
% see the first boat of the season. !
After while her lights could be dim-i
y seen around the point, moving very
lowlv against an icy current. The
crowd watched her as she struggled |
,ravely up. and then backed off again,
lodged big cake of ice and headed,
oward the channel again. 1t was a:
rying time for those who stood there !
md watched, most every one having,
large or small bet on the result. /
MI kinds of jokes and ieers were swap
,ed as the crowd stood there in the
hilly April night till nearly eleven,
o'clock. just before that hour the
teamer staggered back and steadily
ost ground, till finally she slowly rel
'ersed her engines; then, when she
ould get room, she silently turned
bout and went back down the lake to
and did not get up to Hud-
on for three days.
So Platte lost his S14 pair of boots
nd So in cash, to say nothing of the
irge sum that it cost him to keep the
own quiet enough so that he could
We in it.
l hope that all young men who read
his, and who may. at times, be tempt
d to bet their money upon anything,
ill call to mind this sad accident and
rmly refuse to do so.
Who hath woeP Who hath sorrow?
Vho hath redness of eyesP Who wear
tn his old last winter clothes all sum-
lerp He that looketh upon the straight
ush when it moveth itself Alright. He
lat goeth to seek the jack pot. He
lat goeth to seek the sucker that he
lay pick him up and skin him. Be-
old, he himself shall be skun. Bill
lye, ga New York Mercury.